Ford Pro has launched a new all-in-one home charging solution for its growing line-up of electric vans.
Arriving in the UK during summer 2024 in line with availability of its E‑Transit Custom electric van, the service will then extend into other major European markets.
It’s aimed at businesses that do not operate from a central depot and will enable drivers to recharge their electric vans at home between shifts using a connected Ford Pro Home Charger, which Ford Pro will also install, maintain and guarantee with a five-year warranty.
The Ford Pro charging software also enables users to schedule charging to maximise the use of off-peak energy tariffs, helping to reduce energy costs. E-Transit Custom’s 11kW AC three-phase onboard charger is capable of fully recharging the battery in 6.7 hours, so customers will easily be able to recharge overnight.
The home charging solution also integrates with Ford Pro Telematics to simplify driver reimbursement and compliance for office-based staff – enabling large fleets with drivers who park at home overnight to also integrate the new home charging service into their operations.
The system also provides central control of Remote Pre‑Conditioning to warm or cool the battery and cab while on charge to optimise driving range, and displays alerts if a vehicle is not charging when it should be. Staff can also check vehicle health data and state of charge via Ford Pro Telematics Drive – the companion app to Ford Pro Telematics – or FordPass, if they operate a single vehicle.
It’s the latest addition to Ford Pro’s digital and physical platform of vehicles, charging, software, servicing and finance designed to help businesses reduce their cost of ownership, work more effectively, and simplify the transition to electric vehicles.
Hans Schep, general manager, Ford Pro, Europe, said: “We’re introducing a connected home charging solution designed using our decades of experience of working with small businesses. With its seamless integration to the unique Ford Pro ecosystem, simple reimbursement solutions with single-screen view, and full aftersales support including a market-leading five-year hardware warranty, the Ford Pro Home Charging package delivers unmatched uptime and productivity for our customers.”
Businesses with multiple drivers charging at home can use Ford Pro Telematics software to easily track energy use across their fleets, and can view reimbursement due for each driver using a set rate per kWh.
Ford Pro also offers comprehensive public charging support for longer trips. Every E‑Transit Custom is sold with a 12-month complimentary subscription to access over 650,000 public charging points across Europe via the BlueOval charge network. The electric van supports DC fast charging up to 125kW, enabling a 10-80% recharge in about 39 minutes. A new charge profile front-loads energy to enable quick, useful top-ups; in lab testing, the system delivered 82km (50 miles) of range in some 10 minutes.
Whether a van is recharged overnight at a driver’s home, in a depot with a bespoke Ford Pro depot charging solution, or on longer trips using the BlueOval Charging Network, Ford Pro reduces paperwork with centralised payments and reimbursement.
Ford Pro also offers a range of services to help increase SMEs’ productivity and simplify vehicle management. The Ford Pro Telematics system displays data from multiple vehicles on intuitive dashboards to help operators keep on top of their vehicles’ charging, health, security and running performance and manage these costs. Operators can also prevent unauthorised van use after hours with Fleet Start Inhibit. Away from the office, drivers can replace paper-based daily checklists and notes with the Ford Pro Telematics Drive companion app, which can share live updates and images to the desktop telematics system.
The FordPass phone app is designed to suit owner-drivers who use a single vehicle and enables them to check their charge level, find and pay for nearby BlueOval Charge Network chargers, and remotely lock and unlock the van.
Customers can improve vehicle uptime via Ford Pro Service’s FORDLiive connected uptime system. With the 5G modem enabled, E-Transit Custom constantly monitors its health and can share over 3,200 vehicle health notifications, as well as information on action required, which customers receive through FordPass or Ford Pro Telematics and can then act on to prevent more disruptive problems. Last year, FORDLiive prevented 700,000 days of downtime worth around €320m (£273m) to customers.
