Ford has launched a range of electric car charging equipment and software. The company claims it is ‘putting to bed’ concerns around EV charging that current and prospective owners may have.
The arrival of the Ford Charging Solutions system follows a similar announcement by Volkswagen last month.
A new Connected Wallbox makes up only part of what Ford calls its ‘Charging Solutions ecosystem’. It can deliver five times the quantity and speed of charge that a domestic plug socket offers. This means ‘customers can be sure their Ford electric vehicle will fully recharge overnight’. Standard on all Ford electric cars will be the Ford Home Charge Cable, which plugs in like any other gadget.
Next is the FordPass connectivity system. It includes an on-board modem and app with access to the growing Ionity public EV charging network. The app goes beyond the UK, too, with a total of 125,000 charging locations across 21 countries included.
Ionity chargers that manage up to 150kW are currently being installed, with 400 expected to be in ‘key locations’ across Europe by the end of 2020. The app also allows you to monitor your car’s charge status, as well as plan routes around stops at network chargers.
“One of the biggest hold-ups for customers considering an electric vehicle has been the fear of running out of power or the inability to find a place to plug in,” said Ted Cannis, Ford’s director of global electrification.
“By offering industry-leading charging access, including the largest network of public charging stations among any automaker, we are dismantling those barriers, allowing more customers to confidently enjoy the benefits of owning an electric vehicle.”
Of course there’s no point talking up charging if you haven’t a Ford-badged vehicle to charge. That’s where the new ‘Mustang-inspired’ electric SUV comes in. It’s now confirmed as having a targeted WLTP electric range of 370 miles. Ford says 10 minutes hooked up to an Ionity 150kW station would give the electric SUV 57 miles of range.