Charging management for commercial fleets is one of the hottest topics in the EV world today. So, as Ford stakes out a position in the commercial EV market with its new Ford Pro business unit, it’s only logical that it is seeking to deepen its infrastructure expertise by acquiring Electriphi, a provider of charging management and fleet monitoring software for EVs. Electriphi’s team and services will be integrated into Ford Pro.

Silicon Valley-based Electriphi, which has around 30 employees, has developed a purpose-built EV fleet and charging management platform designed to simplify fleet electrification, save energy costs, and track key operational metrics like real-time status of vehicles, chargers and maintenance services.

“As commercial customers add electric vehicles to their fleets, they are looking for depot charging options to make sure they’re powered up and ready to go to work every day,” said Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis. “By adding Electriphi’s existing advanced technology IP to the Ford Pro electric vehicles and services offering, we can enhance the commercial customer experience and become a single-source solution for fleet depot charging challenges.”

Ford sees infrastructure as a major source of future revenue. The company estimates that the depot charging industry will grow to serve some 600,000 full-size trucks and vans by 2030, and hopes to earn $1 billion from charging by that date.

The Electriphi acquisition will come just in time for the launch of electric versions of two of the world’s highest-volume commercial vehicles—the Transit van and F-150 pickup. Ford will start shipping the E-Transit to customers later this year, and plans to make the F-150 Lightning Pro available in spring 2022.

“Customers have been clear—electrification of their fleets is inevitable, with significant economic and sustainability benefits. They now need solutions that enable a seamless transition to electric vehicles,” said Electriphi CEO and co-founder Muffi Ghadiali. “Our synergies with Ford Pro will supercharge this transition. We’ll delight customers by helping them reap the benefits of electrification, so they can focus on what matters most—running their businesses effectively.”

Sources: Electriphi, TechCrunch