Ford Motor Co., known for its brawny work trucks, is aiming to remake its commercial-vehicle business into a tech-driven ecosystem of services capable of generating tens of billions in fresh revenue.

To do it, Chief Executive Jim Farley has turned to a jack-of-all-trades executive: Ted Cannis. He most recently was the point person on one of Ford’s highest-profile projects: the development of the Mustang Mach-E SUV, its first bid to take on Tesla Inc. in plug-in cars.

The business of selling trucks and cargo vans to landscapers, contractors and other commercial buyers operating work fleets has traditionally been a sideshow in the auto industry. But at Ford, it is a big, profitable business that the auto maker dominates, despite it being far removed from glitzy auto-show reveals and big ad budgets.

Its commercial-vehicle sales in 2019 totaled $27 billion in revenue, higher than Netflix Inc. or Eli Lilly & Co.

Under Mr. Farley, who took the top job in October, the commercial business has taken on outsize strategic importance.

Mr. Farley recently decided to carve out the commercial business as a stand-alone entity inside the company, called Ford Pro, and installed Mr. Cannis as CEO. Mr. Cannis now occupies one of the highest-profile posts on Ford’s revamped leadership team.

The commercial-vehicle market is where the two executives see the biggest near-term potential for two disruptive forces: Electric vehicles and digital services made possible as more cars are built with internet connections. Auto executives see moneymaking potential in offering services even after the vehicle sale is completed.

Ford wants to increase commercial-vehicle revenue two-thirds by 2025, to $45 billion.

“Trust me, we will make this just as exciting” as his previous job developing electric vehicles, the 54-year-old Mr. Cannis said.

For a century, selling a car or truck has been a one-off transaction for auto makers: They ship a vehicle to a dealership to sell and hope the customer returns in a few years to buy another one. But the growing ability for car companies to beam new features and services to the vehicle is opening up new opportunities.

Tesla recently began charging customers $199 a month for a subscription to an advanced version of its driver-assistance feature. Morgan Stanley said the value of Tesla’s subscription business could eventually eclipse the value of selling its cars.

Ford and other traditional auto makers are trying to catch up to Tesla’s ability to remotely add features. But Ford executives say they have an edge: a more than 40% slice of the market for vans and trucks sold to businesses and governments. This equates to roughly 120,000 customers who Ford is betting will pay for services that help them cut costs or work more efficiently.

“We know where our toast is buttered,” Mr. Farley told analysts last week.

Robot arms worked on an F-150 pickup at Ford's Dearborn, Mich., truck plant in September 2018.

Robot arms worked on an F-150 pickup at Ford's Dearborn, Mich., truck plant in September 2018.

Photo: rebecca cook/Reuters

Ford is now rolling out services to help small and midsize businesses digitally monitor their fleets to see, for example, which vehicles are running or idling, or due for an oil change.

“Those people are running their business on sticky notes. They’re very underserved, “ Mr. Farley said during a February investor conference.

Mr. Cannis, who has a philosophy degree from University of Michigan and plays Dungeons & Dragons online in his free time, has an unusually broad resume that spans 32 years at Ford. He ran digital advertising, was the finance chief in Venezuela, ran Ford’s operations in Argentina and Russia, and was executive director of investor relations.

Current and former colleagues say Mr. Cannis is known for his energy and frenetic work pace.

“He will ask you 1,000 questions and will speculate on 1,000 possibilities, but he’s always smiling,” said Toby Barlow, an advertising executive who has worked with Mr. Cannis. “Those kinds of demands from clients can be really draining. But he’s got this boyish enthusiasm that kind of carries you through.”

Mr. Cannis will have to fend off new challengers who see the emergence of electric vehicles as an opportunity to cut into Ford’s lead in commercial vehicles, such as U.K.-based electric-van company Arrival Ltd. Rivian Automotive—a startup with which Ford has a strategic partnership—has a contract to make 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon.com Inc.

Traditional rivals also are introducing electrics into the commercial-vehicle market. General Motors Co. recently launched BrightDrop, an electric delivery-van unit that seeks to generate recurring revenue by providing services.

Mr. Cannis said Ford is giving priority to new services that help businesses lower costs and minimize vehicle down time.

“If you own a plumbing truck and it goes down, you’re not making money,” he said.

Customers can pay to add features, such as driver coaching, to cut down on sudden braking, speeding and other behavior that could cost the company money through accidents, repairs, higher insurance bills or simply lost business.

Ford, which is releasing an electric Transit van later this year and a plug-in F-150 next year, recently acquired a California-based company, Electriphi, that manages charging for vehicle fleets.

Mr. Cannis said commercial-fleet operators are intrigued by electric vehicles but nervous to make the switch. If they don’t have to worry about the logistics of charging them, more might be inclined to buy plug-in vans and trucks, he said.

“They’re asking, ‘Which hardware should I buy? How do I work with my local utility?’ ” Mr. Cannis said. “That will be all on Ford now.”

Write to Mike Colias at Mike.Colias@wsj.com