One of the potential benefits of EVs is how they can act as massive mobile power banks. Ford demonstrated the capacity of the new F-150 Lightning to provide portable power during the Kentucky flood response. The American automaker sent two Lightning pickup trucks, and they have assisted between 10 and 15 families daily to return to their homes.
Ford sold 1,837 F-150 Lightning trucks in June.
Kentucky experienced massive flooding, leaving at least 37 people dead and tens of thousands without electricity. The natural event is powerful enough that the National Weather Service declared it has a 0.1 percent chance of happening in any year.
The loss of electricity makes it difficult for the disaster response crew to power their tools. The Lightning trucks have proven to be a reliable source of portable power.
Ford CEO Jim Farley shared a video of the two electric EVs being loaded on transporters on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/jimfarley98/status/1555184825027493891?s=20&t=T3VoDf-FPPNlKGH30a11_w
The F-150 Lightning can power homes thanks to its Intelligent Backup Power. It is also equipped with several power outs in the bed where workers to plug in their tools. All these together are called vehicle-2-home or vehicle-2-load technologies.
The truck can supply up to 9.6 kW, lasting 10 hours at maximum load, which is not likely to happen. The truck has powered fans used to clear debris from the road and do “muck-outs” in flooded homes.
Meanwhile, the launch of the Lightning has not been completely smooth-sailing as Ford has issued the first recall for the truck. The issue has to do with tire pressure.
