Does ford need engineers or more crayons

[Joe]

I like the concept of the transit connect. But there are so many things i do not like about the truck. Someone at ford must have there head so far buired up there ass with no light or oxygen to unviel all electric with a 75 mile range. There are so many other things that would appeal to the mass market then a freakin 75mile transit connect. How about back up camera, bigger mirrors, A front seat that folds out of the way or into a work top, Rear quick remove seats,Clear the center between the two front seats for long thin material, Diesel engine, Standard transmission, Longer wheellbase. And I am sure there is more. OWW OWW freakin towing capabilites. I have only yet scratched the surface I have read a lot of other great ideas. Ford did well with this car. But there is room for improvement. Boy that just frosts my ass. What the hell are they doing bring an all electric to the market is it a statement (look what we can do) put a freakin diesel in the dam thing.

This post has been edited by Joe: Today, 09:57 PM

[astra65]

I like the concept of the transit connect. But there are so many things i do not like about the truck. Someone at ford must have there head so far buired up there ass with no light or oxygen to unviel all electric with a 75 mile range. There are so many other things that would appeal to the mass market then a freakin 75mile transit connect. How about back up camera, bigger mirrors, A front seat that folds out of the way or into a work top, Rear quick remove seats,Clear the center between the two front seats for long thin material, Diesel engine, Standard transmission, Longer wheellbase. And I am sure there is more. OWW OWW freakin towing capabilites. I have only yet scratched the surface I have read a lot of other great ideas. Ford did well with this car. But there is room for improvement. Boy that just frosts my ass. What the hell are they doing bring an all electric to the market is it a statement (look what we can do) put a freakin diesel in the dam thing.

This post has been edited by Joe: Today, 09:57 PM

What they really need to do is install solar panel on the roof, and squeeze a few more miles in sunny areas.

But regardless, you might be surprised of how many people will love this electric version. For me, if the range was better and the price was right I would snatch one instantly. Unfortunately 75 miles is not enough for me.

[madlock]

Yeah, the half-million or so already sold in Europe must've been bought by real suckers. And shame on Ford for not just blowing into North America by importing every variant before even knowing whether or not it's something North America has a taste for. It must be all those dummies at Ford who aren't surfing the 'net making those decisions, because after all, the Internet is where all cars and trucks are bought anyway.

As for an 75-mile electric range, it's nearly ideal for a huge swath of fleet operators that will require a charging infrastructure to operate and maintain them. The vast majority of fleet service vehicles in North America (specifically those Ford is targeting) happen to drive much less than 75 miles per day, and very few companies that operate them want their field staff to spend even more time driving rather than doing their work than that. Sure, Ford should have contacted you first, but they've got SO much going on at the moment. I'm sure they'll send you a card or something later. Just out of curiosity, what would your "ideal" range be, and how much more development cost (or other compromises) would be required to achieve it? (No fair running to Google AFTER the fact).

With Transit Connect presently selling only about 2,500 units per month, Ford may be doing very well by itself to focus upon lower volume, but higher margin derivatives as they seem to be doing. With very few businesses running to make huge new capital expenditures at the moment, one of the quickest way to go out of business is to spend billions more to develop a vehicle everybody would love, but only a few would be able or willing to buy.

Yeah "some dum chump" is exactly what Ford lacks.

[Joe]

Yeah, the half-million or so already sold in Europe must've been bought by real suckers. And shame on Ford for not just blowing into North America by importing every variant before even knowing whether or not it's something North America has a taste for. It must be all those dummies at Ford who aren't surfing the 'net making those decisions, because after all, the Internet is where all cars and trucks are bought anyway.

As for an 75-mile electric range, it's nearly ideal for a huge swath of fleet operators that will require a charging infrastructure to operate and maintain them. The vast majority of fleet service vehicles in North America (specifically those Ford is targeting) happen to drive much less than 75 miles per day, and very few companies that operate them want their field staff to spend even more time driving rather than doing their work than that. Sure, Ford should have contacted you first, but they've got SO much going on at the moment. I'm sure they'll send you a card or something later. Just out of curiosity, what would your "ideal" range be, and how much more development cost (or other compromises) would be required to achieve it? (No fair running to Google AFTER the fact).

With Transit Connect presently selling only about 2,500 units per month, Ford may be doing very well by itself to focus upon lower volume, but higher margin derivatives as they seem to be doing. With very few businesses running to make huge new capital expenditures at the moment, one of the quickest way to go out of business is to spend billions more to develop a vehicle everybody would love, but only a few would be able or willing to buy.

Yeah "some dum chump" is exactly what Ford lacks.

