Ford E-Transit Courier van review (2025)
The smallest Ford van is also the littlest electric vans you can buy in the UK. It’s also one of the best
PROS
- The smallest all-electric van you can buy in the UK
- Good to drive thanks to the car-based platform
- Simple range of trims
- Gets more equipment compared to the diesel model
- Fantastic safety rating
CONS
- Only one battery option
- Electric range slightly disappointing
- Just the two trims
- Only one body size
- Fiddly climate control and infotainment combo
Summary
The Ford Transit E-Courier is not only the smallest electric van you can buy in the UK, it’s also the smallest van full stop. This makes it a handy entry point to the world of zero-emission commercial vehicles. It’s accessible in other ways, too. Small vans are often driven by people who don’t have loads of experience with commercial vehicles, so ease of use and an unintimidating aura is a real bonus. The Transit Courier is based on a car platform, specifically the Ford Puma SUV, which means that it carries over some of that vehicle’s mannerisms and is easy to drive.
It’s notable that the Transit Courier is bigger than it was before, with the previous version being not much larger than a car-derived van. However, it is still small enough that fitting in around town is easy, with all versions low enough to fit under the common height restrictions and short enough that parking is as easy as it is in a car.
The electric element of the E-Transit Courier is simple too, with just the one battery and motor combination. Combine this with the fact that there are only two trims – Trend and Limited – and you don’t have a huge amount of choosing to do when it comes to picking your Courier. The motor provides 136hp of power and the battery is a 43kWh unit that promises a range of 181 miles. This is one of the few disappointments given that 200 miles is now available as a minimum in many electric vans, large and small.
Ford could well squeeze a bigger battery in, but this would have a negative impact on the payload. As things stand, the Transit Courier is a real rarity in that electric version has the highest payload potential of any model in its range. The Trend provides a maximum carrying ability of 698kg, which is just over 20kg more than the best performing petrol version in the range. Even the higher-specified Limited’s 682kg payload is better than all other engine and trim combos.
This strength doesn’t translate to all areas, though, as the E-Transit Courier can’t tow as much as the other models in the range, only being able to handle a 750kg braked trailer. But given the most any Transit Courier can manage is 1,100kg, this isn’t too far short at least.
In all other senses the E-Transit Courier is pretty much like its petrol and diesel equivalents, with the same body and therefore the same internal and external dimensions. This echoes the rest of the van, as it’s very much just a case of swapping out the means of power under the bonnet.
It isn’t necessarily the cheapest option in the class, but the simple pricing and trim structure that means there isn’t a cheap model at the bottom of the range with no kit to grab headlines – you get a well-equipped version right from the get go.
What are the Ford E-Transit Courier’s rivals?
This depends on how flexible you are with the size of van you want. Strictly speaking the Courier sits below the classic ‘small’ category of vans, but it has grown significantly from the previous generation. This means that it is now only slightly smaller than the competition, so is a much more plausible alternative.
These alternatives include the Renault Kangoo E-Tech and its sibling vehicles the Nissan eTownstar and Mercedes-Benz eCitan. These three are good but don’t offer anything eye-catching in terms of features, whereas the left-hand drive versions do - things like a clever folding bulkhead for example.
Then there are the Stellantis models, which are decent and have benefitted from a 2024 update to the battery and resultant electric range. These include the Citroen eBerlingo, Fiat E-Doblo, Peugeot e-Partner and Vauxhall Combo Electric. You can add the mechanically identical Toyota Proace City Electric to this collection too, as it’s the same vehicle wearing a different badge.
The other small van in the class – the Volkswagen Caddy – doesn’t offer an electric model with a plug-in hybrid the only option. The Ford Transit Connect is the same basic van, too, so is similarly afflicted.
Verdict: is the Ford E-Transit Courier any good?
