The E-Transit is the second major electric vehicle to be released as part of Ford’s $11.5 billion push into electrification, which the company says will last through 2022. The first vehicle was the Mustang Mach-E, which Ford will start delivering to customers at the end of this year. Next year, the company expects to unveil an electric version of its best-selling F-150 pickup truck.

Mercedes-Benz has already unveiled an electric version of the Sprinter van. Ford’s main competitor, General Motors, is working on an electric delivery van, codenamed “BV1.” Recently, Amazon revealed its first all-electric delivery vehicle, which is being built by EV startup Rivian. And another startup, Bollinger, recently revealed the Deliver-E, an all-electric delivery van concept that is slated for production in 2022. Ford is also collaborating with Volkswagen on commercial vans after the two companies formed a global alliance early last year.

Ford is gearing up to mass-produce the E-Transit, investing $100 million in a plant in Missouri that will serve as the central hub for the van’s assembly. The company also recently broke ground on a new manufacturing plant outside of Dearborn, Michigan, where it will build the electric F-150.

Source: Ford unveils E-Transit electric cargo van with 126 miles of range and $45,000 price tag – The Verge