As more fleets begin acquiring all-electric vehicles, Ford Pro announced its new vertically-integrated Ford Pro Intelligence platform today which is designed to meet the needs of all businesses regardless of fleet size or powertrain.
Ford’s all-in-one approach to improving fleet business includes Salesforce, a popular customer relationship management platform that strives to strengthen communication across company departments to help improve customer satisfaction.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has high hopes for their latest tech.
"Ford Pro is going to revolutionize the way our commercial customers work,” Farley said. “We are integrating an intelligent management system with the trucks and vans our customers love. More data, more uptime, more productivity, smart charging and much less hassle. Ford Pro is leading Ford’s transformation to an always-on relationship with our customers and it is one of our biggest bets to lead the connected, electric mobility future."
Ford Pro, the global business and brand within Ford, aims to provide commercial and government customers of all sizes and industries a one-stop shop experience. Ford Pro Intelligence offers a cloud-based suite of services as well as consultation on complex topics like charging solutions including depot site design to help optimize energy costs and uptime.
Ford Pro Intelligence is a vertically integrated tech stack providing tools to help businesses keep track of their vehicles regardless of powertrain, manage their drivers and improve relationships with their customers.
“The biggest pain point we hear from commercial customers when it comes to managing their fleets is not having a single place to access all of their information across vehicles and services,” said Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO. “We’ve created a platform that centralizes and powers our entire digital ecosystem, working across gas and electric powertrains, Ford and non-Ford vehicles.”
Walmart, others committing to 2022 E-Transit
Ford reports that demand for the all-electric 2022 E-Transit has been strong with more than 300 customers placing orders for more than ordering 10,000 vans.
E-Transit has attracted businesses of all sizes from one-man van operations to municipalities including the City of Orlando to some of the nation’s largest service providers and retailers like Walmart, which ordered more than 1,100 vans.
“For commercial customers, a van is a tool to get a job done, and one size does not fit all needs,” says Andrew Walker, Ford Pro commercial van brand manager. “That’s why we designed the original gas Transit with a best-in-class range of configurations backed by a network of nearly 300 upfitters to further customize it for specific applications. E-Transit adds another eight configurations to that lineup, enabling us to help customers of all sizes across industries transition into an electric future supported by Ford Pro.”
Customers have ordered all eight of E-Transit's available configurations, including three roof heights and three lengths, plus the only all-electric van chassis cab and cutaway models. The high-roof, extended wheelbase configuration is the most popular. Representing 33 percent of the orders—including all 1,100 ordered by Walmart—this E-Transit has the most interior capacity and allows someone as tall as 6 feet 9 inches to stand upright, making it easier to move around and use equipment.
Making up 19 percent of the orders, the low-roof E-Transit is especially popular with customers in the telecommunications industry where workers take their vans home at night, because it can fit in many residential garages.
E-Transit is one of two all-electric work vehicles available from Ford Pro this year. F-150 Lightning Pro arrives this spring.
