Texans are truck lovers. And a lot of Texans wished they had had a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup in the garage last February, when households faced days of blackouts in part due to a winter storm.
The outage likely sparked a lot of envy (and sales) for Tesla, which sells its Powerwalls as an auxiliary power supply for the home. But when the 2022 F-150 Lightning arrives next year, it will deliver an app that’s better and more cost effective than any Powerwall.
The Lightning will be one of the first electric vehicles to take advantage of two-way charging in the U.S. market, in a form Americans will appreciate. It will just give them a little more energy independence, and with a solar option, it could help them “off-grid” some of the time.
This energy independence will require a bit of additional equipment, and perhaps a consultation with your electrician, but it will not require the purchase of your own battery wall. You will use what is in the truck.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
If you opt for the 80-amp two-way Ford Charge Station Pro, plus a home management system and inverter needed to connect to your home, the F-150 Lightning will be able to deliver 9.6kw of power from one power supply. intelligent relief. function – enough to power lights and appliances for days.
Smart power supply – no more batteries are needed
That’s more than the generous power ports already in the Lightning’s trunk, cabin, and bed. With the system, you keep the truck plugged into its charging port, and in the event of a power failure, the F-150 Lightning will automatically switch modes, becoming a power supply for the home – enough for full power for about three days, or partial potency up to ten days.
The system will also be used in the future with a smart power feature from Ford which automatically allows household electricity to come from the truck during peak hours and recharge the truck when energy is cheap.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
So far, no automaker has offered this level of two-way charging and convenience of back-up power from an EV in the US market. Not even Tesla, which offers it from battery-powered Powerwalls costing several thousand but not from its cars.
Nissan has offered such a feature for the Leaf in other global markets, but has been reluctant to offer it in the United States in the past, indicating that it expects a low adoption rate.
The functions reflect a level of confidence in the SK Innovation battery cells of the F-150 Lightning, which would not cover miles but would be charged and discharged.
Engaging the F-150 Truck Guys in Energy Independence
To ensure this feature is delivered and installed hassle-free, Ford plans to offer an uninterrupted Sunrun solar package that includes rooftop solar power as well as the inverter. Sunrun, as Ford’s domestic partner, would install the inverter at a reduced price even if the owner chooses not to use solar power.
“No one has offered this before in volume,†said Darren Palmer, Ford’s global director of EV product development, who admitted he was really surprised at how many potential customers, including those in Texas, have responded positively to this idea, in particular of energy independence. point of view, when it was tested.
“I guess in hindsight we should have known that, but it really resonates,†he said enthusiastically. “Do you want to be totally independent … to be able to handle this in all situations for X amount of money?” “
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
Palmer suggested that the price of the system would be “really competitive” and cost considerably less than a Tesla Powerwall and its installation, while still providing the functionality of many Powerwalls given the Lightning’s battery capacity.
As such, he expects many buyers of the top-trimmed F-150 Lightning models will opt for the system.
Power bank on wheels: the app that kills the Lightning
Palmer suggested that the functionality fits perfectly with one of Ford’s main strategic requirements for electrifying its icons: electric versions must do things gasoline versions never had. With the Intelligent Emergency Power System, all-electric is the catalyst for something you won’t find on a gasoline or hybrid F-150.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
The company says customers of the Lightning have some of the same priorities as those of the gasoline-powered F-150. They want to support their families and help others.
And that way of providing will take on a whole new dimension with a vehicle that will help keep your family comfortable and safe and, perhaps, save a freezer full of steak. If it’s Texas, after all.