Ford Charging Network summarized

[JellyBelly]

With the reviews and experiences coming in from the delivered cars recently, more questions on the Ford Charging Network have come up as well.

From what I understand, following is a summary of the this network.

In the USA, access to the Ford Charging Network is via Ford Pass App. Ford PAss App is free to use for remote access to the vehicle but the access to Ford charging Network is complimentary for 2 years. So what do we get through the Ford Charging Network (FCN). Unfortunately Ford has not explained what this FCN is or is not very well. I was able to find this link below and I am sure there is a press release that is similarly vague.

https://owner.ford.com/support/how-tos/ev/what-is-the-ev-fordpass-charging-network.html

https://corporate.ford.com/articles...argest-electric-vehicle-charging-network.html

1 - We get a consolidated aggregation of chargers available
2 - When we plan a trip - it will use this list of chargers to plan the trip appropriately ?
3 - Ability to use Ford Pass Wallet service to pay using the App
4 - Not require multiple accounts with each charging provider ?
5 - The link above uses the term "in network" implying some difference - I infer that it means we cant use Ford Plug and Play to connect and pay via App. ?

Is my summary correct ? Please add your thoughts. While I dont intend to use external chargers a lot, it would be good to have a good grounding on what the FCN is or is not.

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[JellyBelly]

Unknowns at this point:
1 - Ford has not mentioned anywhere that it will integrate with current membership accounts users may already have with charging providers

2 - Discount pricing from memberships not passed through

3. Cost of FCN subscription after 2 years

 

[FirstBEV]

I also had seen that the FCN was complimentary for 2 years, but it doesn't say what it will cost after 2 years. Since we don't really know the benefits (other than using one app to pay for charging locations from different companies), would we even want to pay for FCN when it's not complimentary anymore?

 

[timbop]

Unknowns at this point:
1 - Ford has not mentioned anywhere that it will integrate with current membership accounts users may already have with charging providers

2 - Discount pricing from memberships not passed through

I'm going to speculate that we don't know these things because the people that negotiate such things didn't think about them at all. That or the people who are supposed to communicate what was negotiated are busy doing something else.

Neither is good.

 

[BlueMach]

"In Network" does not mean Plug&Charge, since J1772s are "In Network" and there's no such thing as Plug&Charge AC charging. "In Network" appears to mean that you can start payment from FordPass.

Plug&Charge is currently only enabled on Electrify America, it seems.

For those of us that already have active Greenlots, Electrify America, ChargePoint (and EVgo, and Flo, and Blink, and...) I'm still not sure what I get.

We haven't even gotten confirmation that Plug&Charge requires the "FordPass Charging Network" subscription, because in theory it doesn't need to.

Such a "simple" thing and there's no communication from Ford on what it really means.

This could be a simple flow chart and Q and As, but all I hear is crickets.

 

[benk016]

The Electrify America app has a place where you can add your car info. And it requires you to put in the VIN with it. Has anyone tried adding that in and seeing if this is all that's needed for plug and charge?

 

[SAM]

With the reviews and experiences coming in from the delivered cars recently, more questions on the Ford Charging Network have come up as well.

From what I understand, following is a summary of the this network.

In the USA, access to the Ford Charging Network is via Ford Pass App. Ford PAss App is free to use for remote access to the vehicle but the access to Ford charging Network is complimentary for 2 years. So what do we get through the Ford Charging Network (FCN). Unfortunately Ford has not explained what this FCN is or is not very well. I was able to find this link below and I am sure there is a press release that is similarly vague.

https://owner.ford.com/support/how-tos/ev/what-is-the-ev-fordpass-charging-network.html

https://corporate.ford.com/articles...argest-electric-vehicle-charging-network.html

1 - We get a consolidated aggregation of chargers available
2 - When we plan a trip - it will use this list of chargers to plan the trip appropriately ?
3 - Ability to use Ford Pass Wallet service to pay using the App
4 - Not require multiple accounts with each charging provider ?
5 - The link above uses the term "in network" implying some difference - I infer that it means we cant use Ford Plug and Play to connect and pay via App. ?

Is my summary correct ? Please add your thoughts. While I dont intend to use external chargers a lot, it would be good to have a good grounding on what the FCN is or is not.

To be cynical, it's something that sounds good when marketing a new EV, especially when trying to compete with Tesla's charging network, but doesn't have a lot of real world value (at least at this point).

 

[CaptainET]

The only public chargers available in my area are chargepoint, Is the only way to use those chargers with an individual chargepoint account ? Does the fordpass app or map in vehicle do anything other than point out where they are?

 

[TheVirtualTim]

The only public chargers available in my area are chargepoint, Is the only way to use those chargers with an individual chargepoint account ? Does the fordpass app or map in vehicle do anything other than point out where they are?

ChargePoint doesn't support Plug-n-Charge (at least not yet). Currently P&C is available on Electrify America and Greenlots (Shell).

You'd would probably want to download the ChargePoint app and set up an account.

 

[ChasingCoral]

ChargePoint doesn't support Plug-n-Charge (at least not yet). Currently P&C is available on Electrify America and Greenlots (Shell).

You'd would probably want to download the ChargePoint app and set up an account.

Even without Plug & Charge you're supposed to be able to initiate charging at ChargePoint stations, without setting up a separate account. At least, that's what we've been told.

 

[JellyBelly]

Even without Plug & Charge you're supposed to be able to initiate charging at ChargePoint stations, without setting up a separate account. At least, that's what we've been told.

I do see chargepoint chargers as In-Network near me. So in theory, you are right, they should be able to charge without an account. Otherwise I am not sure what In-network would mean for those charge point chargers.

 

[benk016]

I do see chargepoint chargers as In-Network near me. So in theory, you are right, they should be able to charge without an account. Otherwise I am not sure what In-network would mean for those charge point chargers.

If they are "in-network" you can "activate" the charger from the mach-e screen. Just like how you do it from the chargepoint app. Its not plug and charge, but you just have to click a button on the screen. Making sure you activate the right plug of course.

 

[KAustin]

If they are "in-network" you can "activate" the charger from the mach-e screen. Just like how you do it from the chargepoint app. Its not plug and charge, but you just have to click a button on the screen. Making sure you activate the right plug of course.

I take it you have to plug it into the car and then some sort of prompt will pop up in the car?

 

[benk016]

I take it you have to plug it into the car and then some sort of prompt will pop up in the car?

I don't think you have to plug it in first. In the navigation, you can hit details on the charger and it has an activate button. It also has it in the app if you search for chargers. I haven't actually tried using it yet since I just activated the fordpass network 2 days ago and haven't fast charged yet since doing that.

 

[SteelMach]

If they are "in-network" you can "activate" the charger from the mach-e screen. Just like how you do it from the chargepoint app. Its not plug and charge, but you just have to click a button on the screen. Making sure you activate the right plug of course.

Weirdly not all ChargePoint DCFCs are "In-Network" with FordPass for some reason.

And when I arrived at an Electrify America station, the car warned me that EA is "Out of network."

I suspect there's a lot more work to do to make FordPass Charging Network... work.

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