The Mustang Mach-E on display at the New York International Auto Show on March 28, 2024.
Danielle DeVries | CNBC
Detroit- Ford Motor Company It aims to boost electric vehicle sales by addressing the concerns of potential customers with a new program that includes free home charging installation and other benefits.
The Ford Power Commitment program begins Tuesday for customers who purchase or lease a new Ford electric vehicle, such as the F-150 Lightning pickup truck or Mustang Mach-E crossover. Part of the goal is to reduce financial burdens on EV owners, such as the need for home chargers. The program also aims to educate new electric vehicle owners on how to transition from traditional gas vehicles.
“Of course we are working hard to grow our business, but the best way for us to grow our business is to provide good service to our customers,” Marin Gjaja, Chief Operating Officer Ford Model e electric vehicle business, told CNBC. “Charging at home is really key, but so is confidence in the durability and longevity of the battery.”
The plan comes as electric vehicle sales are growing slower than many had previously expected. Early adopters have turned to cars, but automakers have had problems scaling sales to mass-market buyers because Cost, charging infrastructure and other barriers.
Ford's plan aims to address many of those issues, Jadja said. It was conceived to address what Ford calls “change anxiety,” a play on the common industry concept of “range anxiety,” in which electric vehicles lose battery power between charging stations. fear.
“We think it's great for our customers, but we also think the way it's set up will also educate shoppers and intenders,” Jaja said. “We're trying to get people out of this situation.”
The program will include standard installation $1,310 Level 2 Home Chargerfree 24-hour advisory service and roadside assistance for five years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first).
If customers don't need a home charger or opt out of the program, they will receive the equivalent of $2,000 in cash toward the purchase or lease of a vehicle. Advisors and roadside assistance are also available to current Ford EV owners.
The free EV charger installation offer is currently only valid for the fourth quarter, but Gjaja said the company could extend the offer's timeframe.
The company said it will also add information about its existing eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty, an industry standard Ford found many consumers were unaware of on its electric vehicles.
“We want to make sure people know we have battery support for you and can perform battery repairs,” Gjaja said.
Ford's electric vehicle warranty covers all of the vehicle's high-voltage systems except the battery. Other components are covered for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The company did not disclose the potential cost of the new Ford Power Pledge program.
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 23: A Ford electric F-150 truck is shown outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 23, 2023.
Spencer Pratt | Getty Images
Ford was the third-best-selling electric vehicle maker in the first half of this year, behind U.S. industry leaders Tesla and modern carincluding its luxury brand Genesis and its Kia sibling brands.
For traditional automakers like Ford, selling electric vehicles remains a complex equation. Electric vehicles generate far lower losses or profits than gasoline-powered models, but they help automakers meet strict federal fuel economy standards and are a growth area for the company.