Photo: Ford
Ford Pro Charging is planning for a future where more than 300,000 electric trucks and vans are sold each year. To ensure that fleets can effectively manage those vehicles, Ford builds software that will provide more control.
Delivery companies famously use all sorts of tricks to save cash. Some go as far as to avoid left-hand turns that take longer and spend more fuel. That should give you an indication of how important fuel savings and efficiency are to fleets.
That's why Ford will offer the Pro Charging software for truck and van fleet managers. The system is designed to remotely monitor vehicles and optimize charging based on a huge number of variables.
Muffi Ghadiali, head of Ford Pro Charging, gave an example of how it might be used. "Let's say the customer fleet returns around 10 p.m. planning to go back out starting at 5 a.m. You have a limited window for charging and have to make charging decisions in a highly dynamic environment. Does every vehicle need to be fully charged?"
He also continued, "can we balance charge power against the available charging window to take advantage of low overnight energy rates? Ford Pro Charging accounts for a multitude of variables and controls each charge station precisely to optimize energy costs and ensure vehicle uptime."
This technology will certainly make the transition to electric fleets considerably easier. Many who will manage these fleets may have never dealt with an electric vehicle. Removing the need to personally manage some of these tasks will no doubt ease the resistance some may have.
Ford is also taking an "open-standards approach," meaning they plan to interoperate this technology with other OEMs and vehicle types. That includes heavy-duty trucks as well as other utility vehicles like forklifts.
The system will even be capable of helping users to manage ICE vehicles. That means that users can get comfortable with the software as the transition takes place.
That's why Ford will offer the Pro Charging software for truck and van fleet managers. The system is designed to remotely monitor vehicles and optimize charging based on a huge number of variables.
Muffi Ghadiali, head of Ford Pro Charging, gave an example of how it might be used. "Let's say the customer fleet returns around 10 p.m. planning to go back out starting at 5 a.m. You have a limited window for charging and have to make charging decisions in a highly dynamic environment. Does every vehicle need to be fully charged?"
He also continued, "can we balance charge power against the available charging window to take advantage of low overnight energy rates? Ford Pro Charging accounts for a multitude of variables and controls each charge station precisely to optimize energy costs and ensure vehicle uptime."
This technology will certainly make the transition to electric fleets considerably easier. Many who will manage these fleets may have never dealt with an electric vehicle. Removing the need to personally manage some of these tasks will no doubt ease the resistance some may have.
Ford is also taking an "open-standards approach," meaning they plan to interoperate this technology with other OEMs and vehicle types. That includes heavy-duty trucks as well as other utility vehicles like forklifts.
The system will even be capable of helping users to manage ICE vehicles. That means that users can get comfortable with the software as the transition takes place.
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