Why Fleet Electrification Is for Companies of All Sizes
Jun 2, 2023 | 6 min read
What do a global logistics provider, wind turbine producer and site construction company have in common?
All three businesses require employees to get behind the wheel on company time. They’re also among the surveyed 37% of U.S. commercial fleet businesses that have added electric vehicles (EVs) to their fleets.1046 And they’ve all collaborated with Ford ProTM to make it happen.
For all their similarities, however, each of these companies is at a different point in its electrification journey. Take DHL, for example. The global logistics company has approximately 2,500 vehicles in its U.S. fleet—60% of which are Ford. According to Chris Wessel, director of U.S. Fleet for DHL Express, the company began its electrification process over a decade ago. “DHL has very robust climate-driven goals,” he said. “The overall objective is to be a zero-emission company by 2050, and within that context, we also have a shorter interim goal of 60% of our fleet being zero emission by 2030.”
In contrast, Grade A, a women-led site construction company in Tennessee, has a much smaller fleet of just over 40 Ford vehicles. Recently, they added 11 F-150® Lightning® all-electric trucks to the mix. “We had some interesting reactions when we purchased our first round of EVs,” said Jessica Cox, vice president of corporate services at Grade A. “Everybody was a little bit nervous, but once we went through training on the EVs and showed them the benefits, the dynamic shifted drastically.
“Out of all our Ford fleet vehicles, the F-150 Lightning is my favorite,” Cox continued. “I was skeptical at first, but after driving it for about 10 minutes, I loved it and didn’t want to drive another vehicle.”
Vestas sits in the middle, with 1,850 fleet vehicles in North America. As one of the largest wind turbine producers, environmental stewardship is baked right into its brand story. “One of the things I like about working at Vestas is that we work to provide a cleaner environment for everyone,” said Fleet Manager Michael Kraft. Vestas hopes to be completely carbon neutral by 2030 without any offsets. And while its current fleet is 5% electric, Kraft plans to expand more rapidly by bringing F-150 Lightning trucks into the fold.
Triston Sherlock, a Vestas wind turbine technician in northwest Missouri, uses his F-150 Lightning truck to get to and from the wind turbine towers with all his necessary gear. “The Lightning has great power,” Sherlock said. “And I really like the frunk because I can store my tools in a dry area and not have to worry about if I closed my tonneau cover at the end of the day.”
Vestas uses its F-150® Lightning® trucks to get workers and all necessary equipment to and from the wind turbine towers safely.
An Integrated Fleet Electrification Strategy
Whether a fleet is in the tens, the thousands or somewhere in the middle, a fleet decision-maker survey1046 from Ford Pro made clear that commercial fleet businesses believe the future is electric. Ford Pro found that 44% of surveyed micro and small U.S. fleets are interested in adding more EVs, while 54% of surveyed medium, large and extra-large fleets say the same.1046 While many fleet managers want to electrify, many aren’t sure how they’ll achieve it. Interestingly, lingering perceptions around the logistical hurdles of fleet electrification are shared among surveyed managers of all fleet sizes.1046
Ford Pro understands the perceived headache of electrification; it’s why we’ve created an end-to-end solution designed to streamline the entire process for companies, regardless of size or where they are in their electrification journey. The Ford Pro team worked with DHL, Grade A and Vestas to understand their specific challenges and needs and develop solutions that were focused on unlocking the value and benefits of electrification while protecting business continuity. From hardware to software to service, Ford Pro has fleet businesses covered.
- Hardware: Most companies won’t electrify their fleets all at once. Our line of commercial vehicles includes gas- and diesel-powered staples and hybrid and all-electric options to fit the needs of mixed fleets. Plus, our range of Ford Pro Chargers designed for home and depot charging helps ensure fleet EVs never run out of juice. When a fleet is ready to expand its EV footprint, we’ll be there to deliver.
After installing Ford Pro Chargers at drivers’ homes and the Grade A office, Cox was already thinking ahead to the next charging expansion for Grade A. “It would be super-efficient for us to eventually make sure employees can charge on job sites every day,” Cox said. “And we don’t foresee that being an issue. We will transition into that in coming years, as our goal is to have a majority-EV fleet.”
Grade A Construction took a hybrid approach to charging its commercial fleet EVs.
Software: Ford Pro offers multiple telematics software solutions to help fleet managers keep a pulse on their entire operations—from energy consumption to near-real-time location data to vehicle health insights. Ford Pro E-Telematics129 comes with all the bells and whistles of Ford Pro Telematics867 but is designed specifically with EVs in mind. It provides a clear sight line into key EV-specific data such as real-time range and charge status, remote preconditioning and home charging reimbursement. “Ford Pro offers a number of telematics and software pieces that help us work more efficiently and have a more lean, efficient operation,” Kraft said.
Service: Vehicle maintenance is part and parcel of fleet management. Again, Ford Pro Telematics867 and E-Telematics129 can provide more insight into when it’s time to take your fleet vehicles—electric and gas-powered—into the shop. To help further reduce downtime, Ford Pro offers Mobile Service.229 “Vehicle uptime is a critical component for us,” said Wessel. “The Mobile Service229 is extremely convenient for us, meaning we don’t have to take a vehicle out of our depot. We can have them come in, do a service as needed and get that vehicle back on the road quicker.”
Because Mobile Service229 comes to you, it can help increase fleet efficiency and boost vehicle uptime.
Ford Pro offerings work in sync to deliver a cohesive experience across the entire commercial fleet business to help increase vehicle uptime and boost fleet efficiency, which can help unlock potential cost-savings. “What sets Ford Pro apart is having that all-in-one accessibility—from reporting to EVs to Ford Pro Charging to E-Telematics,” said Wessel. “There are a lot of different tools we use to run our fleet effectively.”
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Disclosure(s)
- 1)
"Ford ProTM Fleet Manager Global Quantitative Study: Perceptions of Electric Vehicles March 2022." This quantitative study was fielded in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany among 1,250 corporate fleet decision-makers. The survey was conducted online in December 2021. PSB was hired by Ford Pro to conduct the survey. Results are not weighted.
- 2)
Eligible (2022 and 2023 MY) vehicles receive a complimentary three-year trial of Ford ProTM E-Telematics services, and eligible (2024, 2025 and 2026 MY) vehicles receive a one-year trial that begins on the new vehicle warranty start date. Requires modem activation. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features depend on compatible cellular network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features. Annual service contract is required for E-Telematics service after trial. Call 1-833-811-3673 or go to FordPro.com to activate E-Telematics service.
- 3)
Available on vehicles with embedded modem or equipped with approved plug-in device (PID). May require modem activation. Ford Pro™ Telematics and Ford Pro™ Data Services require a purchased subscription. Terms and conditions apply. Telematics service and features, and access to vehicle data, depend on subscription and compatible cellular network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features.
- 4)
Available at select locations. Services and mileage limits vary by participating dealer. See dealer for details.