Several Ford electric vehicle owners are beta-testing a new charging feature set to roll out to all new Ford EV models. Ford is introducing a software update to make the charging experience as easy as possible.
Ford makes electric vehicle charging easier
The new feature, Charge Assist, was initially rolled out last April in Europe to help EV drivers find charging stations through their SYNC 4 infotainment system.
However, the company has given access to several beta testers in the US with plans to roll it out to all Ford EV owners. The charging feature initially became available earlier this month through an OTA update, according to CarsDirect.
When it was launched, the feature was mainly used to locate charging stations as it shows which are available, the speed, and cost.
Ford has upgraded the Charge Assist feature, allowing you to find the closest charger, pay, and begin charging all from inside your electric vehicle.
You don’t even have to use a smartphone app like FordPass or a third-party option. Instead, you can just open the Charge Assist app on your Ford EV infotainment, activate it from inside, and it will charge to your FordPass credit card on file. Several beta testers have relayed positive feedback from the new feature, including the one posted below from X/Twitter user @Jacecraftmiller.
Ford’s new “Charge Assist” EV charging feature (Source: @Jacecraftmiller/ Twitter)
The tester said the feature is “Super simple. Just open Charge Assist app on your Ford EV infotainment. It finds the closest fast charger, gives you the status of each port, and allows you to activate it right from your vehicle! Charges right to your FordPass CC on file. When you don’t have P&C this is awesome.”
Once finished, you can end the session from the vehicle or charger. The feature works with any charger in the BlueOval Charge Network: Electrify America, Shell Recharge, ChargePoint, EVgo, EV Connect, FLO, Electric Circuit, Blink, and more on the way.
Ford Pro, the automaker’s commercial and software unit, posted a video on YouTube a few months ago explaining the feature for fleet use.
Ford Charge Assist (Source: Ford Pro)
The new charging feature is expected to be introduced in all Ford electric vehicles, including the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and E-Transit.
Electrek’s Take
Ford continues innovating and introducing new features to enhance EV ownership. For example, Ford was the first major automaker to announce it was adopting Tesla’s NACS plugs, an example which GM, Volvo, Rivian, Polestar, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and more have followed.
With OTA updates, electric vehicles will only get more intelligent. The American automaker has been dialing into the software side of things after CEO Jim Farley’s visit to China was a “real epiphany” earlier this year.
Since “outstanding hardware styling, performance, and quality are just a given” in the EV era, “The best new brands are offering integrated digital, retail, lifestyle and experiences that are software-defined,” Farley explained.
Ford will likely make the official “Charge Assist” announcement soon, but it looks to be a convenient feature for EV owners.
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A Thames Valley Police officer from the Police force’s Specialist Search Unit, accompanied by police dog Jack, carries out security searches outside of Windsor Castle in Windsor, on September 12, 2025, ahead of the State Visit by US President Donald Trump.
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The U.S. and U.K are expected to sign a flurry of major new deals during U.S. President Donald Trump‘s state visit to Britain this week, seeking to kickstart a “golden age” of nuclear power.
Some of the multi-billion-pound agreements set to be inked include plans by U.S. and U.K. companies to build up to 12 advanced new modular reactors in Hartlepool, a port town in northeast England, and a push to develop data centers powered by small modular reactors (SMRs) in Nottinghamshire.
The cross-Atlantic partnership is hoped to generate thousands of jobs, speed up the process of building new nuclear power stations and unlock billions in private investment.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said the two countries were “building a golden age of nuclear” that would put them “at the forefront of global innovation and investment.”
The deal announcement reaffirms both the U.S. and U.K.’s embrace of nuclear power, particularly when it comes to fueling the energy-intensive data centers needed to train and run massive artificial intelligence tools.
X-Energy, a U.S.-based company aiming to develop high-tech nuclear plants, and British Gas owner Centrica said the Hartlepool plans would generate enough power for up to 1.5 million homes and create up to 2,500 jobs.
The companies also estimate the overall program could deliver at least £40 billion ($54.25 billion) in economic value.
The Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations, operated by Electricite de France SA (EDF), in Sizewell, UK, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
U.S.-based Holtec meanwhile said plans to build advanced data centers powered by SMRs in Nottinghamshire would be worth around £11 billion. The project is set to be jointly developed by Holtec, EDF and Tritax.
