Several Ford electric vehicle owners are beta-testing a new charging feature set to roll out to all new Ford EV models. Ford is introducing a software update to make the charging experience as easy as possible.
Ford makes electric vehicle charging easier
The new feature, Charge Assist, was initially rolled out last April in Europe to help EV drivers find charging stations through their SYNC 4 infotainment system.
However, the company has given access to several beta testers in the US with plans to roll it out to all Ford EV owners. The charging feature initially became available earlier this month through an OTA update, according to CarsDirect.
When it was launched, the feature was mainly used to locate charging stations as it shows which are available, the speed, and cost.
Ford has upgraded the Charge Assist feature, allowing you to find the closest charger, pay, and begin charging all from inside your electric vehicle.
You don’t even have to use a smartphone app like FordPass or a third-party option. Instead, you can just open the Charge Assist app on your Ford EV infotainment, activate it from inside, and it will charge to your FordPass credit card on file. Several beta testers have relayed positive feedback from the new feature, including the one posted below from X/Twitter user @Jacecraftmiller.
Ford’s new “Charge Assist” EV charging feature (Source: @Jacecraftmiller/ Twitter)
The tester said the feature is “Super simple. Just open Charge Assist app on your Ford EV infotainment. It finds the closest fast charger, gives you the status of each port, and allows you to activate it right from your vehicle! Charges right to your FordPass CC on file. When you don’t have P&C this is awesome.”
Once finished, you can end the session from the vehicle or charger. The feature works with any charger in the BlueOval Charge Network: Electrify America, Shell Recharge, ChargePoint, EVgo, EV Connect, FLO, Electric Circuit, Blink, and more on the way.
Ford Pro, the automaker’s commercial and software unit, posted a video on YouTube a few months ago explaining the feature for fleet use.
Ford Charge Assist (Source: Ford Pro)
The new charging feature is expected to be introduced in all Ford electric vehicles, including the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and E-Transit.
Electrek’s Take
Ford continues innovating and introducing new features to enhance EV ownership. For example, Ford was the first major automaker to announce it was adopting Tesla’s NACS plugs, an example which GM, Volvo, Rivian, Polestar, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and more have followed.
With OTA updates, electric vehicles will only get more intelligent. The American automaker has been dialing into the software side of things after CEO Jim Farley’s visit to China was a “real epiphany” earlier this year.
Since “outstanding hardware styling, performance, and quality are just a given” in the EV era, “The best new brands are offering integrated digital, retail, lifestyle and experiences that are software-defined,” Farley explained.
Ford will likely make the official “Charge Assist” announcement soon, but it looks to be a convenient feature for EV owners.
Keyword: Ford electric vehicle owners are getting a charging experience upgrade