Range disappointment aside, the Ford E-Transit Courier is excellent, and that range will be more than enough for most urban-based users to manage in most cases. It’s great to drive, has a fantastic cabin, comes with a good amount of kit, is competitively priced and it even offers a stronger payload than its petrol and diesel equivalents.
The increase in size is a bonus too, as you get a more practical van but in a body that is still suited to urban challenges. Ford’s biggest issue is that it makes stepping up to the Transit Connect less appealing.
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- Simple with no fussy electric controls
- Neat steering and excellent ride
We love how the Ford Transit Courier drives, and the electric version is even better in many ways. It retains all the classic attributes that come from this van being based on a car platform and adds a few more that only enhance it.
My first experience with the E-Transit Courier was in Spain, on a mixture of motorway, urban and mountain roads. It had a 250kg weight secured in the back and we had two adults on board.
The excellent steering and suspension are exactly the same as the rest of the Courier’s range. The steering is accurate, well weighted and it gives confidence at low speeds when you want to park into a tight spot and holds its line well on the motorway. The ride was great anyway but it could even be slightly better for having the more even weight distribution brought about by the battery running underneath the van.
There is only the one 43kWh battery available and it is paired with a 136hp motor. This might make it the most powerful model in the range, but don’t go in expecting blistering performance. There is a little zip but it doesn’t offer the kick that an electric vehicle often does, which is a good thing really, as too much pace would be problematic with a full load in the rear.
- Great storage options
- Driving position a little restrictive for taller drivers
- Lack of physical climate controls
The interior layout of the E-Transit Courier is fundamentally the same as the diesel and petrol model, which means two seats with a good amount of sideways space and a strong range of interior storage spots.
The cabin isn’t wide enough to accommodate three seats, so there isn’t likely to be a situation where you end up crammed into the middle. Even so, Ford has put the gear selector up on a stalk behind the wheel, which frees up more room for storage on the central console. It’s something that might take a little bit of a mental shift for someone getting into the E-Transit Courier from a conventional van, but it is nothing unusual for a modern electric vehicle and it works well, with intuitive movements.
The space this frees up is welcome, too, with a really great amount of cubbyholes in between the two front seats, down at the base of the central console and higher up. The one thing with the highest storage is that it isn’t covered, so it isn’t quite as secure as some with proper bins up there. This is a low van, too, so there aren’t any overhead slots either. Finally, there is a classic glovebox and some low down door pockets that will take a bottle on either side.
Driver space not huge
The one issue with many small vans is the payoff between loading space and cabin depth. Usually, the space for kit wins out in the quest for practicality, and that is the case here too. What this means is that taller drivers will find that the seat only goes so far back.
Don’t get me wrong, it is better than it could be. I’m just shy of 6ft with my height being in my legs and I was fine, but I could tell that I wouldn’t be able to go much further back. I know that my taller colleague Jake has found it a little tricky to get comfortable behind the Courier’s wheel.
The steering wheel goes in and out and up and down but doesn’t have huge amounts of adjustment. You should be able to get into a position that works, but it might not be fine-tuned to your precise desire.
The seats themselves are fantastic, with great support and a handy armrest. It would be nice if there was another arm rest on the outside too as there is enough width in the cabin to allow for it, but such things are a real rarity.
Big screens as standard
The touchscreen in the centre of the dash is another area where Ford has treated the E-Transit Courier to a little upgrade. You get a 12.0-inch screen, where the standard petrol and diesel only get an 8.0-inch screen. The functionality is much the same, with Ford’s latest Sync 4 system and Apple Carplay and Android Auto as standard.
The annoyance is that you don’t get physical climate control buttons so you have to delve into the touchscreen. Frustrating when you are on the move or wearing gloves.
- Only two trims on offer
- Simple pricing, no poorly equipped headline grabber
- Electric range is a little on the low side
The E-Transit Courier takes a reassuringly simple approach to its pricing and specification setup, with just the two trims to choose from and both comparatively well equipped.
