Producing zero-emissions vehicles is a mission about electrifying the future for Ford today, but it’s also a project that rests near and dear to the hearts of many of the people in the Ford family. Robert Hayes, a Ford engineer, is one of them, and his passion for electric vehicles isn’t one of blueprints and plans, but of acceleration and action!
Hayes has worked on everything from climate control systems to powertrain strategy for Ford vehicles, but his first drive in an electric vehicle was what inspired him to become one of the earliest Mustang Mach-E customers in 2021 before he was ever involved in EV production at work. For him, this wasn’t enough– Hayes wanted to go even further, and he began a series of demanding road trips from behind the wheel of his Mustang Mach-E, driving 70,000 miles across North America in three years. Visiting national parks and experiencing the beauties of what this country (and his vehicle) had to offer became a grueling test of what his EV could do.
However, these road trips also highlighted a real problem for electric vehicle drivers, and a common reason that people resist making the switch– lack of public charging infrastructure. Charging away from home can take the wind out of the sails of even the most enthusiastic road tripper, and experiencing it firsthand inspired Robert Hayes to find a way to make a difference! When he was presented with the opportunity to join Ford’s Model e team and address the customer experience of public charging, he jumped at the chance.
“Mapping out chargers and routes was always a fun game for me,” said Hayes. “That game has obviously been made quite a bit easier with the BlueOval Charge Network doing most of the work for me, but no less enjoyable.
"I like to visit a variety of chargers on my trips – everything from a free Level 2 charger at a local grocery store to new Tesla Supercharger locations to really get a good idea of the charging landscape today."
Hayes’ technical background and passion for electrification helped him to understand customer problems and concerns on a deep level. His work focuses on making public charging more easily accessible, bridging the gap between anxiety around vehicle range and the desire for convenient charging options, both at home and away from home. Today, he is actively seeking customer feedback and spending his time on refining and developing Ford’s charging strategy, to help make it easier for everyone and anyone to go electric!
“I don't want anyone to say that there's a limit to what they can do with their electric vehicle. These are go anywhere, do anything vehicles, so my mission is to share that feeling with our customers.”
With amazing vehicles like the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning, it’s no wonder that Robert Hayes was so inspired by Ford’s electrification. If you want to experience them for yourself, take a look at our available inventory here at Brian Hoskins Ford to learn more!
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