For many fleets, choosing the vehicle is only the beginning of the procurement process.
Ford is expanding its approach to vehicle conversions under Ford Pro, with a pathway that stretches from genuine accessories through to highly specialised builds for industries including mining, forestry and emergency services.
The strategy recognises that a ute, van or cab chassis rarely enters service in standard showroom specification. Toolboxes, service bodies, communications equipment, lighting, safety systems and other modifications can be just as important to the operation as the vehicle underneath them.
At its Ford Uncovered event, the company outlined four levels of support: genuine accessories, licensed accessories, the Ford Pro Converter program and bespoke engineering for more specialised fleet requirements.
Ford Australia and New Zealand President and CEO Fadi Mawal said the company was already working with dealers on vehicles designed around individual industry requirements.
“We are doing special modifications for certain industries, whether it’s mining or forestry or emergency services,” Mawal said.
For Fleet Managers, bringing more of the conversion process into the OEM ecosystem could simplify the purchase of complicated work vehicles.
Instead of independently sourcing a vehicle, body builder and multiple accessories, fleets potentially have a clearer pathway connecting the vehicle manufacturer, dealer and converter.
That does not remove the need for detailed fleet specifications.
Payload after conversion, front and rear axle loads, regulatory compliance, warranty coverage and the suitability of the completed vehicle all remain important considerations when evaluating a work-vehicle build.
Engineering becomes part of the fleet offer
Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering team is also supporting the conversion industry with information including body-mounting guidance.
Michael Elias, General Manager – Ford Pro Australia, said the objective was to provide a platform that converters could work with when developing their own solutions.
“We create this open platform for everybody to partner with us and develop solutions responsibly and integrate to the vehicles,” Elias said.
That approach could become particularly useful for larger fleets trying to standardise vehicle specifications across multiple branches, regions or replacement cycles.
A repeatable conversion specification can reduce differences between vehicles, make driver familiarisation easier and potentially simplify maintenance and replacement planning.
It also puts greater emphasis on procuring the finished asset rather than simply comparing base vehicles.
The lowest-priced cab chassis or van may not ultimately deliver the lowest cost if a difficult conversion increases build time, reduces payload or creates uncertainty over responsibility for vehicle systems.
Financing the finished fleet vehicle
Ford is also linking its finance offering more closely with vehicle conversion.
The company said Ford Finance can finance eligible conversions worth up to 50 per cent of the value of the vehicle.
For fleet and procurement teams, that potentially changes the financial comparison from the acquisition price of the donor vehicle to the delivered cost of the operational asset.
Conversion costs, delivery lead times, vehicle downtime, payload capability and ongoing support can therefore become part of the same procurement discussion.
It is another sign of manufacturers looking beyond simply supplying vehicles and becoming more involved in the broader fleet operating environment.
For Ford Pro, the opportunity is to make the fit-for-purpose build part of the OEM relationship.
For fleets, the test remains straightforward: does that integration produce a completed vehicle that is easier to procure, support and operate while still meeting the engineering and commercial requirements of the job?
