Ford to give away free charging units to new EV buyers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

6 hours ago



A Ford EV charging unit. Photo: Ford


Ford plans to give new-EV buyers a free charging unit and free installation in an industry first.

Why it matters: EV sales have been lagging behind expectations as many consumers remain wary of the unknowns and inconveniences around regularly charging their vehicles at home and on the road.

Driving the news: The automaker announced Monday that anyone who buys or leases a new Ford EV during the fourth quarter will qualify for a free EV charging unit and home installation through the Ford Power Promise program.

Ford CEO Jim Farley tells Axios that if the offer is well received, the company will likely extend it.

"I obviously never had the chance to talk to Mr. Ford, but I can imagine that when he launched the Model T, he would have loved to have included a gas station for every customer," Farley said in an interview, referencing founder Henry Ford.

Farley acknowledged there's a cost to Ford but did not specify how much the company expects it to be.

The big picture: Ford executives said the offer is a response to the fact that many prospective purchasers find the process of buying and installing a home EV charging unit intimidating and laborious.

The typical new-EV buyer spends two to three months acquiring a unit and hiring an electrician, according to Ford.

"This means less stress and more convenience for our customers," Becca Anderson, senior director of customer success for Ford's Model e division, said on a media call.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/09/30/free-ev-charging-station-ford-electric-vehicles

[captain queeg]

1. That's a good idea. I'm still not ready for an EV but I think my next car will be a hybrid

[Miguelito Loveless]

11. It depends on your needs

I went from a plug in hybrid Volt (53 miles electric range) and a Leaf (83 mile electric) range, for our distance driving and daily driver with nary a hitch. We have been completely electric since 2018, and will never go back. We drove to SC to check on a friend’s house and were able to go down and back (300+ miles) with no -problems charging, whereas gas was in tight supply and had long lines.

[captain queeg]

13. I think a plug in hybrid would be a good choice. It sounds like that is not a standard feature.

[Miguelito Loveless]

14. How do you mean

“Standard feature”? My brain is fuzzy tonight.

[captain queeg]

15. Looking at some auto guides a lot of hybrids don't come with the plug in feature as a standard equipment.

Most of them do seem to offer it though. As an added option that increases the price. I’m just starting to look into the idea. I wasn’t planning on getting a new car for awhile but I wrecked my 2015 Honda civic a couple weeks ago so I guess I’ll be car shopping sooner than I’d expected. There are lots of things nowadays that cars come with as standard (base model). My civic 10 yrs ago had power everything, blue tooth, a nice stereo, AC and a back up camera on the base model. Maybe that plug in will be standard in a couple years.

[Miguelito Loveless]

17. Ah, got it.

The plug in hybrid is a distinct model from the regular hybrid. There are a number of used Volts out there at a decent price. There is also the Prius Prime and the Rav4 plug in, but their electric range is shorter than the Volt. The best used EV s with decent range are the Kia Niro EV, and the Chevy Bolt. Prices aren't too bad. That said, Hertz is selling off some base model Tesla 3s at very good prices.

[captain queeg]

18. A friend of mine bought a used Volt. I think it was an earlier model.

He got it pretty cheap but its range wasn’t very good. Less than 100 miles. He just got it as an experiment and only drove around town with it but he still got stranded once waiting to access a charger somewhere.

[Miguelito Loveless]

21. I don't think that was a Volt

The Volt had an onboard gasoline generator and could go 38/53 miles (depending on year) on electric, and then another 300+ miles with gasoline. You would be unlikely to get stranded since when the battery was exhausted, it switched on the gas generator and you kept driving. The Chevy Bolt was an all electric, but had a range of 238/248 miles. Sounds like the Nissan Leaf which was 70-100 miles all electric in the early days (pre-2019), and had a CHAdeMO charge port, and those chargers were never numerous in the US.

[captain queeg]

22. Sounds like he had a Leaf, whatever he had was all electric.

He was a pretty handy guy and he put a charging system in his garage. I think he told me it was supposed to go 70 miles on a charge but he didn’t get close to that. It was pretty old.

[Miguelito Loveless]

23. First and second gen

Leaves had a major battery longevity problem and are the source of claims that EV batteries don't last.

[captain queeg]

24. His certainly didn't. It wasn't old, I was surprised how little he paid for it.

He just ran around town with it. I don’t think there many charging stations around. I think maybe Costco was one place that had them.

[marble falls]

2. Ford gets it. They gave nothing away for free, they just packaged, which is smart with a market that wants EVs ...

... but is a bit intimidated by the technology part.

[hlthe2b]

3. "Free"

Still the packaging together makes sense...

[samsingh]

4. This is a great offer. People should stop buying Teslas

[Polybius]

16. I just bought one

I don't have a home charger, and Tesla has the best charging system in the world. Tesla Superchargers are literally all over the country. They make it easy for people like me.

[FakeNoose]

5. I'm seeing EV charging stations setup all around Pittsburgh lately

It doesn't seem that charging is such a barrier anymore.

What scares me are all those stories about EV cars catching on fire or exploding. They're even telling EV owners to park their car overnight in an unattached garage. Yikes!

[Miguelito Loveless]

12. EV fires get front page attention

The reality is EVs rarely catch fire, in fact they are far less likely to catch than ICE cars. Also, each generation of battery chemistry gets safer.

[Cheezoholic]

6. Maybe if Henry Ford would've never colluded with Rockefeller EV's would be the norm n/t

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. I am sure that the people who bought an EV up to this point...

Appreciate the fact that they had to buy one and the new buyers just get one for free.. and instillation as well!

[TBF]

9. Well, you can say that about anything, especially sale prices. Try to find the positive. nt

[TBF]

8. My husband did the research & had someone install the charger

before he bought the Tesla home (and bought it used from another dealer so the cash didn't go to Elon!). He wanted to try one as a commuter car and likes it so far. That's a really good marketing idea from Ford, to make it easier for the buyer.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

10. When Mrs AD-1 and I build, I'm insisting on a 220 volt charger

And better weather resistance in the structure. We both like how metal roofs sound.

[Blue Full Moon]

19. I will never buy a Ford again.

Sudden catastrophic engine failure and 11 other recalls including sudden catastrophic transmission failure. The car was totalled when we were hit by BMW and none of the safety features worked. Pretty much committing fraud.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. I was almost literally born and raised in them

2 stationwagons (the old Country Squire and then a LTD stationwagon, and a Mercury sedan). Years of starting the car, driving a block up the street and then stalling. I swore NEVER!

Then after about 20 years or so of Dodges and Chevys, I found myself back with one (and then got another after that).

(I have only owned American cars as a note)