As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) rises across the Southeast, businesses in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi are increasingly making the switch to electric to cut down on fuel costs and reduce their total cost of ownership. Over 100,000 electric vehicles have already been registered in these states, and this number is only expected to grow. To support this shift, Southern Company, a major energy provider based in Atlanta, has partnered with Ford Pro™ to launch a six-month pilot program aimed at helping businesses navigate the transition to electrification.
This collaboration addresses the challenges businesses face when transitioning to electric fleets, including the complexities of depot charging, maximizing vehicle uptime, and minimizing operational costs. Southern Company, which serves more than 587,000 business customers, will use insights from this pilot to create an electrification blueprint that can be applied across its entire service area. The blueprint will focus on optimizing charging practices, ensuring efficiency, and enhancing the long-term viability of electric vehicles for business operations.
The key to successful fleet management extends far beyond just vehicles and chargers—it requires intelligent software. In this pilot program, Southern Company will leverage Ford Pro Intelligence and Ford Pro Charging Software to analyze the data collected from over 200 F-150® Lightning® trucks and more than 150 Ford Pro Chargers, including Level 2 AC and Level 3 DC charging stations. By analyzing this data, the program will provide valuable insights into charging behaviors, helping Southern Company’s fleet operators make informed decisions about energy consumption. One of the main goals is to reduce electricity usage during peak demand periods, which will help businesses save on energy costs while maintaining fleet uptime.
With this pilot program, Southern Company is leading the charge in helping other businesses make the transition to electric vehicles. By understanding the unique charging needs of their fleet and leveraging the power of data, Southern Company can provide valuable guidance to commercial and industrial customers as they integrate EVs into their operations. The program will also help develop a scalable and flexible electric fleet management model that can be easily adopted by other businesses across the region.
“This pilot will create a flexible, scalable electric fleet management model that can be readily adopted by others,” said Ananya Gupta, Senior Product Manager at Ford Pro. “At the conclusion of the program, organizations will have a blueprint to successfully navigate the transition to electric vehicles and unlock all their associated benefits.”
The partnership between Ford Pro and Southern Company sets a powerful example for businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and lower operational costs. As electric vehicles continue to gain traction, this pilot program could play a crucial role in shaping the future of fleet electrification across the Southeast U.S.
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