Ford has revealed its facelifted Transit Custom van for 2018, which will gain a plug-in hybrid model in 2019.

Due to go under trial by London businesses this autumn – supported by by Transport for London and a £4.7m grant from the government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre, the Transit Custom PHEVs will use a range extender drivetrain although no details have been announced about which petrol engine will be used.

The vehicles are being developed by Ford’s Dunton technical centre alongside the Prodrive Advanced Technology’s facility in Banbury.

The Transit Custom PHEV forms part of the automaker’s plans to launch 13 electric vehicles over the next five years, including a fully electric SUV with an estimated range of at least 300 miles, a high-volume autonomous hybrid vehicle designed for commercial ride hailing or ride sharing to debut in North America in 2021, and a hybrid version of the Mustang sports car.