JAC T9 UTE vs Ford E-Transit

What's the difference?

Although Chinese manufacturer JAC Motors (Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company Ltd) is a relatively new player in Australia’s 4x4 ute market, it has more than six decades of experience in automotive design and production and is one of China’s largest exporters of utes and other light commercials.

Its local T9 range of 4x4 dual cab utes launched in 2024 has recently expanded to include a cab-chassis variant, given company estimates that around 60 per cent of its tradie audience customise their vehicles. So, in offering what JAC calls a ‘blank canvas’ for T9 buyers, the cab-chassis provides an ideal platform for installation of a custom-made tray or other service body to suit specific owner requirements.

We recently put this new work-focused model to the test from a tradie’s perspective to see if it has the credentials to be a compelling alternative to its many rivals.

Long before Tesla EVs, there were electric golf buggies.

From the first half of last century, they began quietly ferrying birdie and eagle enthusiasts around their favourite courses.

For many, these have been their first (and only) experience of electric vehicles (EVs) at work.

Now, the blue-collared Blue Oval mob has this – the all-new E-Transit Custom.

Designed to take on other electric mid-sized vans such as the LDV eDeliver7, Peugeot E-Expert and the Mercedes-Benz Vito Electric, it is the brand’s second – and more affordable – foray into van electrification.

Does the E-Transit Custom score above par? Let’s dive straight in!