Fast charging for Mach-Es at Ford Dealerships (UK)

Alungr

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What's folk read/experience on this issue?
Specifically recall that the sales pitch back in late 2018/early 2019 when placing the order was "don't worry about charging and coverage, all Ford dealership are required to have a two fast chargers by the end of 2020...Ford dealerships are everywhere across the UK - getting charged using Ford dealerships as a backup won't be a problem"

Are you going being allowed to use the fast chargers at Ford dealership?...I've been formally refused by one local dealership.
The one where I'm buying my Mach-E doesn't even have them installed yet!
(Selling EVs at a dealership without a charger for customers is frankly embarrassing?!)

Seriously concerned about this issue as the national fast-charger Ionity network (fast chargers) is pretty lame.

Be interested to heard other folks thoughts and experience on this issue.
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timbop

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I'm in the US so can't answer for the UK specifically, but here Ford compelled dealers to install L2 chargers not DCFC (although dealers could instll DCFC if they wanted). As far as I remember, they are required to have at least 2 and one is supposed to be available for customers.
 
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Alungr

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I'm in the US so can't answer for the UK specifically, but here Ford compelled dealers to install L2 chargers not DCFC (although dealers could instll DCFC if they wanted). As far as I remember, they are required to have at least 2 and one is supposed to be available for customers.
Thanks for sharing your experience from across the pond - valuable for reference. Still waiting on Ford UK to formally clarify what there policy is, in comparison to the talk back in 2019/2020. Anticipate some serious back tracking based on my recent conversations so far with the U.K. Mach-E team and a couple of dealerships. Feel totally misled and deceived by Ford. Independent of the Mach-E (when it arrives!) I will find it difficult to trust anything Ford say until it is in writing. There charging network and service for EVs in the U.K. is a fiasco.
 

ChasingCoral

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I'm in the US so can't answer for the UK specifically, but here Ford compelled dealers to install L2 chargers not DCFC (although dealers could instll DCFC if they wanted). As far as I remember, they are required to have at least 2 and one is supposed to be available for customers.
In fact, very few US Ford dealers have DCFC. They are almost all L2.
 

murphy62

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When I got a Fusion Energi in 2013 the dealer was very proud of the L2 EVSE that they installed. I was never able to use it because it was always blocked by cars waiting for service. A few years later the building was expanded and the EVSE disappeared.

You can't take an ICE car to the dealer and fill it with gasoline so why do people think they should be able to charge their electric car there?
 


JoeDimwit

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You can't take an ICE car to the dealer and fill it with gasoline so why do people think they should be able to charge their electric car there?
Well, while I agree with you in principle, if Ford was telling people they would be supporting them this way, and people made decisions based on that information, then people have a right to expect Ford to follow through on the promises that they made.
 

Carsinmyblood

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You can't take an ICE car to the dealer and fill it with gasoline so why do people think they should be able to charge their electric car there?
Customer service, to support the conversion to EV, to support your community, tax write-off, to encourage prospective buyers to discover your dealership, good business practice.....
 
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Alungr

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When I got a Fusion Energi in 2013 the dealer was very proud of the L2 EVSE that they installed. I was never able to use it because it was always blocked by cars waiting for service. A few years later the building was expanded and the EVSE disappeared.

You can't take an ICE car to the dealer and fill it with gasoline so why do people think they should be able to charge their electric car there?
Mainly cos they said you could do that as a backup network for Ford EV users across the U.K. Ford has a larger dealership network across the U.K. so it provided so definite fast EV charging re-assurance.
 

dbsb3233

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I'm in the US so can't answer for the UK specifically, but here Ford compelled dealers to install L2 chargers not DCFC (although dealers could instll DCFC if they wanted). As far as I remember, they are required to have at least 2 and one is supposed to be available for customers.
And not necessarily "for customers", but "on the customer side of the building". Which could be interpreted as being there for showing customers how to charge. As a sales aid.

Doesn't necessarily mean open to the general public, or even to prior customers. Or accessible 24x7. Some leave theirs open for anyone to drive in off the street to use, but it's hit and miss, like any other business' L2 charger.
 

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Preston has two fast (not rapid) chargers currently. Unsure if the public can use them.

My local dealer in Carlisle has none, but you'd have to pay me to go near an Arnold Clark anyway.
 

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Well, while I agree with you in principle, if Ford was telling people they would be supporting them this way, and people made decisions based on that information, then people have a right to expect Ford to follow through on the promises that they made.
If Ford promised to install DC chargers at dealerships, sure. But did they?
Customer service, to support the conversion to EV, to support your community, tax write-off, to encourage prospective buyers to discover your dealership, good business practice.....
Most of DC chargers installed at dealers (non Ford) that I've seen are 25kW to 50kW. So they aren't really a substitute for a robust DC charging network. Also, how really useful are the DC chargers in populated areas (where dealers are located)? I'd rather see more DC chargers along freeways.
 

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My local dealer in Eastbourne currently doesn't have a charger, and so I enquired a month or so ago, because on the same site they also have Skoda and Kia, both of which have their EV's on their way. Their response was that they are currently LOOKING at upgrading their electricity supply, then PROBABLY install chargers in the next few months for use by the 3 brands. Whether it actually happens or not I'll have to wait and see!
 

Andeh

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I think all the US folks contributing to this thread could do with checking which forum it's under...
 

JoeDimwit

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If Ford promised to install DC chargers at dealerships, sure. But did they?
As I live in the USA, I was not present at these conversations. As such, I have no way of actually knowing what was or wasn’t said or implied.

I will say that I have heard this allegation from multiple sources, so I am inclined to believe that something along these lines was said at some point.
 

shutterbug

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As I live in the USA, I was not present at these conversations. As such, I have no way of actually knowing what was or wasn’t said or implied.

I will say that I have heard this allegation from multiple sources, so I am inclined to believe that something along these lines was said at some point.
And I'm pretty sure that there were no such conversations that involved Ford management. If something was promised in a brochure or a video, someone would have posted it by now.
Preston has two fast (not rapid) chargers currently
What is the difference between fast and rapid?
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