New Ford e-Tourneo Custom is an electric eight-seat MPV

• Eight seats
• 230-mile range, 125kW fast charging
• Upmarket interior and tech

Ford has announced an all-electric Ford e-Tourneo Custom MPV with room for eight occupants and a 230-mile range. It’s the first time the Tourneo – which will also be offered in plug-in hybrid and diesel forms – will get a battery electric option, putting it head-to-head with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.

As the car giant prepares to retire the Ford Galaxy and S-MAX MPVs in 2023, the e-Tourneo Custom will also gain upmarket features to help it appeal to families who need more space than the Ford Kuga or Mustang Mach-E SUVs can offer. A panoramic sunroof, B&O stereo and hands-free power sliding side doors will all be available, alongside a digital key card that utilises NFC technology.

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Six lightweight rear seats will be highly flexible, thanks to a floor rail system that allows them to be repositioned or removed altogether for van-like space – the e-Tourneo is based on the e-Transit after all. The middle row can face in either direction to provide conventional seating or a ‘conference layout’ and there are five ISOFIX child-seat mounting points in total – three across the middle row and two positioned in the outer seats of the third row. 

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Other practicality benefits include power sockets in the front of the cabin that can output up to 2.3kW from the battery pack. This is enough to power off-grid camping, sports equipment and tools, according to Ford. The e-Tourneo Custom can also tow a large caravan or trailer weighing up to 2,000kg.

Its 74kWh battery not only gives the electric MPV its impressive 230-mile range, but it can also be topped up at speeds of up to 23 miles per five minutes using 125kW DC fast charging. A top-up from 15-80% takes as little as 41 minutes, and an 11kW AC charger is fitted for charging at home or work. Power is provided by a 215bhp front-mounted electric motor and Ford has already stated that ‘one-pedal’ driving will be available.

The dashboard features a 13-inch touchscreen using Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment software; this comes as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and sits alongside a steering wheel that can be used as a laptop holder, or flip up to form a makeshift table. Trim levels include an outdoorsy Active version, along with a Sport series and a range-topping Titanium X. Along with some of the headline features mentioned above, the Titanium X will also get 19-inch alloy wheels, full Matrix LED headlights and Sensico synthetic leather upholstery.

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If you don’t fancy an electric eight-seat MPV, diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions will also be available, with up to nine seats. Ford’s EcoBlue diesel will offer 134bhp, 148bhp or 168bhp and either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, along with the option of four-wheel drive. Ford’s PHEV powertrain gets a 2.5-litre petrol engine, electric motor and 11.8kWh battery for an EV driving range of up to 31 miles.

While no pricing has yet been confirmed for the all-electric Transit e-Tourneo Custom, we’d expect it to cost from just over £50,000, given the pricing of the outgoing Tourneo model.

Need an electric car with more than five seats? Check out our in-depth reviews of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Tesla Model X