COLDWATER — Cole Ford opened Branch County's first level 3 electric vehicle charging center at the dealership this week, general manager Erwin Kendrick said.
Six new chargers, four level 3 and two level 2, have been installed over the last several weeks to fast-charge electric vehicles in the northeast corner of the lot at 410 East Chicago St.
The dealer previously installed two level 1 chargers on the building's back wall for free long-term EV charging.
Level 2 chargers can take 2-3 hours for a full charge.
Level 3 direct current chargers are 15 times faster than Level 2 chargers at a rate of 3 to 20 miles per minute.
Level 3 chargers are cut off at 90% capacity to prevent battery depletion, which is not designed for a full charge at the higher amps.
Cole Ford considers itself a "destination location" for charging. Halfway between Ft. Wayne, Lansing, and Kalamazoo, EV drivers can pull in and charge while going to Jimmy John, Ponderosa, or another nearby restaurant while the vehicles charge.
The charging stations appear on the internet or phone charger location sites.
The level 3 chargers are laid out so someone towing a boat or other trailer can pull in and charge without uncoupling the load.
Any electric vehicle with a Ford-compatible connector or connector converter can charge.
Ford Pass customers connect and pay through their on-file credit card.
Other users insert a credit card to pay the 60 cents a kilowatt charged by the service to recover the cost of the charging stations.
Kendrick said Cole made a considerable investment in the chargers, which included the installation by the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities of a new transformer.
On Wednesday, the CBPU board approved both rates to recover the monthly readiness and capacity demand charges and the actual cost of each kilowatt delivered to vehicles. The city council has final approval.
Kendrick said Cole Ford was one of 1,600 dealerships nationwide that jumped on the EV bandwagon to sell all types of vehicles.
Ford sells gas/diesel, hybrid, and totally electric vehicles. "This is not the future. This is here right now," Kendrick said.
Kendrick drives a Ford-150 Lightning. He plugs his in the Level 2 charger at work.
"My normal commute is 90 miles," Kendrick said. With a 320-mile range, he can make several trips before recharging. Like his previous F-350 diesel, he keeps the vehicle filled and ready for use.
While Kendrick misses the F-350 for pulling very heavy loads, the Lightning pulls over 10,000 pounds, five tons.
The cost of his EV truck and operations are much cheaper. "Absolutely. That's the key for customers interested in this Lightning."
Kendrick likes the Lightning, with its hands-free driving on the interstate and the large onboard computer screen on the dash with all kinds of services.
The truck automatically recalculates the range depending on the load in or behind the truck.
The Lightning has torque and fast acceleration. "On this vehicle, when you accelerate you can feel the G-force," Kendrick said.
Because electric vehicle sales fell off last year, there are EVS on the Cole Ford lot.
On Tuesday, Kendrick had six Lightnings, seven Mach-E Mustangs, and five all-electric E-Transit vans.
With specials on E-vehicles, the $7,500 federal tax credit is paid with the sale for sales under $80,000.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Cole Ford installs Branch County's first level 3 electric vehicle charging stations
Most Popular
Comments / 0