The new Ford Transit cargo van promises improved fuel economy compared to the outgoing E-Series, in part because it will be powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. But that's not the only mill that will be powering the Transit. Ford announced that the fresh take on cargo vans will also boast a diesel powerplant option when it makes it to production in 2013.

Ford hasn't yet delved into any specifics about the diesel powerplant, but The Blue Oval is confident that buyers will experience some serious fuel savings. The automaker says the choice of a turbo-six or an oil burner plus over 300 pounds in weight savings versus the Econoline should combine for 25 percent better fuel economy. That could lead to serious savings at the pump for the independent contractor and large fleets should save some major cash as well.

In fact, Ford is so confident that the new Kansas City-built Transit and its other products will deliver big fuel economy benefits that it's developed a tool to show fleets just how much fuel and CO2 can be saved. The Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator utilizes a wide range of data like vehicle type and traffic conditions to evaluate overall fuel costs and carbon emissions. Hit the jump to read over the Ford press release.Continue reading Diesel returning to full-size Ford vans

Diesel returning to full-size Ford vans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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