Ford has been exploring different ways to provide mobile charging for EVs for some time now, filing a patent for a portable high-voltage EV charging system back in May, while a 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with the new WiTricity Halo wireless charging system was also on display at this year’s Detroit Auto Show and a wireless charging pilot program is set to launch near Michigan Central Station in the near future, too. Now, AAA is expanding its own roadside assistance services to include a mobile electric charging service that utilizes a series of Ford E-Transit vans.
This idea isn’t exactly new, as AAA launched a mobile charging pilot for electric vehicles in select markets over a decade ago, in 2010. However, as the EV market continues to grow, the company continues to invest in research related to those vehicles to gain a better understanding of customer opinion regarding EVs, the way those vehicles function, and other related areas of interest in an effort to improve its products.
The result is an expanded mobile electric charging service that is currently being piloted in 14 markets across the country – Orlando, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina, Denver, Colorado, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Avon, Massachusetts, Providence, Rhode Island, West Springfield, Massachusetts, Bend, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, Indianapolis, Indiana, San Francisco, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Peabody, Massachusetts. AAA has retired its original fleet used for this purpose and replaced it with Ford E-Transit vans, and it provides this service to its customers at no additional cost. Moving forward, the company plans to monitor trends and add additional mobile charging methods and locations as needed.
“If you’re a AAA member, you already know that we’re more than just roadside assistance service,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of automotive solutions. “We’re also committed to supporting our members through big purchase decisions – like buying an electric vehicle. As automakers continue to incorporate advanced styling and the latest innovative technology into electric vehicles, we are committed to learning, developing, and servicing the vehicles our members are driving.”
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