No Need to Wait Until 2020 for an All-Electric Ford Truck!
Well-preserved 1981 Ford Courier Electravan 750 found on Craigslist.
Our daily Craigslist browsing has resulted in another unusual gem for your perusal. This well-preserved 1981 Ford Courier on the Indianapolis Craigslist is a compelling find, even more so when you discover that it’s actually electric!
Electric vehicles, while popular now, are actually nothing new. For the last century, various manufacturers have worked hard to build vehicles that rely on battery power instead of fossil fuels to get from point A to point B.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Jet Industries continually developed their Electravan concept. In this case, the Mazda-based Ford Courier was an ideal choice, offering light weight, a simple build, and plenty of space to mount the heavy lead-acid batteries required by the limited technology of the time.
Mounted in an enclosure not unlike a metal truck-bed tool box, cargo space was not too compromised and the weight was kept close to the truck’s centerline.
According to the ad, the Electravan 750 will run at 60 miles per hour, but no range figure is listed. With just over 17,000 miles on the odometer, we can assume that it’s great for small errands around town, but further trips will require careful planning and plenty of stops to charge.
Apparently, when the juice runs out, it can be plugged into a normal 110v household outlet via the included charger.
The truck looks to be exceptionally well-preserved. The included hard tonneau is a nice touch and is likely an aerodynamic aid to assist range. This interesting historical footnote could be all yours for a relatively small price of $3,500.
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