As businesses take steps toward the electrification of their fleets, Ford Pro takes steps to ease the path with its integrated charging solution - Ford Pro Charging.
Across Europe, Ford commercial vehicle users will be able to find the most effective charging strategies and install charging infrastructure in order to optimise the vehicle charging process.
Ford Pro Charging is a key part of the Ford offering and provides full control to fleet managers due to the way it integrates with other Ford Pro solutions. It simplifies charging for drivers too, and that combination should help to maximise productivity, which is an obvious win for businesses.
By working closely with customers, Ford will offer bespoke depot solutions that include hardware installation and management software to optimise charging processes.
Billing and administration is easier too, thanks to Ford Pro Charging software, even for fleets whose drivers take vehicles home or use public charging stations.
Ford has appointed full-time consultants to the Ford Pro Charging team, all located in the major European markets, who are dedicated to helping customers implement the optimum charging strategy based on the unique needs of their business.
Ensuring that vehicles are charged and ready to get to work will be made simple for fleet managers with the telematics software. It will simplify data to a set of insights and alerts, including range status, charging status as well as performance insights, to make managing the whole fleet easier, no matter the size.
While Ford Pro aims to make it so you don't have to be an expert to charge your EV, we're here to help if you want some more information on charging an electric vehicle.
What does that actually mean in the real world?
Working with customers, the consultants can define and implement the right system to fit the unique needs of each business, ensuring they have the most efficient electric vehicle infrastructure to suit them.
Ford Pro consultants will identify the most efficient and future-proof charging options for each business depot, and manage the project from start to finish. Customers won’t need any detailed knowledge of electrification, as the hands-on approach will cover every aspect of the commissioning process. Want to know more about fleet electrification?
Once the depot installation is completed, intelligent software can automatically evaluate each vehicle in order to manage demand for optimum efficiency. The system uses vehicle and charger data to offer fully automated charging, prioritising vehicles required for early morning starts, for example. It can even lower bills for customers by taking advantage of cheaper overnight energy costs.
Impressively, Ford Pro Charging software and equipment is compatible with other manufacturers’ vehicles, allowing mixed fleets to take advantage.
My drivers take their vehicles home, though…
If drivers aren’t going to be charging the vehicles at the depot, Ford Pro can extend the charging solution to cover this too, providing convenient overnight charging, as well as less paperwork for managers and drivers.
This is by way of a wall box installation at home that charges the vehicle and automatically sends charging reports to the fleet manager’s centralised system, allowing an employer to track energy use and, more importantly, reimburse employees for the electricity used. To make sure you're getting the most out of a charge, consult our guide on picking your ideal charger.
A keyfob unique to the specific vehicle ensures that the charger is secure and will only charge authorised vehicles. If for any reason a user can’t charge at home, the same fob will allow electric charging via points integrated into lamp posts, or other street furniture, which are becoming increasingly common.
Charging your electric van while you’re out on a job is likely to be something seldomly required, thanks to charging stations at a depot or at home. Most drivers, even in vehicles with a modest electric range, should be able to carry out a day’s work without needing to plug in.
However, should a longer journey be required, Ford Pro provides access to Europe’s most comprehensive public charging network comprising over 300,000 chargers, enabling automatic payments and centralised billing using a unique charge card issued to each van.
If charging on the go seems tricky, we've got a guide to help figure out what you can do on days where you can't charge at home.
Sync 4 software - which drivers will find on the Ford E-Transit and other EV models’ infotainment screen - will locate chargers nearby or along a navigation route, maximising efficiency and uptime. Drivers can use the software to see availability, cost, and charging speed before arrival, as well as the minimum charge time needed to reach their final destination.
Iza Lozowska, European manager for Ford Pro Charging said:
“Ford Pro Charging offers fleets a single, integrated solution covering the entire charging process, delivered by a partner they can trust. We will work hand-in-hand with them to future‑proof their business by finding the right charging strategy, making the switch to electric vehicles as simple as possible.”
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