Apparently I was (gasp!) wrong to ASS-U-ME that Ford had only dropped Smith Electric Vehicles in the U.S. for the Ford Transit Connect Electric.  Apparently, they dropped Smith Electric entirely, as they are now proceeding with Azure Dynamics (the American company that makes the electric drive trains for the North American Transit EV) for EU sales as well.

Interesting, since two years ago, nobody had ever heard of Azure Dynamics.  Their investors must be riding high now.

Ford made the announcement today, signing an agreement with Azure (in Germany, I guess for the effect) to seal the deal.

Here’s some interesting tidbits for you to chew on regarding this deal.  The trucks themselves will be made in Ford’s plant in Turkey.  There, they’ll be finally assembled with the drive components for sale in the EU at an unnamed Azure Dynamics facility.

Then the trucks will be sold, not by Ford, but by Azure Dynamics through a series of “specially-selected dealerships” (I think this means “sold to order”) throughout Europe.  Ford dealers will then be responsible for maintenance. So I’m guessing that actual models of the electric Transit won’t be on many showroom floors except as demonstrators and that orders will be filled on demand.  Makes sense, since this is mostly a fleet vehicle, but it’s weird that Azure (who has zero presence in the EU, that I know of) is fronting it rather than Ford.

Interesting side note here is that the Transit Connect will be competing directly with it’s cousin at Ford’s old partner, Smith Electric in the UK.

Sales are expected to begin in 2011 followed by the 2012 release of the all-electric Focus.  Ford is calling this their “global electrification strategy.”  I guess “our plan to sell electric cars all over the place” was too simple-sounding.

The pictures here, by the way, are from the Denver Auto Show.  The Ford Transit Connect gasoline model was on display.  They’re a lot bigger than they look, so you know.  About the size of a large mini-van like the Honda Odyssey or the old blue-smoke spewing Dodge Caravans.

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