Ford is giving buyers and lessees of its electric vehicles free home chargers, along with other offerings, in an effort to pump up EV sales.
In a blog post on business-focused social media site LinkedIn, CEO Jim Farley said home charging is a key to adoption, along with round-the-clock service akin to an old-fashioned service station.
Consumers who opt for a Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning pickup or E-Transit van will get a home charger, along with installation, through the end of this year.
“Nearly 90% of shoppers say they would be more likely to buy an electric vehicle if they knew they could charge at home,” Farley said, citing a September survey Ford commissioned.
Taking care of the home-charging aspect should help many consumers hesitant to enter the EV world decide to take the plunge, Farley suggested.
“Ford believes it will take more than jumbo rebates to truly break through with the estimated 19 million people in the U.S. interested in electric vehicles. It will take – you guessed it – convenience, peace of mind, and expert service. It will take a modern-day version of the friendly filling station, only this time you “fill ’er up” at home.”
The Detroit-area automaker said it’s also staffing its round-the-clock EV support line with live human agents. It earlier signed on to grant Ford consumers access to Tesla’s extensive fast-charger network.
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