The F-150 Lightning Vehicle-to-Home: Energy When and Where You Need It!

Written by Christopher Bowe
 · May 26, 2023
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“Screws fall out all the time; the world is an imperfect place.” This matter-of-fact line from John Hughes’ 1985 film “The Breakfast Club” is a reminder of the unpredictability of life. Whether caused by a utility company’s equipment failure, a power safety shut-off, a rolling blackout, a natural disaster, or simply bad weather, power loss to the home is an anxiety-ridden experience. It’s even more stressful when that event happens on the evening of your daughter’s ninth birthday party and sleepover. 

The atmospheric rivers of 2023

The Bay Area is known for its relatively moderate climate. Our winters are not epic snow events like in the Midwest or Northeast. Nor do they typically feature the drenching rain of our neighbor states to the North. The “Wild” Winter of 2023, however, was a “hold my beer” moment: Wind guests reached up to 97 MPH, while rainfall was an astounding 150% of normal (making it the fifth-rainiest winter on record). A series of “atmospheric rivers” helped fill our reservoirs with much-needed water and our Sierras with critical snowpack. But it also left hundreds of thousands of residents — including our family — without power for periods of time. It was one of these storms and the accompanying gusts of wind that brought down our neighborhood powerline, knocking out power to thousands of homes in the area and threatening the dreams of a cute nine-year-old, excited to hold her first sleepover birthday party with friends.  

power’s out in terms of the grid (LEFT), which contrasts with an available supply of power from the F-150 vehicle (right)

Backup power saves the day

Fortunately for our family, we had backup power available, allowing our home to be the only one on the block still lit up as the sun went down. This made the sleepover — with music, dancing, movies, popcorn and lots of happy, squealing girls — a huge success. As parents dropped their kids off for the party, they asked us, “How does your house have power?!”

Traditional backup power choices are gasoline-, diesel- or propane gas-fired generators. These require you to store and have access to fuel, and they are loud, inefficient, and polluting— and they stink (literally)! In recent years, “natural” gas whole-home generators have started to appear, but these come with their own challenges, including higher cost of operation compared to other generators, and reliance on a potentially explosive fuel source. Advances in battery technology, however, have allowed for new and greener options for backup power like the popular Tesla Powerwall and now, the Ford F-150 Lightning electric vehicle (EV). While a Powerwall can store 13.5kWh of backup power, the Lightning brings with it 98kWh to 133 kWh of on demand energy packaged in a truck. It’s almost like buying 7+ Powerwalls — and getting a truck for free!

components of the automated ford / sunrun / home charging system

How does bidirectional charging work?

There are a couple different ways the Lightning can provide power to a home. The most elegant and automated solution is with Ford’s Sunrun-supported Home Integration System. This system uses the Ford Charge Station Pro and bi-directional charging to send direct current (DC) power from your battery, through the charger, directly to an inverter that sends alternating current (AC) power to your home. A smart package of electronics and a small battery for system power helps switch everything over during an outage, while also isolating it from the grid to protect line workers from energy “back feeding.” The system is fantastic! One drawback is that equipment and installation come at a cost that can be in excess of $10,000. It also requires wall space, permitting and an interconnection agreement with your utility company. In some cases, this can reset a current solar customer to an updated and more restrictive Net Metering Agreement.

As an existing owner of home solar, I took a different approach — one that also saved me thousands of dollars (but sadly came without the cool automation technology and stylish form factor). With the Lightning’s onboard inverter and 240v 30amp outlet in the bed of the truck, we can use our truck’s battery much like a traditional generator. We use the same twist lock NEMA L14-30P/L L14-30R cable and plug it from the bed of the truck to an inlet box on the side of the house. That energy goes to a manual transfer switch, allowing us to power part or all of our home’s electricity needs. The transfer switch does the same tasks — providing power to our home and isolating it from the grid — but at a fraction of the cost of the automated system. This portable on-demand power is capable of powering anything from a construction site, wedding reception, food truck, RV, tailgate party, bouncy house at the park — or even a nine-year old’s birthday!

images show the attachment to the truck (LEFT), the connection to the house (CENTER), and the manual transfer switch (RIGHT)

Final thoughts

As EVs become more common, their ability to provide energy when and where one needs it will be a huge advantage for anyone with an EV. In California, Senate Bill 233 is a bill that would to require all EVs to support bi-directional charging, as early as 2027. (If you’re curious, you can read the full text of SB 233 here.) The size of California’s EV market (more than 1.5 million sold) means that this statewide legislation could impact carmakers on a global scale — and offer peace of mind for consumers who want access to on-demand power. In a not-too-distant future, millions of EVs may help stabilize grids, provide lifesaving heat or power for medical devices, or may just make a nine-year-old’s day a little better.

christopher and his F-150

Editor’s note: Learn about electrifying your ride by browsing Acterra’s Karl Knapp GoEV webpage, signing up for a one-on-one consultation (for income-qualified residents) to learn about financial incentives for EV adoption, or watching our latest videos on how to “Go EV.”

This post was made possible in part with funding from a grant from Electrify America.


Christopher Bowe

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