Accelerating EV Adoption
Electric cars continue to increase in sales in the U.S., with more and more EVs hitting the road every day. But there are still lots of people on the fence about making the switch to an electric car, and most of them have specific concerns about charging, the long-term longevity of batteries, and the lack of support from automakers and charging networks. Ford, which is now the number-two seller of electric vehicles in the country – it’s sold close to 70,000 EVs this year – is hoping some new offers will help it accelerate its sales growth and help more people make the switch.
Home Charging Solution
According to Ford’s own data, almost half of electric car shoppers don’t know how home charging works – compared to over 90 percent of Ford EV owners, who find charging at home as easy as charging their phones. 88 percent of electric vehicle owners across the country charge their cars primarily at home, according to Ford’s data – so the company sees making it easy for potential customers to do so as the key to unlocking more sales.
In that vein, Ford is now the only automaker that is making it as easy as possible for shoppers to make the switch to electric – by not only providing a free home charging unit, but also by covering installation costs with the purchase or lease of a new F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, or E-Transit. Starting this month, and running through to the beginning of 2025, Ford will throw in its high-end Ford Charge Station Pro home charger, as well as complimentary installation – ensuring customers wake up every day with a full charge.
What About Charging on the Road?
Of course, not every trip in an EV ends up back at home – pickups and crossovers are also used for a lot of road trips. Ford has signed deals with many charging providers to create what it calls the “BlueOval Charge Network” – where one user account gives you access to a huge network of public chargers with easy payment, so you don’t need to have a million charging apps on your phone.
Ford was also the first major automaker to open up access for its EV drivers to Tesla’s extensive, and excellent, Supercharger network – a total of over 15,000 rapid chargers, with more being added all the time. That’s a huge increase in convenience for drivers, as Tesla’s chargers are fast as well as among the most reliable, according to third parties like J.D. Power.
Like every EV, the E-Transit, F-150 Lightning, and Mustang Mach-E also come equipped with connected, built-in navigation systems that will help drivers locate the best chargers to use along a route to save the most time, and drivers can use the FordPass app to pay for charging, no matter what kind of charger they’re connected to.
Special Support for EV Drivers
Ford has also launched 24/7 live support for EV drivers. Customers can reach out to a dedicated advisor with a simple text message to get charging assistance. The company has also launched an enhanced roadside assistance program for EV drivers. If, for some reason, a Ford EV owner runs out of charge, Ford’s roadside assistance service will pick them up and take them to the closest charging station or dealership.
EV drivers will also have complimentary mobile service and access to pickup and delivery at participating Ford dealerships. Instead of having to drive to the dealership to service their EVs, customers can have their vehicles picked up from home or work and have it returned when service is complete.
Conclusion: A Win-Win for EV Adoption
While Ford has made headlines for dialing back some of its very ambitious electric vehicle sales targets, the company is clearly committed to the EV transition. By providing easy home charging, Ford’s helping to address the most important point of anxiety for potential customers – knowing that once customers are charging at home daily, they’ll become EV advocates.
The additional support the company is providing with access to Tesla’s charging network, and 24/7 customer support, should give any potential buyer additional reassurance that they’re making the right choice.
