Ford of Canada and Azure Dynamics announced today that they will deliver ten Ford Transit Connect Electric vans to Canada Post under the LEAD customer program.
Canada Post will receive one of the exclusive Ford Transit Connect Electric vans by the end of this year and has committed to the purchase of nine more by end of 2011.
To create the Transit Connect Electric van, Azure integrates its Force Drive electric powertrain into the Ford Transit Connect. A lithium-ion battery pack from Johnson Controls-Saft supports a range of up to 80 miles (129 km) on a single charge and has a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). The battery is rechargeable using either a 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlet.
The new van’s electric drive performance attributes are well suited to fleets like Canada Post that have duty cycles characterized by predictable routes with frequent stop and go driving and high idle time.
