New Ford E-Tourneo Custom gets 230-mile electric range

The next-generation Ford Tourneo Custom will arrive in Europe next year, offering a battery-electric powertrain for the first time.

Based on the new 2023 Ford E-Transit Custom detailed earlier this year, the new E-Tourneo Custom receives the same 215bhp electric motor driving the front wheels. It has ‘one-pedal’ drive capability, ramping up the regenerative braking to slow the car without using the brakes.

The E-Tourneo Custom’s 74kWh battery – using high-cell-density tech from the F-150 Lightning pick-up – is also shared with the E-Transit Custom, enabling a 230-mile range. 

This is competitive with rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz EQV (213 miles) and the Citroën e-Spacetourer (136 miles). It is beaten by the Volkswagen ID Buzz (258 miles) although that model has yet to be offered with seven seats.

Recharging tops out at 125kW using a DC fast charger – 15kW greater than the EQV’s maximum – and enables a 15-80% recharge in 41 minutes. AC charging (such as from a home wallbox) is possible at 11kW, providing a full recharge in less than eight hours.

The diesel and petrol plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) powertrains available in the outgoing Tourneo Connect are still available – the diesel offered in 134bhp, 148bhp and 168bhp guises. The PHEV uses a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, a single motor and an 11.8kWh battery, giving an electric range of 31 miles.

All powertrains can tow 2000kg, but diesel versions can lug braked trailers weighing an additional 500kg.

The next-generation Tourneo Custom is offered with two wheelbases, each with three rows of seats. The battery-electric powertrain can be specified with up to eight seats, while the diesel and PHEV variants can have up to nine.

The second row of seats uses a 33/33/33 split with integrated seatbelts, which makes it easier to reconfigure – such as into a rear-facing ‘conference’ layout – according to Ford. The third row uses a less practical 60/40 split.

Five Isofix points for child seats are available – three in the second row, and two in the outboard seats on the third row.

Up front, a 13.0in infotainment touchscreen running Ford’s Sync 4 software is standard, as well as the new ‘tilting’ steering wheel from the E-Transit Custom that can be folded flat into a table.

Utility has been emphasised in the Tourneo Custom: the powered side doors now feature hands-free operation (via a kicking motion) so they can be opened easily when you're carrying heavy items.

The electric and PHEV versions also feature vehicle-to-load power sockets up front, enabling you to tap their batteries to power devices up to 2.3kW, such as kettles or laptops.

Ford has yet to officially confirm pricing, but the outgoing Ford Tourneo Custom started from £45,564 (on the road, in ‘shuttle bus’ configuration). Given the new model’s upgraded specification and the current increased cost of car manufacturing, this is likely to exceed £50,000.

Electric versions may cost £60,000 or more, in line with expected pricing for the upcoming seven-seat variant of the rival ID Buzz.