The costs and logistics of charging infrastructure is one of the more complicated hurdles of fleet electrification, with infrastructure both expensive and difficult to implement at private businesses.
Ford Pro is proactively addressing this charging issue for fleets by offering fleets the Ford Pro Smart Charging Bundle, which provides a 48-amp charger for worksites or an 80-amp charger for worksite charging. The program started in early July in Massachusetts and has now expanded to California, the U.S. leader in all things electrification.
“California is an EV pioneer, and new regulations aim to accelerate businesses’ electric transition,” said Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO. “We’re here to do the heavy lifting and help companies navigate the complexities of electrification, helping them be more productive and efficient as they add EVs to their fleet.”
The free AC Series 1 charger features connectivity and a three-year warranty on parts and labor. Once a fleet customer subscribes to a three-year charging software subscription to help them manage the energy expenses, they can then access teh rest of the bundle. This includes viewing all their chargers on one dashboard as well as accessing energy reports, real-time alerts, and remote support. The software will help fleets schedule their charging during off-peak hours to lower their utility costs, as well as respond to grid events.
Read more: Ford Pro EV program makes fleet charging easier at work and home
The automated demand-to-grid response solution automatically pauses vehicle charging during events such as high local demand, alerts the fleet that charging has been paused, and then resumes charging once the demand lowers again. This can help fleets avoid charging issues or higher utility expenses during blackouts or brownouts, which can occur more frequently when heatwaves like the one California recently experienced roll through.
“Typically, you see these grid events in the afternoon and in the summer,” said Aaron Schneider, business development director at Ford Pro Charging. Heat increases at these times mean that utilities have to increase their power generation, running the risk of high energy prices or a blackout or brownout. “Rather than seeing something like that unfold, we'd rather call on our customers and automatically enable them to reduce their demand for an hour or two,” Schneider noted.
Furthermore, Ford Pro will also manage the enrollment process for California fleets in grid demand response programs that manage grid capacity, energy programs, emergency load programs, and incentive programs, too.
“We'll automate all of the reporting that goes with [that energy management],” Schneider stated. “At the same time, we will also help our customers take advantage of the different state, local, utility, and federal incentives that are out there. We've invested a ton of resources to help them get at that upfront cost, which we frequently hear is the number-one challenge for folks who need to, from a business standpoint, add electric vehicles to their fleet.”
