Hitting the road this weekend? Get ready for your electric road trip!

[Charge_Rob]

The summer road trip season is about to kick off – perfect time to hit the road in your F-150 Lightning!

If you haven’t taken an EV road trip before, or if you haven't taken one lately, your charging team wanted to highlight some ways we've made it a little easier.

Plug & Charge in More Places

Since last Memorial Day, we've expanded your access to Plug & Charge to include IONNA, Ford Charge, and select bp pulse chargers! That’s in addition to Electrify America, Tesla, and EVolve NY where you’ve been Plug & Charging for years. Not only is Plug & Charge easier than getting gas, it’s the most reliable way to charge – when Ford drivers use Plug & Charge their success rate for starting a charge is over 99%. So if you're out on the road this weekend, check out how easy it is to use Plug & Charge.

Even More Places to Charge with the Ford App

Plug & Charge is the easiest, but we know not every charger supports it. That’s why the BlueOval Charge Network now includes over 200,000 public chargers across the U.S. and Canada – as you head into this summer you can use the Ford app to activate and pay for charging now with 22 different networks – all with one account and the Ford app. Since last summer, that now includes BC Hydro, IONNA, and now Jule.

Holiday Discounts!

From May 22 to May 25, BlueOval Charge Network member IONNA is offering discounted charging at $0.20/kWh (plus tax) across their entire network. If you're visiting an IONNA Rechargery this weekend, enjoy those savings and the simplicity of Plug & Charge together. Use the Ford app to find your local Rechargery and just plug in when you get there to enjoy the savings - Plug & Charge will handle the rest!

Electric Road Trip Tips and Tools

If you're preparing to hit the road this weekend, we’d like to remind you of the Ford Electric Road Trip Hub where we’ve consolidated tips and how-tos to help make electric road trips easy, whether it’s finding chargers along your route, using your Fast Charging Adapter, learning the difference between Google Maps EV Routing for Android Auto, Apple Maps EV Routing in CarPlay, and Connected Navigation, or paying for charging with the BlueOval Charge Network. And if things go wrong along the way, troubleshooting resources are also available.

To check it out, visit go.ford/evroadtrip

Share your Road Trip with us!

Brian and the whole Ford team would love to hear about your summer road trips in your Ford EV! Share your story with us at go.ford/evstory

And if you're chilling at home this weekend and want to hear how other Ford EV drivers have conquered EV road trips, check out how The Electric Duo just crossed Route 66 in a Mustang Mach-E GT California Special at go.ford/route66

I'll be in my F-150 Lightning on the road this weekend, if you see me at a charger, say hi!

-Rob, not Brian, and still not AI

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[On the Road with Ralph]

Hey, Rob (and Brian) -

When will it be possible for Plug & Charge to recognize my Tesla, EA and EVgo memberships and give me discounted DCFC charging?

Soon™ right?

 

[jamelski]

Hey, Rob (and Brian) -

When will it be possible for Plug & Charge to recognize my Tesla, EA and EVgo memberships and give me discounted DCFC charging?

Soon™ right?

Plug-in charge was fantastic when I used it on my three Ioona I’ve used in Oregon yesterday on my way back to California. However, it’s completely useless with Tesla, EA, and EV go, there’s no reason to use it and pay full price.

EVgo offers its own plug-in charge service through its own app, which allows for automatic charging. Auto plug+

I’m so tired of all these memberships. To make it worthwhile to use DCFC on road trips, I won’t use Tesla just because.

EA works perfectly fine for me, but it’s just annoying to have to get a silly membership just to cancel it.
Here is an idea ford. Instead of karaoke ect make a ford charge paid membership that work on all of them. Oh wait you guys would rather make stupid apps no one uses

 

[RickLightning]

Hey, Rob (and Brian) -

When will it be possible for Plug & Charge to recognize my Tesla, EA and EVgo memberships and give me discounted DCFC charging?

Soon™ right?

Plug-in charge was fantastic when I used it on my three Ioona I’ve used in Oregon yesterday on my way back to California. However, it’s completely useless with Tesla, EA, and EV go, there’s no reason to use it and pay full price.

EVgo offers its own plug-in charge service through its own app, which allows for automatic charging. Auto plug+

I’m so tired of all these memberships. To make it worthwhile to use DCFC on road trips, I won’t use Tesla just because.

EA works perfectly fine for me, but it’s just annoying to have to get a silly membership just to cancel it.
Here is an idea ford. Instead of karaoke ect make a ford charge paid membership that work on all of them. Oh wait you guys would rather make stupid apps no one uses

Ford tested this and testers reported it worked fine (it was EA only since it was pre-Tesla charging).

My belief, not supported by any knowledge, is that Ford evaluated the manpower cost involved in providing this service, specifically the turn on for a month "oops it didn't work so I will call and ask for a refund or explanation" as compared to the added loyalty it might create (little).

A huge percentage of owners are clueless as to the membership discounts even being available. Many that know can't be bothered, same people that filled up at the close gas station that costs 20 cents more than Costco. Nobody is avoiding a Ford EV or leaving the brand due to the lack of discount with Plug and Charge.

 

[RLXXI]

I’m so tired of all these memberships. To make it worthwhile to use DCFC on road trips, I won’t use Tesla just because.

Let me guess, ex gov employee? Doge bit? Only reason I can think of for cutting off the nose to spite the face.

 

[RickLightning]

Let me guess, ex gov employee? Doge bit? Only reason I can think of for cutting off the nose to spite the face.