Wow I struck a nerve. You must also work for ford. I have been over in Europe and have seen a lot of great vehicles there. Ford already put out the research and development cost when they introduced this in Europe. And it upsets me that ford did not even give us The American audience a choose in engine transmission combination. These little trucks over there can tow, over here ford does not recommend it. I look forward to ford bringing in different variations of this vehicle. And I am a person that drives much further then 75 miles a day cannot afford to own two cars one for work and the other for recreation. There is a whole other market ford seems to be missing. The URBAN MARKET.

[humitex]

Wow I struck a nerve. You must also work for ford. I have been over in Europe and have seen a lot of great vehicles there. Ford already put out the research and development cost when they introduced this in Europe. And it upsets me that ford did not even give us The American audience a choose in engine transmission combination. These little trucks over there can tow, over here ford does not recommend it. I look forward to ford bringing in different variations of this vehicle. And I am a person that drives much further then 75 miles a day cannot afford to own two cars one for work and the other for recreation. There is a whole other market ford seems to be missing. The URBAN MARKET.

I wonder if Obama has a Czar to make sure people buy the electric TC?

[4DThinker]

I never put more than 50 miles on my cars. 5 minutes to work, 5 minutes back. 5 minutes to any retail area in my town. I would love to have the electric TC, but of course no one would sell me one. My gas TC sits in a garage right next to a 220vAC wall socket. I could even keep it charged from a solar cell array on the roof.

[privateyec]

I wonder if Obama has a Czar to make sure people buy the electric TC?

Let's not turn this site into a political rant.....

[PetrosA]

I can't say I'd want a diesel TC just yet. It's underpowered with gas as it is once you get it loaded up. Electric is obviously for a niche market and green points along the way, but more power to them for doing it. I would definitely like a manual transmission, but hey, this is America - very few people even know how to drive a stick any more

Some observations about your other ideas from a tradesman's POV:

It would be nice to be able to get longer materials into the TC, but clearing the space between the front seats won't do the trick. To get 8' materials in, the truck would need to be lengthened another 2 feet at least. I can get an 8' ground rod in at roof level, but it's laying on the front shelf and hitting the back door. More than a few 10 foot lengths of pipe won't fit into an E series van (at an angle, above the floor) with a bulkhead and shelving in it, so without jumping up to something like a full-size Transit van you're still outta luck. I agree that towing is something that needs to be addressed. Any number of these changes would make the TC a SERIOUSLY underpowered vehicle unless it had a 6 cyl. engine, at which point it will probably loose its economy appeal. Unfortunately, there just isn't a one-size-fits-all solution here.

[isellford]

I would be happy to sell you an Electric TC. There are Federal Tax Credits and some states also have tax credit for buying however mmost private citizens probably woul dnot want to spend the money.

[4DThinker]

I would be happy to sell you an Electric TC. There are Federal Tax Credits and some states also have tax credit for buying however mmost private citizens probably woul dnot want to spend the money.

Have you got one to sell? If I hadn't already given up and bought a gas version I'd be writing you a check right now. The biggest problem I seem to have is location. I keep reading that the electric vehicles are being only sent to target markets (big cities) and my small midwest town is out of luck. I had to travel just to find the blue connects I bought, as my local Ford dealer was only getting van versions to sell, claiming they had no demand for a wagon version. I took my demand elsewhere.

[isellford]

I can order you one. We are an Azure Electric Dealer. Final pricing has not bee determined as of yet but it will probably be in the mid-60's for price.

You can contact me thru my website if interested. www.transitconnect.org

[ncranchero]

OMG, mid-60's ........... for a TC .............. of ANY description? :confused:

Anything I paid mid-60's for would have to make people drool!

All I get in this TC is people pointing fingers and laughing!

Ice cream truck, pink kitties, "wtf is that thing" .......... but I do kinda like it, the truck not the comments!

Edited August 15, 2010 by ncranchero

[4DThinker]

Final pricing has not bee determined as of yet but it will probably be in the mid-60's for price.

60k is what I've heard before, and although the technology behind the electric TC is more expensive than that of a gas version, a 60k price sure sounds like they really don't want to sell the electric version. I don't mind paying an early adopter penalty, but at 3x the price of a gas TC I can hear Ford claiming "The public just doesn't want electric vehicles" when they cancel the program.

How about trading me? I'll throw in my nearly new XLT wagon with a $1500 A/V upgrade and under 1000 miles, and offer another $25k cash for an electric XLT.

[MOBILEOILCHANGE]

HERES the point.

1) its not a full size van or truck. if you want something thats able to tow then buy a full size van or truck.

2) if you need extra room for ply wood, dry wall etc buy a full size van or truck.

3)everything else you said though i agree on.