2024 Ford E-Transit has bigger battery, faster charging, slightly higher price
Ford is updating the E-Transit with a larger 89kWh battery, increasing range by roughly 30% depending on configuration, and faster charging on both DC and AC.
The battery increases from 67 to 89kWh, a substantial increase. The update means that the low-roof version of the E-Transit will have a range of 159 miles, up from 126 miles previously, a 26% improvement.
Ford didn’t share range numbers for the medium- and high-roof versions, but did say that the high-roof version gains 32% range from the previous model. Given the previous model’s range of 108 miles, that means the new one should have a range of 143 miles or thereabouts.
The E-Transit also gets improved DC charging performance, with 176kW charging capability, up from 115kW. When connected to a suitably-quick charger, this means a 2024 E-Transit (low roof model) can get 67 miles of range in 15 minutes, an improvement of 49% over the previous model. And any new E-Transits will have access to Ford’s new NACS adapter which just came out last week, though they still have the old CCS port on the vehicle itself for now.
But it’s not just DC charging that’s improved, but AC charging as well. The new dual onboard charger improves AC charge speeds by 22%, meaning a van will be able to charge from zero to full in 6 hours and 11 minutes on an 80 amp charger (suggesting a ~14.3kW charge rate). Better AC charging is important because a lot of these vans will be charged overnight at a business’s property, or even at workers’ homes.
That said, 80-amp charging is rare to find at homes. So for home charging, Ford is announcing a new 48 amp charging unit with replaceable cables and cellular connectivity. This unit will be available for order mid-this-year.
Prices start at $51,095 before destination fees, which is $1,100 more than last year’s base price. The E-Transit qualifies for the federal EV tax credit, which helps shave $7,500 off the price, and can likely qualify for other green incentives in various regions as well.
Electrek’s Take
Last year, Ford gave us an exclusive that the E-Transit would get a 186-mile battery, to be announced last May. That date came and went with no announcement, and when we followed up later, Ford said they had no news to tell us on that front. So, it’s disappointing that that didn’t materialize.
But now that we’ve actually seen the stats on the improved E-Transit, these are nice changes. Rather than having one small and one large battery option, the whole model range got improved electric range and charging, without much additional cost. That’s a rare thing, to see such a big upgrade of what is already the best-selling commercial EV, and with little additional cost. It’s much cheaper than Mercedes’ eSprinter, for example.
It would be nice to still have smaller battery availability for those customers who don’t need the extra range, though. Some companies might have shorter routes or smaller coverage areas, and would prefer lower costs. Having an even cheaper model available could be great for those customers. But regardless, the current price and operational costs of the E-Transit are attractive either way, so if Ford wants to give customers better stuff for free, we’ll gladly take it.
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First Solar just cut the ribbon on a huge new factory in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, and it dwarfs the New Orleans Superdome. The company’s $1.1 billion, fully vertically integrated facility spans 2.4 million square feet, or about 11 times the size of the stadium’s main arena.
The factory began production quietly in July, a few months ahead of schedule, and employs more than 700 people. First Solar expects that number to hit 826 by the end of the year. Once it’s fully online, the site will add 3.5 GW of annual manufacturing capacity. That brings the company’s total US footprint to 14 GW in 2026 and 17.7 GW in 2027, when its newly announced South Carolina plant is anticipated to come online.
The Louisiana plant produces First Solar’s Series 7 modules using US-made materials — glass from Illinois and Ohio, and steel from Mississippi, which is fabricated into backrails in Louisiana.
The new factory leans heavily on AI, from computer vision that spots defects on the line to deep learning tools that help technicians make real‑time adjustments.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says the investment is already a win for the region, bringing in “hundreds of good-paying jobs and new opportunities for Louisiana workers and businesses.” A new economic impact analysis from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette projects that the factory will boost Iberia Parish’s GDP by 4.4% in its first full year at capacity. The average manufacturing compensation package comes in at around $90,000, more than triple the parish’s per capita income.
First Solar CEO Mark Widmar framed the new facility as a major step for US clean energy manufacturing: “By competitively producing energy technology in America with American materials, while creating American jobs, we’re demonstrating that US reindustrialization isn’t just a thesis, it’s an operating reality.”
This site joins what’s already the largest solar manufacturing and R&D footprint in the Western Hemisphere: three factories in Ohio, one in Alabama, and R&D centers in Ohio and California. Just last week, First Solar announced a new production line in Gaffney, South Carolina, to onshore more Series 6 module work. By the end of 2026, the company expects to directly employ more than 5,500 people across the US.
Read more: First Solar pours $330M into a new South Carolina solar factory
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No, it’s not the new Bolt. GM’s design team previewed a new high-riding “sporty Chevrolet EV” that should be brought to life.
Is Chevy launching a new sporty EV?
This is the all-electric vehicle Chevy should sell in the US. General Motors’ design team released a series of sketches previewing a sporty new Chevy EV.
Although it kinda looks like the new 2027 Chevy Bolt EV as a higher-sitting compact crossover SUV, the design offers a fresh take on what it should have looked like.
The new Bolt is essentially a modernized version of the outgoing EUV model with a similar compact crossover silhouette. Nissan adopted a similar style with the new 2026 LEAF as buyers continue shifting from smaller sedans and hatchbacks to crossovers and SUVs.
Will we see the sporty Chevy EV in real life? It’s not likely. For one, the “exploration sketch” is by GM China Advanced designer Charles Huang.
GM Design posted the sketches on its global social media page, but the caption read “Sporty Chevrolet EV for the China Market.”
It’s too bad. The Bolt could use a sporty sibling like an SS variant. Chevy introduced the Blazer EV SS (check out our review) for the 2026 model year, its fastest “SS” model yet. Packing up to 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Chevy Blazer SS can race from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds when using Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode.
Will the Bolt be next? I wouldn’t get my hopes up. And if GM does bring the sporty Chevy EV to life, it will likely only be sold in China. Like all the fun cars these days.
What do you think of the design? Would you buy one of these in the US? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
While deliveries of the 2027 Bolt are set to begin in early 2026, Chevy is offering some sweet deals on its current EV lineup, including up to $4,000 off in Customer Cash and 0% APR financing for 60 months.
Ready to test drive one? You can use our links below to find Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs at a dealership near you.
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Environment
Podcast: Electricity is the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, new Porsche Cayenne EV, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss electricity becoming the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, the new Porsche Cayenne EV, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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