SMRs promise to have smaller and lighter footprints than traditional power plants, potentially making them cheaper and quicker to build when they are fully commercialized.
Amazon and Google both signed deals last year to develop SMRs in the U.S., as tech giants increasingly turn to nuclear power to fulfill the growing energy demands of data centers.
‘A true nuclear renaissance’
Some of the other deals expected to be signed as part of the agreement, known as the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, include plans to establish the world’s first micro modular nuclear power plant.
“With President Trump’s leadership, the United States is ushering in a true nuclear renaissance – harnessing the power of commercial nuclear to meet rising energy demand and fuel the AI revolution,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said on Monday.
As it is low-carbon, advocates argue that nuclear power has the potential to play a significant role in helping countries generate electricity while slashing emissions and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
Some environmental groups, however, warn that the nuclear industry is an expensive and harmful distraction from cheaper and cleaner alternatives.
Greenworks’ latest 60V cordless chainsaw delivers performance that rivals many gas models, but without the harmful emissions or annoying pull cord. Whether dropping saplings, pruning thick limbs, or clearing up trails after a storm, this battery-powered tool is ready to work.
First released at last year’s CES show in Las Vegas, Greenworks’ 60V li-ion battery packs enough power for 100 clean cuts of the saw’s 16″ blade, and its lightweight, 12.5 lb. frame, tool-less chain tensioner, and automatic oiling system come together for convenient maintenance and easy-to-control power.
When it’s time to get to work, the chainsaw’s brushless electric motor can spin the chain at more than 10,000 rpm with (the company claims) about 20% more torque than a 42cc gas chainsaw for fast, confident cuts through hard woods while keeping noise and vibration to a minimum.
That low-noise and fume-free operation makes Greenworks’ chainsaws an upgrade for both the operator and the neighborhood.
“Greenworks is proud to offer comprehensive battery-powered solutions for everyone, from homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts to major commercial landscaping contractors,” Klaus Hahn, Greenworks’ President, explained at its launch. “These innovations further our company’s vision of building a more powerful future with clean energy, and they illustrate our tagline ‘Life. Powered. By Greenworks.’”
Greenworks 60V chainsaw specs
up to 100 cuts on a single charge with the included 2.5Ah battery on 4×4 wood
20% more torque and faster cutting than a 42cc gas chainsaw
no prime, no choke, no pull with no aggravating pull cord
2.0 kW (2.7 hp) max output
brushless motor provides more power, longer run-times, and extended life
The Greenworks 60V 16″ brushless cordless chainsaw, a 2.5Ah battery, and charger are available online for $299.99 – but it’s on sale for “just” $189.99 (or $192.49, with the 18″ arm) on Amazon through September 18th.
If you needed another reason to check it out, the company claims using the electric chainsaw instead of a gas unit saves as much carbon emissions as driving 11,000 miles.
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Heavy mineral and metals mining is one of the dirtiest industries on the planet, but Chinese equipment giant XCMG doesn’t think it has to stay that way. To prove it, the company has unveiled a sweeping pledge to electrify and decarbonize mining — and they’re dragging over 100 global partners with them.
Along with with 107 global industry partners from 26 countries, Chinese equipment brand XCMG has issued a Joint Declaration on Global Zero-Carbon Smart Mining, aiming to electrify, automate, and otherwise decarbonize international mining. The pledge addresses 12 key areas including electrification, autonomous operation, net-zero emissions, circular economy, technology sharing, international cooperation, and smarter maintenance strategies.
“As a global leader in zero-carbon smart mining solutions, XCMG is committed to addressing industry bottlenecks through integrating new energy equipment, intelligent control systems and full-lifecycle services,” said Yang Dongsheng, chairman of XCMG Group. “We have resolved the four core challenges of energy infrastructure, new energy equipment portfolios, smart mining management systems and financial support, aiming to help our customers achieving both business growth and environmental wins.”
It’s always great to see efforts like this to decarbonize. But those efforts mean millions of new equipment assets to replace the millions of existing diesel assets deployed currently.
With a strong hand in the autonomous haul truck race and ultra-competitive pricing to back their electric plays, it seems like XCMG is about to get serious as it expands its reach into the Western world. It’s no wonder the legacy brands are running scared and hiding behind the bogus “messy middle” propaganda!
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