Mustang Mach-E

Make
Ford
Segment
SUV

We're 100% down with EVs here at CarBuzz. As opposed to ten years ago, they're now faster than equivalent ICE cars, quieter and look just as handsome. There's still the problem of lithium batteries that need to be taken care of, and just as importantly, that fact that we still get most of our electricity from fossil fuels here in the US. Ford has a half measure for that.

Going forward, the company will let owners opt into a program in California that offsets all of your plug charging, with Ford either purchasing the clean energy or by creating it itself. The Blue Oval is working with the California Air Resource Board on the program.

Owners will have to sign up with the FordPass app, which can also be used for scheduling dealership appointments. The app will automatically track the amount of electricity used while charging at home. The Ford "generates or buys an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy." Ford then sends the receipts to prove it.

"Ford's electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management," said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company. "By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we're enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones."

The program will start in California and will be available for all battery and hybrid vehicles, starting with the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape Plug-In Hybrid. Next year's conquesting F-150 Lighting will obviously be part of the program too.

The best-case scenario is the you charge your car with renewable energy created your house. The second best would be getting renewable energy from the power company out of your outlets. But, if we can't have either of those, offsets will work for now.