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Ford may be dialing back some of its larger EV investments, but it\u2019s still operating under the assumption that a lot of businesses will be interested in electrifying their fleets eventually. The company is partnering with Xcel Energy to install 30,000 EV charging ports for fleet customers by 2030, at little to no cost to the businesses to the businesses themselves. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The project will be run out of Ford Pro, which is the automaker\u2019s commercial vehicle and software division. The first EV charger installations will begin in the first quarter of 2024 in two states, Wisconsin and Colorado, and later will grow to include more states, said Amanda Rome, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Xcel Energy. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cWe need an all hands on deck approach and thankfully, Ford Pro agrees,\u201d Rome said in a briefing with reporters. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cWe need an all hands on deck approach and thankfully, Ford Pro agrees.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Xcel said it would absorb \u201cmost of the upfront costs\u201d of the charging installations, with Rome predicting that customers would get \u201cup to $150,000\u201d in savings from the program. Ford, meanwhile, will offer a \u201cfull suite\u201d of charging products to customers, including fleet management and software tools to help commercial fleet owners manage their charging. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Commercial EV sales are growing, albeit slower than passenger vehicles. Ford has sold 6,187 E-Transit vans in 2023, up from 5,811 sold in 2022. The company also sold 20,365 F-150 Lightning trucks, up 13,258 in 2022. EVs accounted for a little under 8 percent of all US vehicle sales in the third quarter of 2023, according to Cox Automotive. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But like with passenger vehicles, commercial customers are hampered by several factors, including cost and a dearth in charging options. Ford said it wants to help make EVs more attractive for commercial fleet owners by addressing these challenges head-on. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cWhile other charging providers battle for market share and go through turmoil. Ford is a trusted resource with more than 120 years of experience,\u201d Dave Prusinski, global chief revenue officer at Ford Pro, said. \u201cYet today we\u2019re reinventing ourselves daily and running at startup speeds.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n