Ford motors is offering a free home charger and installation for EV buyers by the end of the year the company said on Monday. This incentive is part of the automaker Power Promise, a new program which is meant to make it easier for customers looking for a new vehicle to go electric.
In June the EV automaker announced that its electric vehicle sales increased 61% in the second quarter of 2023. though EVs are still a small share of total Ford sales. The automaker also recently announced that it planned to cancel some all-electric SUVs in order to focus on hybrids, but that it’s still focusing on rolling out affordable EV options.
Potential customers have misconceptions around how far away or accessible public charging infrastructure is, how long an EV’s battery might last, how convenient—or inconvenient—it is to drive an EV, and how difficult it is to charge at home.
For charging access, Ford found that in California, people assumed the average distance to a fast charger was 44 miles; in reality, the average distance is 18 miles. This is because though California has long led the country when it comes to EV charger access, but there are still gaps in the country’s charging network that leave some areas underserved.
Ford says those misconceptions stem from the fact that EVs require behavior changes and are just different than what customers are used to; they’re also not concerns shared by actual EV owners
To address those concerns, the automaker is launching its Ford Power Promise, a new program, the company said, “designed to give customers the confidence to start benefiting from electric vehicle ownership with less stress and more convenience.”
The first step is making sure EV customers can easily access home charging. Beginning October 1, Ford will offer a complementary home charger and standard installation to anyone who purchases or leases a Ford EV from a participating Ford dealer. That promotion goes from October 1 to January 2, 2025, but the company says there’s no cap to the number of chargers it will install during that time.
Those customers will get a level 2 Ford Charge Station Pro, which retails for $1,310. Standard installation includes up to a 60-amp circuit and up to 80 feet of wire. It does not include panel upgrades. (If your home already has a 240-volt outlet, basic EV charger installation can cost between $200 to $500, according to J.D Power, though wiring or panel upgrades can add about $1,000.) Ford is working with EV charger installer Qmerit for the installation process. For customers that rent in an apartment, already have a charger at home, or otherwise don’t qualify for this promotion, Ford dealers will offer them a cash equivalent of $2,000.
Ford is also highlighting three other perks for EV drivers: its BlueOval Charging Network, which includes more than 111,000 current chargers and access to thousands of Tesla Superchargers; the automaker’s eight year, 100,000-mile warranty for EV batteries (which is the federally mandated minimum); and 24/7 EV live support, through which EV drivers can text or call an advisor to get answers to questions about charging, software updates, and more.
While the battery warranty and the charging network aren’t new, Ford says it wants to ensure that customers know about them. “What we’ve learned is that a lot of electric vehicle buyers and owners are not aware of this [warranty] benefit,” said Becca Anderson, senior director of Ford Model E customer success. “So our goal is really around customer education and confidence.”
