EV Connect at Ford dealership

[Jameshoffee11]

I stopped by my nearest Ford dealership to try the charging they had. It was EVconnect with a Blue Oval sticker on the base of the charging unit. I could not charge. Whether I used the Ford app or the EVconnect app, I could not find the 6 digit identifier the apps used, none of the 3 charging stations were labeled with the identifier. The charging units, Autel if i remember correctly, were not listed as plug and charge in the ford app and did not start charging just with a connection to the truck.

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[tubby]

I found this, not sure if it is correct.

If you cannot find the physical sticker on the station housing or near the screen, you can initiate the charge directly through the app's GPS map:

1. Open either the FordPass app or the EV Connect app.
2. Open the Map/Station Finder and let it locate your exact position.
3. Tap on the Ford dealership location you are currently visiting.
4. The app will pull up the specific location profile and list the individual charging pedestals active at that site.
5. Select the specific charger you are plugged into from the list and tap "Start Charge" or "Activate" directly from your screen.

Note: If the station isn't showing up on the map and has no physical ID labels, it may not be fully commissioned or provisioned on the commercial network yet by the dealership. In those instances, the unit won't accept a standard Plug & Charge command and will require dealership staff to activate it internally.

 

[MountainAlive]

It’s ironic but of the two or three Ford dealerships I’ve stopped to charge at, none of them had plug n’ charge ability.

 

[JayF]

I make a point to look at dealerships as I'm passing by to see if they would be viable charging stops.

Titus-Will Ford (where I bought mine) in Tacoma? Their DCFC was broken, so they gave me delivery of my truck with something around 30% battery. The AC charger was partially ICE'd as well. The people in the dealership seemed happy the DCFC was broken because they were glad there weren't Rivian drivers everwhere.

I was driving down the road, passed another Ford dealer -- one ABRP had wanted me to charge at. I look from the highway: you can clearly see the chargers are ICE'd.

I know it's probably a "luxury" of the PNW and the charging availability up here, but I don't think I'd *ever* count on being able to charge at a dealer.

 

[potato]

It’s ironic but of the two or three Ford dealerships I’ve stopped to charge at, none of them had plug n’ charge ability.

Tesla is the only one who truly understood that seamless public charging is REQUIRED to get people on board with EVs. Everyone else treats it like an afterthought.

 

[Charge_Rob]

It’s ironic but of the two or three Ford dealerships I’ve stopped to charge at, none of them had plug n’ charge ability.

Ford dealers have chargers from a huge range of providers.

At around 400 dealers, they have Ford Charge as their charging provider - and Ford Charge is Plug & Charge enabled. If you're at a Ford Charge dealer and you don't have Plug & Charge working, that's an actual problem. At the rest of the dealers, you'll need to use the Ford app to pay with your BlueOval Charge Network account until those providers themselves add Plug & Charge.

 

[Charge_Rob]

I stopped by my nearest Ford dealership to try the charging they had. It was EVconnect with a Blue Oval sticker on the base of the charging unit. I could not charge. Whether I used the Ford app or the EVconnect app, I could not find the 6 digit identifier the apps used, none of the 3 charging stations were labeled with the identifier. The charging units, Autel if i remember correctly, were not listed as plug and charge in the ford app and did not start charging just with a connection to the truck.

Can you let me know what location (either here or DM)? Happy to reach out to them to see if we can get this fixed.

At Ford dealers, right now those with Ford Charge equipment are Plug & Charge. The rest are a wide mix of equipment and networks, none of which have Plug & Charge but all should be in BlueOval Charge Network so you're doing the right thing using the Ford app at this EV Connect location.

 

[carys98]

There’s a good reason that PlugShare has an option to hide dealership locations. They are for emergency use only.

 

[djwildstar]

I don't think I'd *ever* count on being able to charge at a dealer.

It isn't just the Pacific Northwest -- don't ever count on being able to charge at a dealership.

At best, dealerships consider the chargers to be a convenience that they might offer to their own customers. However, most dealerships would prefer that EVs not exist, and will take steps to ensure that any chargers they might have been required to install aren't actually usable -- either by ICE'ing them in, or by setting the cost to the maximum possible.

 

[RLXXI]

It isn't just the Pacific Northwest -- don't ever count on being able to charge at a dealership.

At best, dealerships consider the chargers to be a convenience that they might offer to their own customers. However, most dealerships would prefer that EVs not exist, and will take steps to ensure that any chargers they might have been required to install aren't actually usable -- either by ICE'ing them in, or by setting the cost to the maximum possible.

Same down here in the Gulf south. My dealer doesn't have any dcfc, they have 2 FCSP on the outside of their building.

There's one Chevy dealer down here that has 5 or 6 dcfc, a couple of level 2 not great prices but not entirely out of the realm of being competitive.

Other dealers do the icing thing or as you mentioned, charge I want to buy your charger with one session prices.

I avoid dealers completely if I can.

 

[hturnerfamily]

I stopped several years ago at a brand new DCFC at a FORD dealer, I wanted to give a try, but apparently the dealer was using it more for parking spaces, versus allowing owners to easily access it... but, I was still able to 'squeeze' my truck in a space and get started...

I went inside the dealership, used their facilities someone pointed me to, and came out to find someone stalking me...

he walked up, stared at me, and asked if I was the LIGHTNING charging at 'their' charger... of course I was... I told them I really appreciated it, too...

surprisingly, he immediately told me that it was 'their' charger, and ONLY for the dealership's own vehicles...and NOT for owners, or even their own CUSTOMERS.... uh, what??

He then harshly pointed out that a charger for the 'public' was WAY OUT at the very edge of the parking lot, near the highway. As I looked that way, I realized what he was pointing to - and I had driven in right past it coming in, although it was in the opposite direction of where I was looking, according to Google Maps. Google maps, and even the FORD app, pinned it at the 'dealer' location unit. Apparently, they didn't know this, either.
O.k., so, well," I appreciate that, and I'll use that one next time... in the meantime, since I'm already charging now, I'll be leaving 'your' charger, soon." He huffed off quickly.

By the way, his was free. The 'public' charger was not.
I haven't stopped there since, and don't plan on it.
Now, there are not only the EA units nearby, and our option to use Superchargers up the road, but even more new Chargers at Pilot/FlyingJ, and faster, since these were installed. Oh well.

I've never understood some Ford and most Hyundai's "these are our chargers" mentalities, when MERCEDES, and CHEVY dealers, and yes, even KIA, embraced me many times at theirs.

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