F-150 Lightning

Make
Ford
Segment
Sports Car

Three lucky farms in Sonoma County, California are set to receive the eagerly-awaited Ford F-150 Lightning and a Ford E-Transit cargo van as part of an initiative to tackle the issue of sustainable fleet operations. As part of a push toward sustainability, the Sonoma County Winegrowers - a group made up of more than 1,800 grape farmers - have incorporated solar power into their daily operations.

To bolster their efforts, the Dearborn-based carmaker will fit Ford Pro charging stations to charge up the EVs. Ford says the aim of the initiative is to show how electric vehicles and web-based fleet management tools can have a fruitful effect on agriculture in terms of improving sustainability, increasing productivity, and, importantly, reducing the cost of fleet ownership.

The program is set to commence with Bevill Vineyard Management and Vino Farms, as well as Dutton Ranch. In total, the trio represents approximately 4,000 acres of land in the Russian River Valley. The program is expected to expand in the coming months, with more farming operations coming on board.

Aside from the electrified fleet, farms will be able to consult the Ford Pro team and have access to Ford Pro Intelligence1 software, home, and depot charging, Ford Pro Telematics Essentials, and Ford Pro E-Telematics and energy management. This will aid in reducing operating costs while managing vehicle fleets more efficiently. President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers said the adoption of electric vehicles and streamlined fleet management are the next steps toward sustainability.

"This collaboration with the Ford Pro team is a great natural next step to help us continue our progress in sustainable agriculture... our farmers love this pilot program; it's going to be foundational."

The software will give farmers access to data, allowing access to vehicle health reports designed to reduce downtime resulting from maintenance or repairs. This is a helpful tool for people who rely on their vehicles to work 24/7 - with some covering upwards of 50,000 miles a year. Managing the fleet is a large expense, with Dutton Ranch, as an example, spending an average of $5,000 a month to fuel their 70 vehicle-strong fleet. The adoption of electric vehicles is a great way to negate fuel costs.

Ford Pro's global chief marketing officer, Wanda Young, noted, "Ford Pro is thrilled to team with the Sonoma County Winegrowers to further their sustainability goals and begin their transition to fully integrated all-electric fleets with on-site charging. Ford Pro and the Sonoma County Winegrowers are driven by many of the same tenets - to accelerate productivity while operating responsibly."

Ford's all-electric E-Transit has a starting price of $43,295 while the F-150 Lightning Pro derivative will kick off at $39,974, although pricier variants (such as the Platinum) will be as much as $90,874. Earlier this year, Ford announced it had doubled production of its electric pick-up in order to meet demand for the desirable F-150.