Ford Pushing for EV Readiness

Better late, then never, the critic might say... After the alliance between Renault and Nissan has been striving more years now to create the premises that would allow for the development of a proper infrastructure for electric vehicles (efforts that have been, at times, mocked by one or two industry players), the American automakers, hurrying to launch their own electric vehicles, feel the pressure as well.

GM has launched a few months ago the Volt, and that's about all there is to the electric plans the giant has for the moment; Chrysler is absent altogether from this segment of the market, and will probably still be for some time to come. Ford, on the other hand, plans an invasion of electric vehicles, an invasion that has no chance of success without the proper infrastructure.

With that in mind, Ford announced on Wednesday it is intensifying its efforts to make America ready for its electrics. Having completed a comprehensive study in more than one American cities, Ford says it can now start to solve the problems it has identified. Problems that range from setting up the utility rate structure to urban planning and infrastructure incentives.

Ford did not mention, for now, what measures it is prepared to take in order to make American cities EV-ready. We'll probably witness, in the months to come, a flood of ideas and projects that will precede the largest fleet of electric vehicles sold by any American automakers

“As more and more electric vehicles come to market, it’s incredibly important that cities develop action plans including infrastructure development and permitting solutions to ensure these vehicles are a viable solution for citizens,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford’s manager of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure.

“Ford continues outreach with cities across the country to spread best practices and work with multiple partners including local utilities, auto manufacturers, technology companies and others to support a successful integration of electric vehicles.”