The Ford Motor Company’s F-150 Lightning is getting ready for release next year, and Ford plans to hire a team of “Charge Angels” to guarantee that the people who own its EVs can find dependable places to charge when needed. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Ford EV lead Darren Palmer stated that technicians in uniquely-equipped Mustang Mach-Es will venture across the US to test out charging stations where corresponding vehicle data and “angry social media posts” indicate how the stations may not be working as intended.
It’s unfortunate, but some of the designated public charging stations are older and don't meet Ford's current dependability standards, said Darren Palmer, the automaker's general manager of battery-powered electric vehicles.Being forced to try multiple times just to charge up an EV is far from ideal, and that’s where the "charge angels" enter the picture.
"Over 99.5 percent of customers go into a charger and get a charge," Palmer said. "But a number less than that get a charge the first time they charge."
Ford currently works with multiple third-party EV organizations to develop what the company calls "a network of networks" with approximately 63,000 chargers in the U.S. The issue is that while more than 99% of Ford EV drivers get a charge when they stop for one, some simply won't. So Ford plans to collect a list of troublesome stations from vehicle data for the teams driving Mach-Es can use specialized testing equipment to evaluate the stations more thoroughly.
The specifics in this approach are still being worked out, but the first team is expected to be hard at work to improve these charging stations before the year ends. The company is wrapping up the final aspects of the program but wants to have the first group of Charge Angels equipped with the latest techniques and repair tools by then. Overall, it’s a smart move for an automaker that has a network of approximately 63,000 chargers across the US but ultimately depends on companies like Electrify America and ChargePoint for supportive infrastructure.
For more information about Ford’s great electric vehicles and how to support them at sanctioned charging stations across the country, contact Dunphy Ford in Philadelphia. Feel free to take a look at our new available inventory of all-electric Ford vehicles, or stop by the showroom today to schedule a test drive!
