Episode 4: Bonus Video

Episode 4: Bonus Video

[MUSIC PLAYING] CHUCK NICE: Today, we're talking about those big, diesel-powered fleets of work vehicles, because, you see, some of the biggest opportunities for electric vehicles isn't what's in your garage.

It's what's in your jobs garage.

Hey, I'm Chuck Nice, and this is Electric Generation, presented by Ford, the podcast where we explore how electrification is changing this country.

Today, the topic is how businesses are converting their fleets to electric.

During the technology event, TechCrunch Disrupt, I was able to speak with Ted Cannis, CEO of Ford Pro, the Motor Company's business-focused arm, and Sam Albuelsamid, an automotive journalist and co-host of the Wheel Bearings podcast.

I want to turn our attention to business fleets, instead of personal cars and personal use, because businesses use a lot of vehicles.

You're talking about cab companies.

You're talking about delivery businesses.

I think of the bakery down the street from where I live, and the guy has six trucks sitting outside of his bakery.

And so that brings me to my first question for both of you.

In your opinion, which kinds of businesses are most ripe for electrification?

TED CANNIS: Sam, you want to take a crack at it first?

SAM ABUELSAMID: Sure.

Yeah, I would say almost any business, but especially businesses that operate in a local area, for first applications, you know, delivery companies, caterers, any kind of service people, you know, contractors, electricians, plumbers, because they're generally not taking long road trips.

They're operating within a geographic area, usually returning to the same location every day, whether that's a depot, a terminal, or taking a vehicle home with them.

They're usually operating in a city environment or even a suburban environment, where they're doing lots of stop and go, not a lot of high speed.

So electric vehicles make perfect sense for that kind of use case.

CHUCK NICE: That leads me to this.

Is there a customization in EV commercial utility vehicles that allows them to anticipate what they need, and then you meet that need for them?

TED CANNIS: Absolutely.

We are deep in conversations, as we get ready to launch these vehicles, matching up their daily use cases.

They've got their odometer readings.

They know where they're going, what kind of routes, and what the new capabilities.

And the difference is, it's not just a range thing.

The EVs that we've built have new capabilities, that we never had before.

I can power up a job site, or use my truck as an office, because I got all this power there to do productivity improvements.

I can do backup generation for my home with the new F-150, or make a generator for my site, that I never had.

I have new spaces, like the mega frunk, lockable storage on a pickup truck, I don't have, and place it in a different, because the battery is in a different location.

So it's really opening up new capabilities.

CHUCK NICE: Wow, you know, I didn't even think about that, like where the engine would have been is now cargo space.

SAM ABUELSAMID: And it's a really large cargo space.

But to follow up on what Ted was saying, you know, commercial customers, they even now, before they go electric, they're customizing those vehicles.

They're putting tool racks and/or equipment racks or storage racks in the back of their trucks or their vans.

And when they replace their vehicles every few years, they tend to stick with the same one.

And they take all of that equipment out from out of one, they put it into the next one.

And so, you know, having something that has compatibility across your fleet is really important, to make that use case, you know, because that's another thing that you don't have to spend extra money on if you don't have to.

CHUCK NICE: Check out our full conversation, and the electric generation podcast, on TechCrunch and wherever you get your podcasts.