Ford is offering free chargers to electric vehicle buyers through the end of the year

By Nora Eckert

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford (F) is trying to win over electric vehicle curious people by offering electric vehicle buyers free home chargers and installation through the end of the year, the company said on Monday.

As automakers try to boost falling demand for electric vehicles, they have focused on improving access to chargers while addressing concerns about price and battery range.

“There is no bigger obstacle than charging,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in an interview with Reuters.

The free charging and installation benefit applies to customers who purchase or lease a Ford Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning pickup or E-Transit cargo van from Oct. 1 through the end of the year, Ford said.

Farley learned more about these challenges after taking two EV road trips through Europe and the Western US, which led him and his team to focus on a place drivers can rely on for reliable and consistent charging: her home.

“We spend all our time in the industry talking about on-the-go charging, and yet somehow we’ve overlooked the most fundamental charging solution for America,” Farley said.

He declined to say how much the program will cost. Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer of Ford’s electric division, said the company expects to “contain this in our existing financials.”

Ford is already struggling to cut costs on its battery-powered models, facing a $5 billion loss on its electric model this year.

The automaker canceled a much-touted three-row electric SUV in August to cut spending, although the move could cost the automaker about $1.9 billion in the short term.

Ford sold about 44,000 electric vehicles in the first half of 2024, up 72% year-on-year, making it the second-largest EV seller in the United States. Still, it is far behind Tesla, which delivered around 831,000 vehicles during this period.

In May 2023, Ford became the first major automaker to partner with Tesla for its nationwide network of superchargers. Ford vehicles are expected to be equipped with compatible charging ports starting in 2025 to make charging at Tesla stations easier.

Customers who purchase a Ford electric vehicle in the fourth quarter and already have a charger at home or live in an apartment will be eligible to receive a cash equivalent of $2,000 from dealers, Ford said.

(Reporting by Nora Eckert; Editing by Leslie Adler)