INDIANAPOLIS—Ford Pro used its traditional evening opening slot at Work Truck Show 2022 to convey a simple message: The company plans to provide all things to all customers as commercial fleets transition to electric vehicles.
“We're at a tipping point,” said Tim Baughman, Ford Pro's general manager, North America. “Businesses today, from mom-and-pop shops to large companies, are facing critical decisions about how to adopt new technology. They don't have the time to cobble together the parts and pieces from multiple suppliers, and they want a trusted partner to help simplify the process and accelerate their productivity.
See also: Electrification at a 'tipping point'
“That's why we created Ford Pro," Baughman added. "That's why we're here. It's an always-on, one-stop shop for commercial and government customers, of all sizes and industry types. We need to make the transition to electric vehicles easy with solutions for everyone, from the smallest business to the largest fleets. And we're helping them right now.”
Baughman then pointed to the Ford Pro’s vehicle lineup—Classes 1-7 gas, diesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles, including the 2022 Ford E-Transit and the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro—and touted the brand’s telematics and analytics packages (which work with Ford and non-Ford vehicles alike).
Indeed, a recent study found that the Ford Pro ecosystem can save commercial customers up to 20% on total operating costs, Baughman noted.
“Just think about that and how that could supercharge our customers,” he said. “No one in the industry can offer end-to-end solutions like Ford Pro does.”
But the focus of the presentation was on Ford Pro’s array of charging solutions.
“More than half of small, medium, and large commercial customers in the U.S. say that finding convenient charging options is a major concern, and an equal number of customers are concerned with the difficulty of setting up charging in their travel zones,” said Muffi Ghadiali, head of Ford Pro Charging. “What we’ve built at Fort Pro Charging is a holistic approach that looks at charging with comprehensive end-to-end solutions that help commercial customers make sure that their energy costs are low, and the vehicles are always work-ready.”
With that in mind, Ghadiali announced the launch of six new home and depot chargers. From the 11.5-kilowatt Ford Pro AC Charging Station to the 180-kilowatt modular DC fast-charging systems, Ford Pro has created a diverse lineup of chargers to support a wide range of fleet customer uses.
Ford Pro’s “turnkey” solution also offers a full-service team of experts with decades of experience in commercial project development and installations.
Beyond specific charging installations, customers using public charging also get access to the BlueOval Charge Network—the largest public charging network in North America with more than 20,500 charge locations and 70,000 plugs and growing, with more than 7,300 DC fast-charging plugs.
“So here's the headline: Our customers no longer have to depend on a patchwork of suppliers and closed platforms,” Ghadiali concluded. “What we’ve built works across Ford and non-Ford vehicles, and all of this is available to order today.”
This article originally appeared on FleetOwner.com.
