Ford's first all-electric vehicle in the US will be a commercial van that gets a range of 100 miles per charge with a top speed of 70 mph. The van, called the Ford Transit Connect, should be available in the US in 2010, although the price has not yet been announced.

The electric van will precede Ford's small electric passenger sedan, which will hit US dealerships in 2011, followed by a plug-in hybrid in 2012.

The Transit Connect is based on a gasoline-powered model that has proven successful in Europe and that Ford is also preparing to release in the US shortly. The van will be converted to battery power by Smith Electric Vehicles, which already offers a similar battery-powered Ford Transit model to customers in some European markets.

Ford is aiming the vehicle at commercial industries as an alternative to a full-size cargo van for package delivery. The van, which can carry about 1800 pounds, would be ideal for fleets that cover regular routes and return to a central location for recharging overnight.

The electric van will be built in Turkey and imported to the US.