New Ford Transit Van 46% More Efficient Than E-Series

Ford is rolling out its replacement for the venerable E-Series van starting this summer, and the new van gets as much as 46% better fuel economy than the model it is replacing.

What started as the lowly Econoline way back in  1961 has been the best selling van in America for the past 35 years. Originally a bare bones work vehicle, it morphed over the years into a full zoot luxo-barge suitable for wafting the entire family down the highway in climate controlled, leather trimmed comfort while towing a 7000 lb boat.

Mercedes started the trend toward the high roof cargo van 10 years ago, and the rest of the industry has been playing catch-up ever since. The Transit is Ford’s take on the idea, and production has just commenced. It will come standard with a 3.7 liter V-6 engine rated at 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, compared to the available 10 cylinder engine in the E-Series which was rated at 10 mpg city and 13 mpg highway. That’s a whopping 46% improvement that can save the owner almost $2000 a year in fuel costs. When compared to the standard engine in the E Series, fuel economy is up nearly 20%. Ford also debuted a new painting process that uses less water, making it that much more eco-friendly/

The Transit is also available with a 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine that pumps out 400 ft/lbs of torque, the most among all its competitors, thanks to a combination of direct gas injection and twin turbos. It also is rated 14 city/19 highway, meaning more power without sacrificing any efficiency. If load carrying capacity is important to you, the Transit has more than any other van sold in America at 4,650 lbs. All across the line, it totes 600 lbs more weight than the E Series it replaces, with its maximum towing capacity rated at 7,500 lbs.

So, let’s see. The new model has a higher load capacity, much better fuel economy, best in class torque and tows almost 4 tons?  Goodbye, E Series. Hello, Transit!

Source: Gas 2.

2015 Chevy City Express Debuts at Chicago Auto Show

Chevy’s newest truck is the new-for-2015 City Express cargo van, and it’s aimed squarely at the frugal little hearts of small business owners and big-city tradesmen who need a van, but also need a van that they can park. For them, the 2015 Chevy City Express offers more than 120 cubic feet of interior space plus 1500 lbs. of payload capacity- all with a (relatively) tight 36′ turning radius.

City Express buyers will also be happy with the small van’s excellent fuel efficiency. While numbers weren’t given at the show, expect significant efficiency gains when compared to full-size vans thanks to a a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine with continuously variable valve timing driving the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission. That setup will keep the engine at its torque peak longer, making the 2.0 liter four feel much more six-ish than you might expect.

GM was selling the new Chevy City Express hard at the Chicago show- pushing the phrase “the city that works” into its announcement more than once. “As the newest member of the Chevrolet Express family of vans, the 2015 City Express offers a smaller, more efficient choice for businesses that don’t need the cargo volume or other capabilities of a full-size van,” Ed Peper, US vice president of GM’s Fleet and Commercial outfit, is quoted as having said in the van’s official press release. “It is an easy-to-maneuver van that makes the most of its compact dimensions with clever features, allowing business owners to maximize its space – and their resources – with a vehicle sized for their needs.”

That’s all well and good, but where I thought the City Express really shines is in its interior. Not because it’s fashionable, of course, but because of this handy-dandy shelf located just above the center console …

… that’s the perfect size for a clipboard. That’s real-world thinking and real-world usability there, people- and a fantastically thoughtful addition from GM’s interior designers.

What do you guys think? Is the new Chevy City Express a worthy successor to the more stylish HHR Panel? Will it take significant chunks out of Nissan NV200 and Ford Transit sales, too- or is it simply too late to the small van party? Let us know what you think in the comments, below.

Source: Gas 2