For years, American streets have been lorded over by Ford’s F-Series Trucks with the F-150 claiming top park on the totem pole of America’s most-loved vehicles. In an audacious move to stay atop in a fast-evolving automobile climate and take hold of electric possibilities, Ford launched its beloved truck pattern – now fully electrified as ‘F-150 Lightning’ last year. However, CEO Jim Farley recently embarked on a road trip that unearthed some gaps yet unfilled, especially around charging infrastructure.
Just picture this, Farley’s got a gleam in his eye and an American road ahead of him– all the way from bustling Silicon Valley right down to vibrant Vegas. The mission? Break new ground by traversing America on that sweet Southern asphalt with nothing more than an electric vehicle as his steed. Documenting each twist ‘n turn of the adventure on LinkedIn for those curious far n’ wide, he was driven to showcase just what Ford’s F-150 Lightning could stand up to. But you know how it goes – no good story ever came without a few bumps along the ol’ route.
Farley documented his charging woes in a candid video shared on X. A popular charging station in Coalinga, California, provided only 40 percent charge to his electric truck after 40 minutes of charging. This experience served as a reality check, reminding him and the company that the charging infrastructure needs further improvement.
In response, Ford announced a partnership with Tesla that would grant Ford customers access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network, comprising over 12,000 fast chargers. This collaboration, set to launch next year, will complement Ford’s existing network of more than 10,000 fast chargers. The move highlights Ford’s commitment to enhancing the charging experience for its electric vehicle users. As the automotive industry undergoes a monumental shift towards electrification, getting the charging experience right is imperative for Ford’s continued success. With competitors like Tesla and Toyota vying for the top spot and governments enforcing stricter emission regulations, Ford’s adaptation to an electric future is not only a strategic move but also an environmental necessity.
This particular stumbling block isn’t a Ford-alone problem. The electric vehicle industry at large has found the road to widespread use plagued by difficulties, mainly because of issues like “range anxiety”- drivers being quite worried about their battery dying out on an extended trip and all. Now imagine this – if Ford manages to solve these concerns in any substantial way, we could be looking at nothing short of a game-changing moment for electric vehicles! And that would put us one giant leap closer to achieving a world free from carbon footprints.
So, to draw things neatly to a close – Ford’s chief honcho hitchin’ a ride in their electric F-150 Lightning told us one big thing. It stressed how vital we need sturdy charging networks. Tesla joining the party and Ford’s scrupulous focus on making charging smoother—could well be what it takes for them to maintain their reign supreme atop industry ladder and fuel greater uptake of electric rides.