One of the biggest challenges to broader electric vehicle adoption is a lack of infrastructure. One of the biggest consumer hesitations around EVs involves concerns over range and charging; a proper fast-charging infrastructure spread across the country resolves those concerns.
And on that front, Tesla (TSLA) -) has carved out its dominance. A series of big-name legacy automakers have inked deals with the EV leader over the past few months that would grant them access to Tesla's Supercharging network, namely Ford (F) -) and General Motors (GM) -).
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But that doesn't mean that these automakers are disinterested in tapping into the revenue opportunity presented by owning and operating their own charging infrastructure.
Ford revealed new charging hardware, the Series 2 AC Charging Station, Tuesday, a piece of infrastructure aimed at making the electrification of corporate fleets a more seamless process. The new product is designed for commercial use and comes with a bunch of new features that make EV charging for Ford and non-Ford vehicles alike much more accessible.
“We’re committed to helping businesses make the transition to electric easy with a single-minded focus on curated commercial charging solutions,” Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO, said in a statement. “With our tailored EV consulting and portfolio of charging hardware and software solutions, we can design, implement and operate solutions for Ford and other brands that will last for many years to come."
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The new station comes with a series of features including enhanced security through RFID access, detachable cables and connectors which reduce the time and cost of potential repairs and a few connectivity options that includes cellular, ethernet and Wi-Fi, for locations with rocky internet availability.
The company also revealed an extended DC Fast Charger, in both 180 kW and 240 kW, to give customers the ability to tap into more power in order to shorten charge times.
The new charging station, as well as the new Fast Charger, are available now for pre-order.
Ford additionally has its network of DC fast-chargers, called the BlueOval Charge Network, which boasts a total of 84,000 chargers ( 10,000 of which are DC fast-chargers) across Norther America. These chargers give customers 54 miles of range in about 10 minutes, according to Ford.
Tesla's Supercharging network, spanning more than 17,000 chargers across North America, adds up to 200 miles of range in around 15 minutes.
