Ford Pro launches two new charging stations for fleets
Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle division within the US carmaker, revealed two new charging stations geared towards business users. The AC and DC versions are available to pre-order now and come equipped with a range of fleet features.
Dubbed the Series 2, Ford Pro says it designed the new devices with ease of use and increased connectivity and control in mind.
The AC Charging Station delivers 80 amps and targets workplace charging. The extended DC Fast Charger options in 180kW and 240kW in the same series offer more versatility with more power and shortened charge times. According to the Ford Pro designers, the sleeker columns also come with aluminium pedestals for an improved cable retractor.
Cable handling was also a concern for AC charging. Ford says the detachable cable and connector in the Series 2 reduces the repair time and expense, avoiding replacing the entire charging station if a cable or connector is damaged.
Fleet managers will also welcome the RFID card option, enabling easier control over unwanted charger access. Both versions are also ISO-15118 ready, aka Plug and Play, and equipped for future OTA functionality. Ford gives the example of vehicle-to-charger communications to identify and log when a specific vehicle connects.
The new series also connects to Ford Pro’s charging management software, an integrated solution for Ford and non-Ford electric vehicles. The company launched Ford Pro Charging to manage commercial electric vehicle fleets in late 2021 after acquiring specialists Electriphi. Nowadays, the software manages multiple charges, tracks performance and provides fleet managers with insights like kWh consumption, charge speed and distance to empty to optimize the total cost of ownership further.
“With our tailored EV consulting and portfolio of charging hardware and software solutions, we can design, implement and operate solutions for Ford and other brands that will last for many years to come,” said Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO. He added the division was committed “with a single-minded focus on curated commercial charging solutions”.
Ford Pro’s BEV Fit team offers complimentary consulting to help customers identify incentives and manage charging site design and construction. The service also includes access to over 70,000 public charging ports, with over 3,200 DC fast-charging stations on Ford’s nationwide Blue Oval Charging Network.
The current Ford Pro EV lineup comprises the F-150 Lightning pickup truck and E-Transit van in the US and Europe.
The company has not disclosed the start of deliveries or the chargers’ final pricing.
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