Ford Motor Company is highlighting its commitment to plug-in electric vehicles by expanding efforts to provide more workplace charging stations to employees across the United States and Canada.
The automaker began installing charging stations in September 2014, and currently has 145 units available for employee use at 43 Ford offices and manufacturing facilities in 6 states and Canada. There are plans to install 20 more in the near future, with ongoing discussions to increase the number in the long term.
Cynthia Williams, Ford associate director, environmental and regulatory planning, will join California Gov. Jerry Brown and dozens of Fortune 500 executives in Los Angeles this week for Drive the Dream 2015. The annual event is hosted by the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative – a public-private organization that works to ensure a strong, enduring transition to plug-in electric vehicle use. Williams will share insights on the plug-in electric vehicle market, purchase incentives and on developing a broader charging station network.
“Providing a charging network at Ford facilities not only benefits our employees, but builds upon our commitment to the electrification program and developing environmentally conscious vehicles,” said Williams. “Ford is striving to deliver quality products and sustainable manufacturing, and to make eco-conscious vehicles easier to use.”
Since installing the first workplace charging station in 2014, Ford and its employees have saved more than 6,000 gallons of gas, enough to fill a Ford Fusion Energi 428 times. The system is also capable of diverting 70 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually when using green energy sources. More than 349 Ford employees are using the charging stations, which have delivered nearly 92,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, enough to power up to 10 homes annually.
Earlier this year Ford teamed with DTE Energy to build one of Michigan’s largest solar arrays at its company headquarters. DTE Energy funded the 360 covered parking spaces under the solar array which help power buildings on the Ford World Headquarters’ campus. Ford Land, a real estate and commercial development agency formed by Ford Motor Company in 1970, installed 20 charging stations at the Ford World Headquarter complex for plug-in electric vehicles such as Ford Fusion Energi and Ford C-MAX Energi. Additional charging stations may be installed as employee use increase.
The solar canopy has enough capacity to generate 1.1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to power buildings throughout the Ford campus. The electricity captured is enough to power 158 average-sized homes while offsetting an estimated 794 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
“Ford has a deep commitment to sustainability,” said Stephanie Janczak, manager, Ford sustainability and vehicle environmental matters. “We are working to make people’s lives better by creating great products and by investing in the communities where our employees work and live. Expanding our network of charging stations throughout North America is an extension of our commitment.”
