Photo: RapsFanLJ via Reddit
Despite many jokes, electric vehicles are guaranteed to save the day in an emergency. Ford F-150 Lightning proved this many times and is doing it again in Canada after a snowstorm cut the electricity across much of southern Ontario.
We’ve seen this story repeated at nausea in Ford’s marketing materials. Yes, the F-150 Lightning has a Vehicle to Load (V2L) feature that allows it to power external devices. This includes the entire house if the owner has opted for the more advanced Charge Station Pro, a house charger capable of bi-directional charging. The clever electronics inside help direct the electricity from the truck’s battery to the house circuits when there’s no power from the grid. It can do this automatically, with no user intervention required.
The feature is not just a marketing gimmick, and it has recently proved its usefulness. One dealership in North Eureka used a Ford F-150 Lightning and a Kia Niro EV to provide backup power in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck California on December 20. The two EVs come with a V2L feature, meaning you can wire them to provide power when the grid electricity is down. This is, unfortunately, a common occurrence when a natural disaster strikes, disrupting the power lines.
Since bad weather episodes are now more common, having an electric vehicle with bi-directional charging is a must. This is something that people in New York in the U.S. and Ontario in Canada have learned the hard way during the recent snowstorms. As much of southern Ontario has plunged into darkness, a Ford F-150 Lightning owner has decided to give his truck a chance to prove its worth.
All those Ford commercial and publicity stunts have proven worthy because instead of firing up his gas generator, the guy thought to give the Lightning a try. He didn’t even have the house wired for bi-directional charging, so no Charge Station Pro was installed. Instead, he used Ford Pro Power Onboard plugs in the truck’s bed to power various devices inside his house. Two cords with splitters were enough to plug his fridges and freezers (not sure how many, though), along with select lights and the TV set.
The power was out for 44 hours, and the truck powered all those appliances all the time. When the power was restored, the Lightning still had a 65% battery. Other users who read the story on Reddit shared similar experiences, one of them claiming they powered the house for almost 11 days when hurricane Fiona hit the east coast. This shows that people are becoming accustomed to this potentially life-saving feature, and they will certainly want it on their next electric vehicle when they decide to buy one.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is not the only electric vehicle that can do the trick. Nevertheless, the truck is powered by a bigger battery, with a capacity of up to 131 kWh. This is more likely to help in an emergency, offering battery backup for longer periods or allowing more power-hungry appliances to be used during a blackout.
The feature is not just a marketing gimmick, and it has recently proved its usefulness. One dealership in North Eureka used a Ford F-150 Lightning and a Kia Niro EV to provide backup power in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck California on December 20. The two EVs come with a V2L feature, meaning you can wire them to provide power when the grid electricity is down. This is, unfortunately, a common occurrence when a natural disaster strikes, disrupting the power lines.
Since bad weather episodes are now more common, having an electric vehicle with bi-directional charging is a must. This is something that people in New York in the U.S. and Ontario in Canada have learned the hard way during the recent snowstorms. As much of southern Ontario has plunged into darkness, a Ford F-150 Lightning owner has decided to give his truck a chance to prove its worth.
All those Ford commercial and publicity stunts have proven worthy because instead of firing up his gas generator, the guy thought to give the Lightning a try. He didn’t even have the house wired for bi-directional charging, so no Charge Station Pro was installed. Instead, he used Ford Pro Power Onboard plugs in the truck’s bed to power various devices inside his house. Two cords with splitters were enough to plug his fridges and freezers (not sure how many, though), along with select lights and the TV set.
The power was out for 44 hours, and the truck powered all those appliances all the time. When the power was restored, the Lightning still had a 65% battery. Other users who read the story on Reddit shared similar experiences, one of them claiming they powered the house for almost 11 days when hurricane Fiona hit the east coast. This shows that people are becoming accustomed to this potentially life-saving feature, and they will certainly want it on their next electric vehicle when they decide to buy one.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is not the only electric vehicle that can do the trick. Nevertheless, the truck is powered by a bigger battery, with a capacity of up to 131 kWh. This is more likely to help in an emergency, offering battery backup for longer periods or allowing more power-hungry appliances to be used during a blackout.
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