E.U. gets 5-years of free charging access

[TheLight75]

So.... US buyers get 5 free fill-ups (250 kWh) while E.U. buyers get 5 YEARS of free charging? Seems fair..... ?

https://fordauthority.com/2020/10/e...uyers-get-five-years-of-free-charging-access/

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[macchiaz-o]

I'm fine with it. Ford is meeting demands tailored to each market, to the best of its ability. If it made the same offer everywhere, I'd think them lazy or stupid.

Also, it's not five years of free charging. It's five years of FordPass Charging Network subscription, versus the 2 years (or is it three? I can't remember) that we are being offered here. The FPCN is a pay through scheme that makes it easier to access and pay for various charging providers like ChargePoint and Electrify America.

As for free charging, I find the European press releases rather confusing, but I think they are getting free charging on Ionity's network in the first year of ownership, versus our free 250 kWh on Electrify America.

 

[mattbostonmache]

No. Both US and Europe are getting access to the charging network (membership). Not free charging.

 

[timbop]

No. Both US and Europe are getting access to the charging network (membership). Not free charging.

EXACTLY CORRECT.

As the headline clearly states what is free is the "access" to the "charging network". What that means is that you can use your single Ford account to access AND PAY for charging at a variety of different charging providers without having an individual account at each. It is essentially like having a Ford credit card that many charging companies honor; as a customer you have that single account and pay that single bill at the end of the month.

Just like with Visa or Mastercard after the trial period ends you will have to pay an annual fee to have that Ford charging credit card.

 

[makooy]

EU does get 5 year "free use of FordPass app for charching"
That does not mean 5 years free charging.. i wish..

We get 1 year "special price" at IONITY
Pay 0,32eur/kwh instead of 0.79eur/kwh at IONITY

 

[Jolteon]

I'm fine with it. Ford is meeting demands tailored to each market, to the best of its ability. If it made the same offer everywhere, I'd think them lazy or stupid.

Also, it's not five years of free charging. It's five years of FordPass Charging Network subscription, versus the 2 years (or is it three? I can't remember) that we are being offered here. The FPCN is a pay through scheme that makes it easier to access and pay for various charging providers like ChargePoint and Electrify America.

As for free charging, I find the European press releases rather confusing, but I think they are getting free charging on Ionity's network in the first year of ownership, versus our free 250 kWh on Electrify America.

I think it's ridiculous that they want to charge us money to subscribe to the basic functionality of the car's Plug&Charge capability. "Don't give us money after your free trial? Better get used to all those charging apps!" as Ford cackles and counts their money.

They really need to rethink this.

If you have a Ford BEV, you need to have Plug&Charge included as long as your BEV is on the road.

 

[Jolteon]

EXACTLY CORRECT.

As the headline clearly states what is free is the "access" to the "charging network". What that means is that you can use your single Ford account to access AND PAY for charging at a variety of different charging providers without having an individual account at each. It is essentially like having a Ford credit card that many charging companies honor; as a customer you have that single account and pay that single bill at the end of the month.

Just like with Visa or Mastercard after the trial period ends you will have to pay an annual fee to have that Ford charging credit card.

That remains ridiculous as most Visas and Mastercards even with basic rewards are fee-free. This is such basic functionality there's no excuse to charge for it. We're still paying for the charging, and they want us to pay for the ability to pay. Nuts.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I think it's ridiculous that they want to charge us money to subscribe to the basic functionality of the car's Plug&Charge capability. "Don't give us money after your free trial? Better get used to all those charging apps!" as Ford cackles and counts their money.

They really need to rethink this.

If you have a Ford BEV, you need to have Plug&Charge included as long as your BEV is on the road.

I respectfully disagree, especially with your last statement. It's your opinion, but you state it like it's everyone's requirement.

There is a cost to Ford and Greenlots for this service. They are choosing to make all of us pay for the first X years of it by bundling some amount of that cost into the vehicle purchase price. After that, more of the cost shifts to the individuals that want to keep the benefit, and some or all of the cost shifts away from those that don't want to pay for the convenience.

With how infrequently I intend to charge away from home, I'm fine with this.

Also, I don't think we know one way or the other if Plug and Charge *requires* FPCN. I'm *guessing* that it can work without FPCN, too. I should be able to register my car directly with a supplier like ChargePoint, or indirectly through a FPCN competitor like Greenlots (as hypothetical exame), so that future charges with them are authorized simply by plugging in the car.

 

[macchiaz-o]

That remains ridiculous as most Visas and Mastercards even with basic rewards are fee-free. This is such basic functionality there's no excuse to charge for it. We're still paying for the charging, and they want us to pay for the ability to pay. Nuts.

There are or will be alternatives. For instance, Zap Pay is one competitor that recently started in the UK.

 

[janitorjim]

So.... US buyers get 5 free fill-ups (250 kWh) while E.U. buyers get 5 YEARS of free charging? Seems fair..... ?

https://fordauthority.com/2020/10/e...uyers-get-five-years-of-free-charging-access/

well so far USA has gotten price discount on the car and the EU has not plus we are getting the car much earlier

 

[zhackwyatt]

I respectfully disagree, especially with your last statement. It's your opinion, but you state it like it's everyone's requirement.

There is a cost to Ford and Greenlots for this service. They are choosing to make all of us pay for the first X years of it by bundling some amount of that cost into the vehicle purchase price. After that, more of the cost shifts to the individuals that want to keep the benefit, and some or all of the cost shifts away from those that don't want to pay for the convenience.

With how infrequently I intend to charge away from home, I'm fine with this.

Also, I don't think we know one way or the other if Plug and Charge *requires* FPCN. I'm *guessing* that it can work without FPCN, too. I should be able to register my car directly with a supplier like ChargePoint, or indirectly through a FPCN competitor like Greenlots (as hypothetical exame), so that future charges with them are authorized simply by plugging in the car.

Also, they seem to be doing a lot of integration work on the various networks. That isn't free to them.

 

[dbsb3233]

So.... US buyers get 5 free fill-ups (250 kWh) while E.U. buyers get 5 YEARS of free charging? Seems fair..... ?

https://fordauthority.com/2020/10/e...uyers-get-five-years-of-free-charging-access/

Actually we got something better... $1000 to $3000 off the purchase price!

 

[dbsb3233]

Speaking of Ford Pass... is anyone else finding the app regularly crashing on Android? It apparently must be running in the background, because even without actually opening the app, I get a "FordPass has stopped working" crash message a few times per week.

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