Those trims are higher up than the entry-level point of the ICE version, starting at Trend rather than the usual Leader. This means that every E-Transit Custom comes with a good amount of kit from the get-go. However, the BEV version gets a little more kit than its ICE equivalent in several areas, in terms of the look, functionality and safety kit.
Ford E-Transit Custom range
Sticking with the simple approach to choice, there is also only the one battery and motor on offer in the E-Transit Courier line up. This means that every version is limited to the 43kWh battery and a top official range of 181 miles.
This feels a little disappointing given that most electric vans are now offering more than 200 miles, but it is hard to see how Ford could improve on this much without compromising on payload – a bigger battery would weigh more and would take up more of that excess capacity.
Ford E-Transit Courier servicing
The service intervals on the Ford E-Transit Courier are about as good as you can get, with the van only having to go in once every two years. You’ll be able to put this date in your diary from the outset, too, as there is no service mileage interval.
Ford E-Transit Courier warranty
The standard Ford cover is a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. The battery gets the legally mandated eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, though.
Ford E-Transit Courier standard equipment
The two E-Transit Courier trims are Trend and Limited, which sit in the middle of the range for the whole model offering. This means you get more standard equipment on the entry-level model anyway, but the electric versions add kit that the petrol and diesel vans don’t get - everything listed below for the Trend is added over and above the ICE models. Highlights are as follows:
Ford E-Transit Courier Trend
- Lighting detail on front grille
- Climate control
- 12.0-inch touchscreen display
- Front under-bonnet storage
- Keyless start
Ford E-Transit Courier Limited (over Trend):
- Powered body-colour door mirrors
- Auto lights and wipers
- Heated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- One-touch electric windows
- 17-inch alloy wheels (ICE only gets 16-inch wheels)
- Wireless phone charging
- Three-pin plug in the loading bay (bespoke to the BEV)
The Ford E-Transit Courier features a lot of components that also appear in other models from the brand’s range, car and van alike. The platform in this case has formed the basis of the likes of the Fiesta and Puma.
One crucial element that might set the EV version apart from the rest of the range is that electric vehicles have fewer moving parts and are generally cheaper to maintain than a petrol or diesel.
- Platinum safety rating
- No difference between the two trims
Another benefit of being based on a car platform is the ability to fit a load more safety kit. The van world has belatedly caught up and started offering more safety features, partly down to legal requirements, but also because of the kudos attached to getting the top security rating.
Ford has succeeded on that front, with the Transit Courier range earning the top rating from Euro NCAP. A lot of this is down to the driving assistance tech, all of which is offered as standard. On safety alone there is no benefit to going for the higher of the two trims that the E-Transit Courier comes with. In fact, the electric model gets more than its equivalent ICE version. The highlights are as follows:
Ford E-Transit Courier safety equipment
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Digital rear-view camera
- Pre-collision assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Speed assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Driver alert
- Cruise control
- Front, seat and curtain airbags for driver and passenger
- Seat-belt reminders
Ford E-Transit Courier security
The one oddity with the E-Transit Courier’s safety and security kit is that you don’t get an alarm as standard, on any model. Instead you can get one as an option on every version.
However, any Ford fitted with a modem will have access to tracking and location information. Ford will charge to get access to this, but it has given examples of how this has helped owners be reunited with their stolen vehicles.
Which Ford E-Transit Courier is best for me?
This is even easier than choosing which ICE Transit Courier to choose between as there is only one body shape, one battery option and one motor. The choice is between Trend and Limited trim, and the only notable upgrades between the two are alloy wheels and a wireless charger which are things that are nice to have rather than work critical. We’d stick with Trend if we’re being sensible.
The Ford E-Transit Courier rides and handles well for a van.
The E-Transit Courier is a great small electric van.
There is only space for two in the Ford E-Transit Courier's cabin.
The Ford Transit Courier is a Parkers Award winner.
The Ford E-Transit Courier is excellent to drive.
The electric Courier gets a larger screen as standard.
