Electric Vehicles Go Mainstream With Arrival of Electric Pickup Trucks

Last month, on April 26, Ford Motor Company introduced the all-new F-150 electric pickup truck.  Within a matter of a few days, the automaker announced that the 2022 model year production run had already sold out.  With a starting price point of $39,974, the new F-150 Lightning was an immediate hit with consumers.

Perhaps the most enthusiastic supporters of the new Ford electric pickup were businesses that own and operate fleets of service trucks.  Those buyers lined up first and received the largest allocation out of the 150,000 F-150 electric trucks offered for sale this year.

With production ramping up and running at Ford’s new Dearborn Michigan-based Rogue Electric Vehicle Center manufacturing facility, consumers will be able to begin placing orders for the 2023 model over the summer.  Why is this such a big story?

EV Adoption Is At a Tipping Point

There are a few reasons why this consumer news item stands out.  First, it identifies a type of tipping point for electric vehicle adoption in the United States.  Personal vehicles might define our lifestyles to a degree, but work vehicles drive our economy.  

The F-150 has been the top-selling truck for 45 years, and across the country every day millions of man-hours of labor along with critical products and services are delivered to job sites in work trucks.  Now that those utility trucks are being offered with no performance compromises as electric vehicles, businesses are lining up to transition away from traditional gas and diesel trucks.

According to industry data given by the American Trucking Association, there were 37.9 million trucks registered and used for business purposes (excluding government and farm trucks) in 2019.  That represents 23.9% of all trucks registered.  

So, with nearly one out of every four small utility trucks purchased in the United States dedicated to business use, you can see how the introduction of an affordable, mass-market consumer option like the Ford Lightning is set to disrupt not just the auto industry but the way business gets done today.

As it happens, the type of truck that drives our nation’s business is not the only disruptive change taking place.

EV Charging Stations Support the Trend

With more and more electric vehicles hitting the road across the country, it naturally follows that EV charging stations are popping up everywhere.  Obviously, the companies that maintain fleets of work vehicles are among the biggest investors in EV charging infrastructure.

But they are not alone.  Each day, business owners are connecting the dots on what fast and convenient EV charging stations mean for their business’s bottom line.  Most business owners see the issue clearly when they consider their customer’s point of view.

Your customer drives a Tesla or a Leaf or a Bolt (or maybe, a new F-150 Lightning) and she needs to stop for a gallon of milk and a few other items on her way home.  It has been a long day, and she has driven quite a bit.  She’ll be charging her car overnight, but she never likes to see the battery level drop below a certain point. 

On her normal route home, only one area grocery store offers convenient EV charging while she shops.  Which grocery store is getting her business tonight?

This has nothing to do with product price points, retail promotions, or any other normal operating challenge for the business.  This is all about customer convenience, and how people value that convenience.

For that grocery store, and for every other business that considers practical, affordable ways to maximize customer satisfaction and convenience, EV charging stations deliver bottom-line business success.

The Future Is Here, and It Is Electric

The new F-150 Lightning is in the news right now, that’s for sure.  Still, Ford and other auto manufacturers have a long way to go if they want to catch up with Tesla, whose cars account for approximately 75% of the EV market this year.

So, as competition within the automotive industry drives innovation and delivers more EV choices for consumers, those consumers will vote with their dollars as they always do.  Facility owners and property managers will also put their money where their bottom line interests lie.  

That means we will continue to see more EV charging stations that support employees and customers who have joined the growing number of drivers falling in love with electric vehicles.  But how can businesses confidently enter the world of EV charging if they don’t know anything about the latest stations, how they’re installed, how they operate, and what it all means for their business?

We thought you’d never ask.

FSG Delivers Turnkey Solutions for EV Charging Stations

With expertise and experience in the design, engineering, installation, maintenance, and repair of EV charging stations, FSG is a natural fit for local governments, industrial customers, and small businesses interested in improving their EV infrastructure.  With FSG, you can confidently take full advantage of the federal funding and any state incentives in place to support the growth in the electric vehicle market.

Newcomers to the idea of installing an EV charging station might soon encounter some common questions, such as “How do I get power to my stations”, or “Will my current electrical switchgear support a new EV charging station”?  Many local municipalities and businesses might be unsure of which type of EV charging station is right for their location.

FSG is here to answer every one of those questions, and more.  We can provide electrical engineering and design solutions for local governments and businesses, and when the plans are in place we can follow through with industry-leading equipment and installation services that you can trust.

Our experience with EV infrastructure should provide the confidence you need to make a good choice for your new EV charging station.  In recent years, we have thoroughly vetted the form, fit, and function of a wide variety of EV charging equipment from multiple product manufacturers. 

FSG stands ready to guide you through the conception, design, engineering, procurement, installation, and ongoing service of your new EV charging station.  But what about all the details?  Who can help you understand the fine print with all of this new EV infrastructure?

Once again, FSG is the answer.  Our National Accounts Team and our Energy Service Company (ESCO) Support Team are ready to guide you through the maze of grants, rebates, incentives, and state-level programs that can support your decision to get on board with EV infrastructure today.

VIEW FSG EV CHARGING STATION CASE STUDIES

Most importantly, know this: FSG is not here to gain your trust for a moment only.  Since 1982 we’ve known that our best customers are those that enjoy an ongoing relationship with our products and services, and who consider us the one call they need to make to get solutions to a wide variety of facility challenges.

For every business owner and facility manager who has decided to get serious about providing EV charging for employees and customers, the first call to find out more should support success, not undermine it.  And that is something we can absolutely guarantee: when you call, we will try our very best to answer your questions and steer you in the direction that promotes success for your business.

If you have made the decision to support your business by installing EV charging stations, call us today at (877) 293-6689 or contact us online.  

We are installing EV charging infrastructure right now in markets all across the United States, and we can help you make smart decisions that will deliver lasting value to you and your EV charging customers for years to come. Learn more about our EV Charging solutions.