The first step towards commercial electrification is figuring out which vehicles in a fleet are ready to make the transition.

Ford Pro has introduced new digital tools — including E-Switch Assist — to help integrate electric vans and trucks into fleets in a way that best meets business objectives at the right time.

In a survey of fleet operators who have already integrated electric vehicles (EVs), gas and diesel vehicles still make up 58% of their fleet on average, and hybrid vehicles make up about 20%.

Ford Pro E-Switch Assist aims to help business and government customers determine if they're ready to add electric vans and trucks to their fleet — like the E-Transit van and F-150 Lightning pickup — and can help identify which areas in a fleet are ideal for switching.

This complimentary web-based tool is now available in the U.S., UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Norway, and the Netherlands.

How Does E-Switch Assist Work?

E-Switch Assist uses algorithms developed by the Ford Pro data science team to analyze connected vehicle data to compare the energy consumption of gas-powered vehicles with the estimated energy needs of comparable EVs, recommending which gas-powered vehicles are suitable to switch.

The tool accounts for operational factors such as:

• Distance driven

• Cargo load

• Vehicle efficiency

• Terrain

• driver-specific behavior

• External climate

• Cabin heating load

The tool also estimates the required number of daily charges for both individual vehicles and fleets of all sizes.

Supporting the Electrification of Commercial Fleets

"Smart tools informed by data like E-Switch Assist are opening up many new conversations with our commercial customers, large and small, about EV readiness," said Nathan McDonald, EV strategy and brand manager at Ford Pro. "The importance of these tools and technologies goes beyond selling a customer a new vehicle — it changes mindsets about whether electric vehicles will work for their business while potentially saving them time and money."

The tool can help fleets identify which part of their operations are ready to transition to electric without disrupting their business. The E-Switch Assist tool has evaluated over 38,000 commercial vehicles, revealing that nearly 53% are potential candidates for transitioning to electric power.

Suppose the assessment shows an organization is ready for electrification. In that case, Ford Pro offers solutions to streamline the addition of these vehicles and charging infrastructure, from commercial-grade chargers for homes and worksites to telematics and software to manage it all.

Sign up for a free assessment today!

E-Switch Assist and Home Charging

In surveys conducted with fleet operators, almost 30% said their employees take company vehicles home after work. Charging up at home can be convenient and cost-effective for these organizations and their drivers.

Ford Pro's new commercial-grade home-use charging solutions include the Ford Pro Series 2 48-amp charger, which is ideal for charging overnight at home. The charger features RFID technology for control and ease of access, an LCD screen, and standard cellular connectivity with no Wi-Fi required, and works on Ford and non-Ford vehicles.

Ford Pro Charging Software monitors usage, provides energy reimbursement reports, can set automated charging schedules, and monitors real-time household utility rates to schedule charging for non-peak hours, which can help reduce electricity costs and demand on the electrical grid.