Ford's first China-built model for Australia, an electric delivery van, is listed in Australian government approval documents, indicating that it is under consideration for the local market.

The documents list the Ford Transit City, a badge-engineered electric delivery van developed in collaboration with Ford's Chinese joint-venture partner, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC).

If introduced in Australia, the Transit City would become Ford's first model in at least two decades in which the company is the recipient, rather than the lead developer, in a collaboration with another vehicle manufacturer.

The Transit City could also arrive in Australia ahead of the Bronco Basecamp electric and range-extender hybrid family SUV, which was also co-developed with JMC, making it Ford's first China-built model to be offered in Australian showrooms.

Before the 2010s, Mazda led the development of the Mazda Bravo and BT-50 utes, which formed the basis of the Ford Courier. However, the T6 Ranger was developed entirely by Ford, with much of the work carried out in Australia.

The Transit City would be positioned below the existing Ford E-Transit Custom electric van, which is priced from AUD 77,590 (US$ 54,325) before on-road costs in Australia, compared with AUD 56,890 for the entry-level diesel variant.

Its introduction would allow Ford Australia to offer an electric delivery van at a price comparable with the LDV eDeliver 5, priced from AUD 47,990 drive-away, the LDV eDeliver 7, priced from AUD 54,990, and the Kia PV5, priced from AUD 55,990 plus on-road costs.

A Ford Australia spokesperson told the publication that government approval documentation does not confirm that a vehicle will be introduced to the local market. However, the publication noted that it would be unusual for an established manufacturer to submit documentation for a new model without intending to launch it.

"Ford continually evaluates opportunities to strengthen our vehicle line-up and meet the evolving needs of Australian customers, government approval documentation does not necessarily indicate that a vehicle is confirmed for local sale. We have no new-model announcements to make at this time. As a global company, Ford sources vehicles from a range of markets. Any future additions to our Australian line-up will be announced through our usual channels at the appropriate time," the spokesperson said.

The Transit City is already available in the UK in right-hand-drive form, alongside a left-hand-drive version for European markets.

Although based on the JMCG Touring EV delivery van sold in China, the Transit City features revised front and rear styling, as well as a different steering wheel, instrument cluster, and infotainment touchscreen.

The 60 kW front-mounted electric motor used in the JMC version, which delivers a 0-80 km/h acceleration time of 13.0 seconds and a top speed of 95 km/h, has been replaced with a 110 kW motor. The Transit City is available in three body styles: a short-wheelbase, low-roof van; a medium-wheelbase, high-roof van; and a cab-chassis offered in a range of configurations supported by Ford Pro's conversion programme.

Measuring between 4,985 mm and 5,285 mm in length in van configuration, the Transit City is similar in size to the existing Transit Custom, Toyota HiAce, and Hyundai Staria Load. European versions are equipped with a 56 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, providing a WLTP combined driving range of 254 kilometres, or up to 381 kilometres in lower-speed urban driving conditions. According to Ford, data collected from its connected vans in Europe indicates that 90% of vehicles in the same segment as the Transit City travel less than 110 kilometres per day.

The LFP battery chemistry supports direct-current (DC) fast charging at up to 87 kW and alternating-current (AC) charging at up to 11 kW. Standard equipment includes a heated driver's seat, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a column-mounted gear selector, manual air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera. The Transit City is also equipped with active safety features including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and a driver-monitoring camera.