Ford CEO Jim Farley announced plans today to offer free home chargers and installation to buyers of the company’s slow-selling electric vehicles. Farley took to LinkedIn to outline the company’s newest incentive, the Ford Power Promise, to sell EVs while continuing to show his advocacy for them.
Ford CEO Jim Farley isn’t sitting on his hands when it comes to selling more EVs, rolling out the Ford Power Promise today.
In his message, Farley noted that the company—and many others, as well as the U.S. government—have been working to make it easier to charge vehicles while drivers are on the road. However, it overlooked the fact that since most charging is done at home, perhaps making chargers part of the purchase would lure some would-be buyers to become actual buyers.
“Nearly 90% of shoppers say they would be more likely to buy an electric vehicle if they knew they could charge at home,” Farley wrote. “Filling up at home with electricity can be a significant cost save for many owners compared to filling up with gas.”
He quickly hits on the issues many potential EV buyers face: How does home charging work? Where do you buy the charger? Who installs it? What does it cost?
Solving the problem
The Ford Power Promise covers a variety of areas, but most importantly, buyers of a Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning or Ford E-Transit, can walk away with a Ford-branded home charger with their vehicle.
Additionally, Ford will work with the buyer to find and hire an expert to install the charger when they are ready. The company boasts this “takes the guesswork out of installation, including costs, to help you save time and money by filling up at home.” Ford was quick to note that Ford Pro customers, the company’s commercial fleet EV owners, get covered with a commercial charging cash incentive.
Part of the new Ford Power Promise includes a free home charging unit and its installation.
Perhaps just as importantly, the automaker offers 24/7 assistance with the chargers or other EV questions. As part of the Promise, Ford is expanding the number of people on staff who provide all-day, everyday service.
Ford is also offering free roadside assistance for owners who let their vehicles get too close to “empty.”
Addressing a bigger problem
Ford’s been a leader in finding ways to make EVs more appealing. It was the first to introduce an EV that, at least on the outside, looked and acted like a mainstream vehicle: the F-150 Lightning. Farley said at the time that was intentional. The company wanted to make EVs more approachable and with F-Series being the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for nearly five straight decades, that helps lower the “unknown” factor some feel about EVs.
Ford led the charge to make the conversion to Tesla’s charging standard. It was the first company to strike a deal with the Texas-based EV maker to allow non-Tesla vehicles access to what may be the most reliable, easy-to-access charging network in the country.
In addition to making it easier to charge at home, Ford remains focused on simplifying taking one of its EVs on a road trip. Ford’s BlueOval Charge Network automatically searches for chargers across various networks, including Electrify America and Tesla Superchargers. It adds charging stops to your route via the Connected Navigation in the vehicle. With its Plug and Charge feature, drivers plug in when they get there, and the payment is automatically made through their FordPass account.
More Ford Stories
- Ford Ranger, Bronco Raptor Models Get Major Boost in Performance
- First Drive: 2025 Ford Explorer
- Ford Sets up EV Skunkworks Program
Move some metal
Ford was an early commit to a shift to EVs, and Farley restructured the company’s entire business around it — including changing the way it reported its financial information. And while there seems to be a growing acceptance that electric vehicles are going to have a significant role in moving Americans around the country, it remains an expensive endeavor for the automakers.
Ford EV owners will be able to use Plug and Charge when connected to a Tesla Supercharger.
Ford officials expect to lose $5 billion in its EV unit this year, and that’s not going to change substantively in 2025. The company’s not alone. Reportedly, every automaker, with the exception of Tesla, is in the black on EVs right now.
While they’re thoroughly modern machines, Farley pointed out legacy automakers are relying on a tried-and-true method to stimulate more interest in electric vehicles.
“Cheap lease deals on electric vehicles are popping up everywhere,” he wrote. “Ford believes it will take more than jumbo rebates to truly breakthrough with the estimated 19 million people in the U.S. interested in electric vehicles.
“It will take — you guessed it — convenience, peace of mind, and expert service. It will take a modern-day version of the friendly filling station, only this time you ‘fill ’er up’ at home.”
“Ford officials expect to lose $5 billion in its EV unit this year”. What’s another billion or two?