FORD

The only pick-up that supplies electricity to homes

Pick-up owners are used to taking advantage of a wide variety of characteristics - such as torque, horsepower, towing capacity, among others - to carry out their daily activities. Now, with the 100% electric F-150 Lightning, Ford is the first company in the United States to offer customers the ability to power their homes with energy through one of its models.

The blue oval brand has teamed up with Sunrun, the country's leading solar energy company, to improve home energy management by leveraging the battery capacity of the F-150 Lightning. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, in 2020 Americans experienced the most power outages on record. With the F-150 Lightning, owners will be able to use their pick-up truck to not stop their activities during short or prolonged blackouts.

"The F-150 Lightning brings new possibilities to customers, including the ability to power their homes when they need it most," said Matt Stover, Ford's director of charging and energy services. “Collaborating with the Sunrun team has allowed us to leverage their expertise to bring energy to more customers, giving them the opportunity to convert their pick-up truck into an incredible source of energy storage, while discovering new features that will help us accelerate development. of a net with less carbon emissions”.

Sunrun is the installer of the F-150 Lightning home charging solutions, which include the Ford Charge Station Pro charging station and the home integration system, which allows the pick-up to store and deliver power to homes. Sunrun will also offer solar energy options to customers in selected areas who are interested in harnessing more renewable energy.

“America's energy future will begin at home, and the association with Ford represents a momentous shift in the way we do business,” said Mary Powell, executive director of Sunrun. “We will no longer be tied to a carbon-intensive energy system, we will be able to offer more pathways to greater energy independence by powering homes and vehicles with the sun, while helping to rapidly accelerate the transition to a clean and resilient energy future for all.”

Breakthrough power in the home...Ford Intelligent Backup Power gives customers the ability to use the F-150 Lightning's bi-directional power technology to provide home power during a blackout, whether it's sheltering from a storm or keeping cool. in a heat wave. The F-150 Lightning's battery system can store 131 kW of energy and deliver up to 9.6 kW of power in a cleaner, quieter and more efficient way compared to gasoline generators.

With Ford Intelligent Backup Power and the Home Integration System, the F-150 Lightning automatically activates to power the home if a power outage occurs. Once power is restored, the system automatically switches back to utility power. The pick-up can provide full household power for three days, or up to 10 days when used in conjunction with solar power.

Ford has partnered with Sunrun to provide efficient facilities so customers can be confident their system will work reliably. In addition, interested customers will be able to combine the Ford Charge Station Pro with solar power.

In the future, Ford will introduce additional F-150 Lightning functions to help customers save money and relieve pressure from the power grid during 'peak hours' of use. For example, Ford Intelligent Power will allow customers to power their homes with the pick-up truck when electricity rates are higher, while charging their vehicle when rates are lower, or from their own roof with solar energy. This change will also help buffer the load on the national grid and reduce the use of high-carbon energy without affecting daily routines and charging schedules.

Autonews