Kicking off an event set to showcase a bevy of electrification solutions for fleet professionals, Ford has introduced an all-new scalable lineup of charging hardware for electric trucks and vans here at NTEA’s 2022 Work Truck Week in Indianapolis.
The charging hardware includes six new home and depot chargers and was announced during a pre-show event Tuesday night, hosted by Ford Pro, a relatively new and separate business within Ford focused specifically on commercial customers.
This new Ford Pro business was announced in May 2021, just days after Ford unveiled the F-150 Lightning—the first of a coming wave of light duty electric pickup trucks to hit the market.
The fleet-focused F-150 Lightning Pro trim is set to begin landing at dealerships this spring, while the 2022 E-Transit electric work vans are shipping to dealers now. That the advent of the Ford Pro business comes as electric vehicles begin to see unprecedented commercial viability and availability is no coincidence.
During the Tuesday night event, Tim Baughman, general manager of Ford Pro North America, said that his team’s focus is to simplify the transition from gas and diesel-powered fleets to electric fleets. Baughman said 60% of customers call figuring out how to charge a fleet a major concern.
Muffi Ghadiali, general manager for Ford Pro Charging, said that the new charging hardware and consulting services are an end-to-end solution that comes in response to a process that is currently too complicated.
“Gas vehicles and fueling have always been bundled together,” Ghadiali said. “EVs are disrupting that,” adding that fleet owners are currently faced with a patchwork system of charging infrastructure networks while away from the office, while building on-site or on-property charging stations currently requires a cocktail of vendors and hardware solutions—many of which are consumer-grade.
So, Ford Pro works with customers to not only consult on the concept and design of charging infrastructure for a given fleet, but also in the build and installation of charging terminals as well.
The six new chargers are Level 2 AC and Level 3 DC fast chargers that range from 11.5 kilowatts to 180 kilowatts. The 180 kw chargers are capable of charging up to three vehicles simultaneously. Here’s how the lineup breaks down:
Ford Pro AC Charging Station
This charging station is available in both 11.5 and 19.2 kW variants, both of which implement a J1772 connector type with a flexible 25-foot cable. The stations feature Wi-Fi, cellular and Ethernet connectivity and are suitable for both hoe and depot installation.
Ford Charge Station Pro
This 19.2 kW AC station integrates with your home’s electrical to enable Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power, which can turn an F-150 Lightning into a generator for home power in the event of a power outage. This charger is Wi-Fi capable and is included with the F-150 Lighting at no cost when equipped with the extended-range battery. It’s suitable for both home and depot installation.
Ford Pro DC Charging Cabinet
Designed as an all-in-one, scalable system for fast charging with multiple configurations in charging depot installations, the DC Charging cabinet is available in two configurations: one offering 60, 120 and 180 kW of power, while the other offers 60, 120, 150 and 180 kW. The former is designed as a centralized power source and can pair with up to four DC dispensers.
Ford Pro Industrial DC Dispenser
Offering 60 to 180 kW of power, this dispenser can charge three vehicles simultaneously. Or, you can plug in four vehicles and have the system charge each of them sequentially.
Ford Pro Commercial DC Dispenser
Ford says this dispenser offers power between 60 and 180 kW and is perfect for shared charging spaces, allowing users to manage and charge individual vehicles via a 10-inch touchscreen.
Each Ford Pro charger includes installation, software, service and Ford Pro FinSimple financing. Ford Pro also supports its charging hardware with Ford Pro E-Telematics. This software handles optimized charging, pre-conditioning, remote monitoring, charge and vehicle maintenance reporting, and more from an easy to use dashboard.
In addition to these charging hardware solutions for their on-site and home needs, Ford Pro customers also have access to the BlueOval Charge Netowrk which has more than 20,500 charging locations and 70,000 plugs. More than 10% of those plugs are DC fast charging plugs.