#TransitConnectTaxi

It’s no secret that Ford‘s Transit Connect, the small delivery van built in Turkey has been making waves among fleet operators since its arrival on these shores last year. In particular, the vehicle’s exterior dimensions, turning radius and interior capacity relative to its size have caught the eyes of taxi companies. An operator in Boston recently became the first to purchase an order of Transit Connects and now, Yellow Cab of California is following suit.

It won the North American truck of the year award and in the commercial sector, the Transit Connect has been generating a lot of interest over the last year. The Turkish built, small delivery van has been on sale in Europe since 2002, but was only introduced to our market last year. As Ford is retiring its fleet mainstay, the Crown Victoria sedan in 2011, many government agencies and taxi fleet operators are looking at a suitable replacement. With its small size, tight turning radius, significant interior capacity and decent fuel economy, the Transit Connect is seen as a logical alternative to the Vic taxi by some. Recently, the city of Boston announced that it will be adding these vehicles to its taxi fleets in the fall of this year, making it the first  major American metropolis to do so.

Ford has just announced two new versions of its Transit Connect commercial vehicle, which recently won the 2010 North American Truck of the Year award. Up first is the Transit Connect Electric, the first electric vehicle Ford will offer, using a lithium-ion battery. It can travel up to 80 miles on a charge, which takes about 6 to 8 hours to complete from either a 120-volt or 140-volt outlet. Ford claims a similar acceleration time to the gas-powered model although storage space is reduced somewhat to 135 cu.-ft. The vehicle is designed for fleets where driver’s have a pre-set route and a centralized location for recharging.