Creative Bus Sales has purchased its first 1,000 new Ford E-Transit vans from Forest River. Forest River has inked a partnership with Ford Motor Co. to enable them to complete passenger upfits on the E-Transit 350 cargo vans. The E-Transit is Ford’s first OEM electric, large passenger vehicle and is built using the Transit 350 cargo van platform.
“We are proud to be the first customer to make a significant investment in the innovative and versatile E-Transit platform,” says TJ Matijevich, vice president and general manager of Creative Bus Sales. “This is the initial step to show our commitment to a sustainable future which includes educating both employees and customers, increasing accessibility to green tech, and investing in charging infrastructure. A key component of that initiative is prioritizing the largescale adoption of electric vehicles.”
“Forest River is thrilled to see Creative’s continued dedication to electric vehicles, and we’re excited to deliver the first 1,000 E-Transit vans,” comments David Wright, president of Forest River.
The E-Transit is an electric, full-size cargo van with a battery capacity of 68 kWh which produces peak power of 198 kW, equivalent to 266 horsepower and 317 foot-pounds of torque. The single-pack lithium-ion battery has a rated charge time of eight hours from 0-100% (with 48 A power) and is located underfloor, which does not diminish passenger or cargo volume. Regenerative braking, reduced maintenance costs, digital connectivity and telematics are only a few of the benefits of switching to an E-Transit.
E-Transits with several seating configurations, including up to 12 passengers (plus driver) or up to two wheelchair positions, are available for immediate delivery. Even more floorplan options will be available later this year when another large order of E-Transits is anticipated.
