Ford Pro solutions to help increase EV fleet uptime, cut operating costs

MANILA: Ford Pro has signaled a step change in European commercial vehicle fleet productivity with the launch of its revolutionary digital solutions geared to boost uptime and minimize operating costs.

Ford Pro is a new global business aimed at providing solutions to commercial customers of all kinds to help them increase productivity. It was officially unveiled to European customers at a special event in Barcelona, Spain.

Ford Pro solutions integrate software, charging, servicing, and finance for commercial vehicles, giving customers a unified platform to manage their fleets as they transition to connected and electrified vehicles.

“We are entering the always-on digital age, and running a fleet has never been more complex. Ford Pro makes it easy for businesses to boost their productivity, with a one-stop-shop solution delivered by a brand they can trust,” Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis stated.

Ford Pro is a first-of-its-kind venture in the commercial vehicle segment, offering fully integrated, digital-first solutions to help customers manage their fleets with unparalleled convenience and efficiency, whether they operate diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles, all-electric vehicles, or even non-Ford vehicles.

The launch in Europe, where Ford has been the top commercial vehicle brand for seven years in a row, supports Ford Pro's commitment to increasing digital software capability and services-based income, and will help the company realize its aim of US$45 billion in global sales by 2025.

“Our European commercial team has been focused on helping our customers’ businesses to thrive, and the launch of Ford Pro will raise that to a new level. As Ford Pro delivers an exciting new generation of all-electric vehicles, integrated with industry-leading digital services, our customers can look forward to a new era of productivity and growth,” Ford Pro Europe General Manager Hans Schep said.

Ford Pro's integrated offering revolves around connected vehicles, allowing customers to enhance fleet efficiency and uptime by utilizing the complete suite of integrated solutions available. Ford Pro Vehicles offers a diverse selection of world-class commercial vehicles that were built using Ford's unrivaled global expertise of commercial customer needs, led by the renowned Transit family – the world's most popular cargo van line.

Ford Pro's lineup of competent, all-electric commercial vehicles will aid customers' transition to electric fleets by increasing productivity and sustainability without affecting capability or cost of ownership. After  the successful launch of the all-new E-Transit, which received 5,000 customer orders before vehicles rolled off the production line, Ford recently announced that the Transit range will include four new all-electric models in 2023 and 2024, including the all-new Transit Custom one-ton van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle.

Half of all Ford commercial vehicles sold in Europe are customized to meet the needs of individual customers. The objective of the Ford Pro Special Vehicles team is to identify and address those needs by providing customized conversion products and solutions that will help them increase productivity.

The Special Vehicles team's in-house engineering expertise provides a full range of specialist donor vehicle products that serve as the foundation for the transformed vehicle, as well as high-performance component upgrades, auxiliary battery and fuel systems, and preparation packs for features such as beacon lights and trailer electrics on both ICE and EV platforms.

Furthermore, as part of the Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) program, customers' conversion needs are serviced by a network of 200 convertors. From a simple racking fit-out for one van to a national fleet of refrigerated delivery vans, these conversion partners offer experience and specialized options across the conversion spectrum.

Customers and convertors can now benefit from a variety of unique services provided by the Special Vehicles team, which will help them increase their operational and business productivity. This consists of various digital upfit solutions for integrating third-party systems into the in-vehicle touchscreen, improving the user experience and eliminating the need for additional control panels in the cab, as well as homologation and technical support to make the conversion process more efficient.

The Ford Pro Telematics software can also help fleets manage their Ford connected commercial cars more efficiently. This software converts Ford-grade vehicle data into useful information and warnings, such as real-time vehicle location, health alerts, and driver monitoring to support compliance and training.

Fleets transitioning to all-electric commercial vehicles will benefit from Ford Pro E-Telematics, which uses real-time data to help enhance fleet productivity and provides features to promote effective and easy use of Ford Pro Charging. Among these features are current charging status, vehicle-specific state of charge, and remaining range with Low Range alert thresholds. With Scheduled Preconditioning, the system may set E-Transit's battery and cab to be warmed or cooled before a shift to save time and battery energy for optimum range. Ford Pro E-Telematics is free for one year for E-Transit customers.

Owners and managers of fleets of five or less vehicles can also take advantage of the complimentary FordPass Pro smartphone app, which is developed to help businesses without full-time fleet managers get the most out of their vehicles.

Photos from Ford

Also read: Ford recognized by 2022 Rankings of America for environmental performance