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CHICAGO --The Museum of Science and Industry served as the backdrop Tuesday night for a special dinner at which about 30 media members with an environmental focus were provided an up close look at the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric and Taxi.   

Lisa Drake, chief engineer of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, told the journalists that the new Transit Connect Electric – Ford's first fully electric vehicle – is just one of four new electric and hybrid vehicles the automaker will bring to market in the next three years. 

"The Transit Connect Electric means two things:  no gas and zero emissions," said Drake.  "It leads the way for our Ford Focus Electric, which will debut next year, as well a plug-in hybrid vehicle based on our global C-car platform and our next-generation hybrid vehicles, with lithium-ion batteries, in 2012."

A white Transit Connect Electric with blue graphics was on display at the event along with a yellow and black Transit Taxi, which has an available engine option that allows for conversion to compressed natural gas (CNG) or propane fuel. 

Praveen Cherian, program manager for the Ford Transit Connect Electric, said CNG and propane are becoming more popular among fleet operators because they are less expensive and cleaner-burning than gasoline.  He added that Transit Connect Taxis would protect another precious urban resource – space.

"Simply by replacing Chicago's more traditional taxis with the smaller Transit Connect, we could free up an estimated four acres," noted Cherian. 

Scott Harrison, CEO of Azure Dynamics, also addressed the media.  Azure Dynamics is providing the electric drive system for the Transit Connect Electric.  Harrison said the vehicle will be equipped with a Force Drive, 55-kilowatt battery-electric powertrain that is matched to a liquid-cooled, 28-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack.   

"Unlike the battery in your mp3 player, this battery is designed to last the life of the product," Harrison said.  "The Force Drive powertrain gives Transit Connect Electric a top speed of 75 miles per hour, and a range of up to 80 miles on a full charge."

Drake described the difference in capability between Transit Connect Electric and its gas-powered counterpart as minimal, with about the same rate of acceleration. 

Other members of the Transit Connect engineering and marketing teams were also in attendance to answer questions from the media.

The new 2011 Transit Connect Electric and Taxi models will be available in the U.S. later this year.  Transit Connect is sold globally, accounting for more than 600,000 units in 58 countries on four continents since 2003.