Ford launches two major EV charging initiatives

Ford Motor Co. plans to offer customers of future electric vehicles access to the Electrify America network of charging stations and will partner with Amazon to install at-home outlets once its first long-range EV goes on sale next year.

The automaker on Thursday laid out its charging infrastructure plans for the first time, roughly a month ahead of the planned introduction of a long-range EV crossover, expected to be called the Mach E.

Its strategy includes offering free mobile charge cords so customers can plug their vehicles in either 240- or 120-volt outlets, the optional installation of a faster-charging home station, and new features on its FordPass app that show buyers range information and available charging locations.

"We've done our research with customers and gotten to understand the outlook and development for infrastructure," Matt Stover, Ford's director of charging, energy services and business development, told Automotive News. "To make them feel comfortable, there's no one single thing we can do. It has to be a collection of things."

Stover said a majority of charging will be done at home, so Ford focused on offering a number of solutions there.

One option is installing an optional 48-amp "Ford Connected Charge Station" wall box that can charge a vehicle from 0-100 percent in about nine hours, Stover said, which equates to roughly 32 miles per charging hour.

Customers can eschew the wall box for a 240-volt outlet, used for large appliances such as clothes washers, that will charge the car in a little over nine hours, or at a pace of 22 miles per hour, Stover said. Using a 120-volt outlet will charge the vehicle at a rate of 3 miles per hour.

Customers will receive the 240- and 120-volt mobile charge cords for free, but must pay a yet-to-be-disclosed amount for the faster wall box.

"We really think from a home standpoint, we've put together a comprehensive package of hardware," Stover said.

Ford says its customers will have access to more than 12,000 public charging stations through what it's calling the FordPass Charging Network. The network was created in partnership with Greenlots and is likely to grow, Ford said.

Among the network of stations Ford customers will gain access to is Electrify America, which expects to install or have under development approximately 800 charging station sites with about 3,500 chargers by December 2021.

Electrify America was formed in 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America overseeing a 10-year, $2 billion investment on zero-emissions vehicle technology and awareness. The spending is mandated as part of VW's legal settlement with government regulators in the wake of a diesel scandal in which it admitted to installing devices on cars to cheat on emissions tests.

Ford said its long-range electric crossover can be charged up to 47 miles in 10 minutes using Electrify America's DC fast chargers. It can go from 10 to 80 percent charged in 45 minutes.

Giovanni Palazzo, president and CEO of Electrify America, said in a statement he was happy to have Ford join the network.

"We are committed to advancing the adoption of electric vehicles and value forward-thinking collaborations with automakers like Ford that share a similar vision," he said.

Membership to the FordPass Charging Network will be free for the first two years, Ford said. It declined to discuss pricing after the introductory period.

Ford plans to add features to its FordPass app to make the charging experience better for EV buyers.

The app will show drivers how much charge their vehicle has and the locations of available chargers along their route through their vehicle's dashboard. When not driving, customers can pre-set times for their vehicle to charge while it's plugged in.

"You have to provide the full package to make it an easier experience for the customer," Stover said. "Half is having the network, the other half is presenting the information."