A 2,490 kg Ford Transit or Transit Custom for EU work without a tachographThe EU Mobility Package has extended drivers' hours and tachograph rules to lighter vans used for cross-border haulage within the European Union. From 1 July 2026, international goods transport is covered when the permitted maximum mass of the van, or of the van and trailer together, is above 2.5 tonnes. Consequently, a proportion of the vans traditionally operated at up to 3.5 tonnes now fall within legislation previously associated mainly with larger goods vehicles. Manufacturers and converters reacted by offering 2,490 kg variants. Their plated maximum mass is below the 2.5-tonne boundary, so a vehicle running on its own can remain outside the tachograph requirement. That does not remove the normal weight limits. Replating a van to a lower figure also reduces the amount of cargo that can legally be carried.  Photograph: ITS System Full-size Transit configured for low-weight cargoThe most striking example is a full-size Ford Transit fitted with an over-cab sleeping pod and a dropside curtain-sided body. It has the familiar appearance of an international delivery van, yet its plated maximum mass has been brought below 2.5 tonnes. It can therefore avoid the tachograph obligation only while it is used without a trailer that would raise the permitted mass of the combination beyond the threshold. Its limitations become clear from the payload figures. Although the body accepts six Euro pallets, only around 350 kg can legally be loaded. It is unsuitable for ordinary pallet haulage, because a single dense pallet might consume the entire allowance. The concept is aimed at bulky but light consignments such as empty packaging, containers, plastic components, promotional materials and other low-density goods.   Photographs: ITS System Ford Pro approved Transit Custom conversionA second approach uses the Ford Transit Custom Van. Ford Pro has added the reduced-mass vehicle to its official range as an approved conversion completed by Carpol, a Ford Pro Convertor. Customers can specify an L1 or L2 body, a manual gearbox and a 2.0 EcoBlue diesel producing 110, 136 or 150 PS. Because the Custom is smaller than a full-size Transit, the numbers are more workable. An L2 load bay can hold up to three Euro pallets and the lightest specification may retain roughly 550 kg of payload. Heavy freight is still unsuitable, but parcels, packaging and light distribution loads are a better match than they are for a six-pallet body carrying only a minimal reserve.   Photographs: Ford / Ford Pro The payload trade-offWeight is the unavoidable compromise. Staying below the tachograph threshold does not permit the van to exceed its plated maximum mass. The calculation must include the driver, fuel, optional equipment, conversion, spare wheel, tools and every item of cargo. Additional bodywork always leaves fewer kilograms available for paying freight. A trailer can also change the answer. EU law considers the authorised mass of the complete combination, not only the towing vehicle. If attaching a trailer takes that figure above 2.5 tonnes, the operation may enter the regulated category. This type of van is viable only for operators that weigh or accurately control every consignment. Who should consider a 2,490 kg Transit?It can work well for a narrowly defined job. Businesses moving light goods internationally within the EU may value the load volume of a Transit or Transit Custom without needing the payload of a conventional 3.5-tonne van. For those operations, the reduced rating can be useful. It is a poor substitute where pallets are heavy, load weights vary or work is accepted without knowing the consignment in advance. Overloading then becomes a constant risk. A normal Transit fitted with the correct tachograph may involve more regulation, but can offer a safer and simpler operating margin. Ford Transit at 2,490 kg: the practical conclusionA 2,490 kg Transit or Transit Custom is a commercial response to the new European Union rules, not a way to create payload from nowhere. It can legally run without a tachograph when the relevant exemption conditions are satisfied and the 2.5-tonne limit is not exceeded. Every journey nevertheless requires careful load planning. Body size and payload work against each other: each additional kilogram of conversion reduces the weight available for goods. Operators should calculate kilograms before counting pallet spaces. Otherwise, the apparent benefit of a tachograph-free van can disappear as soon as there is no legal payload left. Whatever its plated weight, a working Ford Transit still needs regular maintenance. Our range includes Ford Transit spare parts for routine servicing, suspension, braking systems, bodywork and the equipment required by vans in daily commercial use. |
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| Author: Paweł Kokot |
