Honest John Vans Van News New vans

Four-wheel-drive Ford E-Transit Custom to arrive in 2026

A new all-wheel-drive version of the Ford E-Transit Custom is set to go on sale in 2026, the manufacturer has confirmed.

The Ford E-Transit Custom Trail will use a twin electric motor set-up and will be sold alongside a Ford E-Tourneo Custom passenger variant.

The all-wheel-drive drivetrain takes the existing rear-wheel drive platform layout and adds an additional electric motor for the front wheels, along with raised ride height and rugged skid plates.

The two independent front and rear drive units provide drive to all four wheels, Ideal for steep inclines, slippery conditions and towing.

The exact specifications is yet to be announced, but a power output of at least 272bhp is expected if the van used the same electric motors as the Ford E-Transit Custom.

It is likely to use the 74kWh battery pack from the rear-wheel-drive Ford E-Transit Custom, though the range will most likely be a bit less.

Further details and pricing will be announced closer to the model’s introduction early next year.

Ask HJ

Why do you not suggest petrol vans?

Recently someone sought advice on a small van primarily for short journeys with one 350 mile trip per month. You suggested a 2.0 TDI VW Caddy. I’m of the thinking that diesel engines are less suited to short journeys than petrol. Petrol engines have now closed the gap against diesel for economy. Plus it’s cheaper. I’ve recently bought a Transit Courier with the 1.0 litre petrol engine, specifically for short, stop-start journeys. I get 39-40 mpg on those journeys. On a longer motorway run, I’ll get 49mpg. I think this is a better suggestion than a 2.0 litre oil burner. Do you have something against petrol?
The reader was very concerned about reliability on this occasion and the VW TDI engine is a proven, reliable unit. Unfortunately, the 1.0-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol is known for poor reliability issues at higher mileages. We have nothing against petrol vans, but for the specific reader's purposes and the fact he wanted an older model, we advised him to buy the van we thought most appropriate for his requirements.
Answered by Craig Cheetham
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