Ford Pro, the commercial division within Ford Motor Co., added new charging hardware to its suite of end-to-end solutions to help make it easier for commercial customers to transition their fleets to electric.
The new Series 2 AC Charging Station 80A and expanded DC Fast Charger options are designed for commercial vehicle use. Coupled with Ford Pro’s charging management software, the company aims to provide a fully integrated solution that simplifies EV charging for both Ford and non-Ford electric vehicles.
Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO, said in the press release. “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. And we are not afraid to tell customers when electrification is not yet a good fit and support them with other solutions.”
Ford Pro’s BEV Fit team offers available complimentary consulting to customers to help identify available incentives, consult on charging site design and construction, and collaborate with local utilities on energy needs. Now available for pre-order, the Series 2 AC Charging Station 80 amp comes with features that simplify and help improve the charging experience at the workplace for fleet operators and their drivers including:
- Enhanced security with RFID that limits unwanted charger access. Fleet operators can issue a unique Ford Pro RFID card to control access to chargers enabling charging sessions to be limited to specific individuals or vehicles, by specifying day and times for access. The new RFID software also supports Ford and non-Ford vehicles unlocking the ability for fleet operators to track energy reports through Ford Pro’s charging management software.
- Improved detachable cable and connector reduces time and expense of charger repairs avoiding replacement of the entire charging station if a cable or connector is damaged.
- Wide range of connectivity options with cellular pre-configured and optional Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity for locations with restricted cellular coverage.
- The new Series 2 AC Charging Station 80A will be ISO-15118 ready and equipped to enable future functionality over the air such as advanced vehicle to charger communications that can identify and log when a specific vehicle connects. Ford Pro designed the new hardware to be ready for the future, so customers are better prepared for new electric vehicles and capabilities to come.
- New LCD screen on the Series 2 charger displays step-by-step instructions to initiate charging and important information including charge duration, fault alerts, energy usage, and more.
- Temperature sensors to monitor and alert for overheating by derating the charger automatically.
- Extended operating temperature range of -40C (-40F) to 50C (122F) and operating altitude of up to 3500m to serve the needs of customers in more places.
The new Ford Pro charging hardware is backed by a 3-year warranty on charger parts and labor and continues to provide around-the-clock tech support to help increase uptime and productivity for customers.