To say that there’s a lot of excitement around the upcoming F-150 Lightning might be an understatement as Ford had to shut down pre-orders because they reached production limits sooner than expected. Now, the Blue Oval has announced that they’re partnering with Sunrun, the solar company, to further help F-150 Lightning owners make the transition to sustainable energy.
We’ve known for some time that Ford planned to allow the Lightning to power homes or other things but now we know that it’s Sunrun who will be developing the two-way home integration system with the automaker.
Related: The Ford F-150 Lightning Will Be Able To Charge Other Electric Vehicles
The F-150 Lightning extended range battery has a maximum capacity of 131 kWh worth of energy which Ford says could fully power the average home for up to three days, or as long as 10 days when used in conjunction with solar power or rationing. If, for instance, this truck was common in Texas a year ago, the snowstorm that killed the power grid might have not had such an impact on its owners.
Ford also says that the Home Integration system and its own Intelligent Backup Power software will work in total harmony. If the power goes out, the truck can immediately begin powering the home through the 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro that comes with every extended range F-150 Lightning. When the power comes back on, the system automatically switches back to charging the truck.
This feature could get even more advanced, though, because Ford wants to enable the Lightning to actively power the home during times of the day when grid energy is more expensive. That would save the end customer money while also taxing the grid less overall. Some have even suggested that the Lightning is a better solution than having a conventional generator or even a set of Tesla Powerwalls.
