Enabling Electrification: Insights from Ford Pro

The Right Tool for the Job

Even as the adoption curve of electrification continues, our customers will still need gas, diesel, and hybrid vehicles for some time. Work takes many forms, and vehicles are important tools that must address the requirements of the job. Commercial electrification hinges on capability: Is the electric vehicle the right tool for the job? Requirements for heavy-duty towing and hauling may be better suited to other powertrains. That’s why we provide the choice of the right powertrain for the job—so we can serve all customers as they transition to electric vehicles over time.

Fortunately, rapid technological progress is constantly expanding potential use cases for electric vehicles. For example, wind turbine company Vestas, whose North American fleet consists of 1,800+ vehicles, initially struggled to find an electric vehicle spacious enough for technicians’ tools and powerful enough for rugged wind farm terrain. With the introduction of the F-150® Lightning® electric truck, Vestas found a solution—and has since integrated hundreds into its North American fleet, along with Ford Pro™ chargers.

Range is another common concern. However, our analysis of more than 2.5 million trips (totaling 30 million miles) using Ford Pro™ Telematics⁴ revealed that the average daily range for commercial vans in the United States is 74 miles—well within the estimated range of most electric vehicles.⁸

Navigating Charging

The shift from gas to electric vehicles requires a new approach to fueling, with a focus on maximizing vehicle uptime and prioritizing employee training. Here’s what we’re discovering and reporting about charging:

1. Educate business owners and their employees about charging.

Charging poses unique questions for both commercial and personal users, highlighting the need for a charging strategy for business owners and user education for their employees. For example, employees of Vermont utility provider Green Mountain Power needed charging education ranging from skipping their end-of-day “pump and park” routine to understanding the local charging infrastructure they could tap into. Similarly, the need for charging education was driven home for a California-based police chief when his deputies, unfamiliar with charger levels at a public station, ended up stranded on their way to a conference. 

For these reasons, we are seeing many businesses start their electrification journey with charging pilot projects to identify the best charging strategy for their business and introduce their fleet managers and drivers to how it will work.

2. Scale home charging.

Public charging isn’t a requirement for commercial electric vehicle owners. Nearly 80% of our commercial customers charge privately at their on-site depots or at home.⁹ Data from our first-generation electric vehicles suggests that in-home charging makes more sense for retail and commercial customers. DC fast charging is convenient for a quick top-off, but AC chargers are lower powered and typically lower cost, making them suitable for more convenient and more affordable overnight home charging when energy rates are the lowest. The 2024 E-Transit™ van can fully charge overnight on the 80A Ford Charge Station Pro.¹⁰

Enabling employees to charge their fleet vehicles at home, using convenient AC chargers, also sidesteps the need for expensive electrical and infrastructure upgrades at a work site.

3. Let software do the heavy lifting.

Electric vehicles, on their own, won’t perform at peak in all conditions. Ford Pro™ E-Telematics⁶ allows employers and drivers to precondition vehicles for maximum range performance, such as bringing the cabin and battery to optimal temperatures while still connected to the charger. Through the E-Telematics⁶ dashboard, employers can also manage real-time charge and range status, control when they charge to manage charging costs, and manage driver reimbursement for home charging.

For businesses that prefer to keep fleet vehicles on-site, depot charging technology, particularly smart charging software, is essential. By monitoring millions of data points per day to continuously improve the charging experience,¹¹ Ford Pro Charging software acts as a charging manager. For example, it automatically schedules charging during off-peak hours, balances circuit loads, and even sends alerts when vehicles have been left unplugged. These capabilities help reduce expenses and streamline operations.

4. Use your resources.

We’ve learned that collaboration is required to help businesses make the most of electrification’s business value. That’s why we’re working closely with utility companies to assist customers with charging infrastructure planning and installation. We’re also developing incentive programs, such as our recent Smart Charging Bundle in Massachusetts, which offers complimentary commercial-grade Ford Pro Chargers to subscribers enrolled in the Massachusetts Clean Peak Energy Standard.