Ford Motor Company and Texas utility TXU Energy on Aug. 12 announced that they have teamed up to create a new retail energy offering for Ford electric SUV and truck customers in Texas.
The TXU Energy Free EV Miles program offers participating Ford EV customers the opportunity to charge their vehicle entirely at home at essentially no cost during off-peak hours since approximately 80% of charging takes place at home, TXU said.
Participating Ford EV customers will get credit on their TXU Energy bill for all electricity used to charge their vehicle during the free off-peak charging hours, between 7 p.m. and 1 p.m. the next day, all year long.
Through the TXU Free EV Miles program, “Ford aims to educate Texans about the perks of driving electric while incentivizing consumers to charge when demand on the grid is lower,” a TXU news release noted.
The offer is designed for flexibility, giving participating customers up to 18 hours a day to charge at no cost.
By scheduling through the Preferred Charge Times feature in the FordPass app or in-vehicle screen, Ford electric SUV and truck drivers can ensure charging only occurs within TXU Energy’s off-peak hours.
“If customers need to charge outside of the off-peak 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 electricity offerings that further incentivize customers to support grid stability in Texas, which was the third largest in electric vehicle sales nationwide in 2023,” TXU noted.
The program enables Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Escape PHEV 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 receive automatic rebates for at-home charging costs during the off-peak charging hours.
Additional details about the program are available on TXU’s website.