Ford And TXU Offer Texas Residents Free EV Charging During Off-Peak Hours – CleanTechnica

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Ford and TXU Energy announced this week they have teamed up to create a first-of-its-kind retail energy offering for Ford electric SUV and truck customers in Texas. The TXU Free EV Miles program offers Ford EV drivers the opportunity to charge their vehicle at home entirely for free, since more than 80 percent of charging takes place at home. Ford EV customers will get a credit on their TXU Energy bill for all home energy used for vehicle charging during the free charging hours — 7:00 pm to 1:00 pm the following day — all year long.

Ford says it is using this opportunity to educate Texans about the benefits of driving electric while incentivizing consumers to charge when demand on the grid is at its lowest. The program is designed for flexibility, giving customers 18 hours a day to charge for free. With easy charging scheduling through the Preferred Charge Times feature in the FordPass app or by using their in-vehicle touchscreen, Ford electric SUV and truck drivers can ensure charging only occurs within TXU Energy’s free hours. In the unlikely event that customers need to charge outside of the free hours, they will pay a simple, fixed rate — the same rate as the rest of their home. With this foundation, Ford and TXU Energy will test customer interest in additional future retail energy offerings that further incentivize customers to support grid stability in the state. Sales of electric vehicles in Texas were the third highest of all US states in 2023.

“Encouraging our electric vehicle customers to charge at off-peak hours through programs like Free EV Miles helps to save them money while supporting a more sustainable, resilient electrical grid,” said Bill Crider, senior director, global charging and energy services at Ford Motor Company. “Ford electric SUV and trucks already have a lower operating and maintenance cost compared to gas powered vehicles, and at-home charging offers additional financial perks and future vehicle to grid services never before possible, which Ford is committed to leading for our customers.”

The program enables Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Escape plugin hybrid customers to benefit from bill credits, regardless of what hardware they use to charge their vehicle at home. When Ford drivers enroll in the Free EV Miles energy plan, they will also receive additional perks from both Ford and TXU Energy, including a $100 welcome bonus from Ford and a $250 bonus from TXU Energy for staying enrolled for a year. Once enrolled and verified, customers will begin receiving automatic rebates for at-home charging costs during the free charging hours.

“This partnership with Ford fits squarely into TXU Energy’s broader strategy of educating customers on the benefits of owning an EV, removing barriers to making the switch, and increasing grid resiliency,” said Sam Sen, vice president of energy transition solutions for TXU Energy. “We are proud to support Ford’s Texas EV customers with flexible, free charging hours and the significant cost savings that come with it.” Those interested in the new program can visit the TXU Energy website to enroll, check their eligibility, or request more information.

In an email to The Verge, Ford spokesperson Eddie Fernandez wrote that the program is “for now slated through 2026 with the goal to be ongoing.” The program is currently exclusive to Ford customers but might expand to other automakers in the future, according to Fernandez, who also confirms that Lincoln plug-in hybrids are included in the deal. To get the free charging deal, customers need to give TXU access to their vehicle’s charging information through the My FordPass app, which will then link to the electricity provider’s billing system.

TXU Energy is one of Texas’s biggest and most well-known energy companies. It serves customers in most parts of the state, but not in Austin, El Paso, and other areas that are not part of the deregulated market. The company offers a number of innovative programs, including the Free Nights And Solar Day plan, it’s most popular program. It helps Texans sleep cool and comfortable every night with free electricity and feel good all day with solar. Customers enjoy 9 hours of free electricity at night and can benefit from 100% solar energy during the day without installing solar panels on their roof. It is refreshing to come across a progressive energy company, particularly in a state where progressive ideas do not always find a welcoming embrace.

Recently, we did an story about the cost of charging an electric car as compared to the cost of gasoline for a conventional vehicle. In it, we mentioned EV drivers might find some very attractive offers from their local utility company that could reduce the operating costs of their cars significantly. The Ford/TXU Free EV Miles program is proof such opportunities do exist.

The program only works for drivers who are able to charge their electric vehicles at home, of course, and does not include any financial assistance to purchase an EV charger or pay an electrician to install charging equipment at the customer’s home. Those two expenses can total two thousand dollars or more, depending on several factors such as the age of the home’s electrical panel and how far away from the panel the charger will be located. However, a federal tax credit of up to $1,000 is available thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, and other state and local rebates or incentives may be available as well. And if you have a 120 or 220 volt wall outlet near where you park already, you may not need to spend a dime. Just use the charging cable that came with your Ford electric vehicle.

Ford electric vehicles have not exactly been flying off dealer lots lately, largely because potential customers do not fully understand the charging piece of the puzzle. That’s because Ford and its competitors have done an awful job of educating potential customers about electric cars, how they differ from conventional cars, and how they are superior in many ways to old-fashioned cars powered by internal combustion engines. That makes this collaboration with TXU Energy especially welcome. When people learn they could get 80% or more of the electricity they need to power a Ford electric vehicle for free, that could go a long way toward lowering their defenses to the point where they feel comfortable owning an electric car or truck with the Blue Oval logo on the front.