I think it is imperative that people take a stand against corporate policies and actions they dislike or don't agree with, and it is admirable.

I do so to try and get companies to change behavior. A former employer that is widely diversified owns a national produce brand and other things. None are allowed in my house, and I tell anyone I can to stay away from their products.

That said, not using Elmo's charging network is irrelevant to him and increases charging costs substantially. If everyone on this forum did that, he still wouldn't notice, or change his behavior, nor would the company. So, it has no effect.

Not buying my former employer's products costs me nothing, as replacements are the same or lower costs. And it gives me satisfaction to deny them my money.

Corporate boycotts do change behavior, but this isn't that.

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

My belief, not supported by any knowledge, is that Ford evaluated the manpower cost involved in providing this service, specifically the turn on for a month "oops it didn't work so I will call and ask for a refund or explanation" as compared to the added loyalty it might create (little).

Maybe, but I think the answer is far simpler: When a plug and charge session payment is processed through Ford, it gets a piece of the action. Likely, it’s a substantial fraction of the difference between full retail and the membership cost. So, encouraging people to use plug and charge is just a promo for another revenue stream for Ford.

As someone who does a lot of long distance travel in his Lightning (my 20th road trip of more than 1500 miles begins next week) I am price sensitive when charging. Fortunately, the DCFC infrastructure in the US has improved to the point where I usually have choices when stopping to charge. I almost always check the cost before deciding where to stop.

 

[RickLightning]

Maybe, but I think the answer is far simpler: When a plug and charge session payment is processed through Ford, it gets a piece of the action. Likely, it’s a substantial fraction of the difference between full retail and the membership cost. So, encouraging people to use plug and charge is just a promo for another revenue stream for Ford.

As someone who does a lot of long distance travel in his Lightning (my 20th road trip of more than 1500 miles begins next week) I am price sensitive when charging. Fortunately, the DCFC infrastructure in the US has improved to the point where I usually have choices when stopping to charge. I almost always check the cost before deciding where to stop.

Do you know that Ford gets a piece?

Plug and Charge is a way for Ford to show how easy it is to own an EV, because using apps is challenging for some people. Removing an impediment to ownership. That's worth money to Ford.

I could see them charging Tesla, EA, IONNA the processing cost that they're not incurring. But haven't ever seen confirmation that they get anything else.

And yes, I also seek out the least cost options.

 

[RLXXI]

I think it is imperative that people take a stand against corporate policies and actions they dislike or don't agree with, and it is admirable.

I do so to try and get companies to change behavior. A former employeer that is widely diversified owns a national produce brand and other things. None are allowed in my house, and I tell anyone I can to stay away from their products.

That said, not using Elmo's charging network is irrelevant to him and increases charging costs substantially. If everyone on this forum did that, he still wouldn't notice, or change his behavior, nor would the company. So, it has no effect.

Not buying my former employer's products costs me nothing, as replacements are the same or lower costs. And it gives me satisfaction to deny them my money.

Corporate boycotts do change behavior, but this isn't that.

Most times it's just ridiculous and that IS the case here.

 

[RickLightning]

Most times it's just ridiculous and that IS the case here.

You're entitled to your worship of Elmo...

For the rest of us...

 

[RLXXI]

You're entitled to your worship of Elmo...

For the rest of us...

Couldn't care less about the dude actually. Plain to see how others feel by the amount of headspace he accumulates rent free in some of y'all though.

 

[K6CCC]

From May 22 to May 25, BlueOval Charge Network member IONNA is offering discounted charging at $0.20/kWh (plus tax) across their entire network.

There is only one IONNA charger anywhere near me - Vista, CA (north San Diego county) and almost 100 driving miles from me. I am toying with taking a drive for some GeoCaching down there on Sunday or Monday and take advantage of the 20 cent charging (less expensive than charging at home). I had assumed that this one IONNA location would be heavily used with this charging rate, so I have been checking availability both via the Ford app and Plugshare somewhat regularly. I have been amazed to always find all 10 cables available. I was beginning to wonder if neither of those sources was getting updated availability information. However, just before typing this, I looked again and five out of six CCS cables and all four NACS cables are available. Makes me feel more confident that I will be able to get cheap charging if I drive down there.

 

[Rayden]

Maybe, but I think the answer is far simpler: When a plug and charge session payment is processed through Ford, it gets a piece of the action. Likely, it’s a substantial fraction of the difference between full retail and the membership cost. So, encouraging people to use plug and charge is just a promo for another revenue stream for Ford.

As someone who does a lot of long distance travel in his Lightning (my 20th road trip of more than 1500 miles begins next week) I am price sensitive when charging. Fortunately, the DCFC infrastructure in the US has improved to the point where I usually have choices when stopping to charge. I almost always check the cost before deciding where to stop.

What's your preferred method for cost comparison?

 

[jamelski]

Let me guess, ex gov employee? Doge bit? Only reason I can think of for cutting off the nose to spite the face.

Neither Tesla don’t get my money. Left or right both are crazy, Elon don’t care. It’s more about going to a Tesla showroom years ago and being treated like I could not afford a Tesla. Since then Tesla can suck a big fat ding dong.
1 chance to make a first impression and just like Toyota Prius drivers they suck

 

[DavidS]

My three road trip tips are:
1) Keep plug and charge enabled because you never know when you will end up at a charging station with no cell service and no credit card reader.
2) Carry at least a gallon of water in the frunk for you and your dog.
3) Try to charge at the least cost charging station when possible because charging providers track this information and if we want cheaper charging, providers need to know we are price sensitive.

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