
Speed-7, range-2.2 on turn 1, if you have Ion engines as a racial technolony pick.
For rapid deployment of cargo hulls to unclaimed resources, where it will be converted to a constructor.
Also quite handy for getting soon-to-be freighters across the map.
Can also be used well in fleets, dropping off outpost starbases along the way to further extend range.
The constructor upgrade is an expensive gambit, costing around 288bc to purchase the constructor upgrade.
The freighter upgrade is much cheaper, costing only about 156bc (yes, even though the ship prices differ by only 20bc).
So the freighter upgrade would pay for itself in about ten weeks on a 15bc/wk run.
When Impulse engines are ready:
Speed-11, range-0.9 and
Speed-9, range 2.2
With Impulse Mk-II, it goes to Speed-13, range 2.2