Skip to main content

How the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Can Power Your Home for Days

ford f 150 2022 lightning backup power exterior red truck scaled jpg 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | Manufacturer image

The Ford F-150 Lightning, an all-electric pickup truck, is one of the more exciting vehicles slated for delivery in 2022. The first reservation window for customers has already closed, and Ford had to nearly double its production to try and meet the demand. One potentially appealing feature is Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power: In conjunction with an optional 80-amp charging station and additional equipment, IBP can power a home for up to three days of estimated normal usage or 10 days of rationed usage. Given the frequency of winter storms and the state of America’s power grids, this sort of capability could prove quite useful for some.

How will it work? Ford put out an explainer today, which we break down below.

Related: Electric Outage: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Reservations Full, Maverick Hybrid Sold Out

Shop the 2022 Ford F-150 near you

Used
2022 Ford F-150 XL
15,280 mi.
$39,500 $500 price drop
Used
2022 Ford F-150 XLT
17,972 mi.
$37,500 $500 price drop

What You’ll Need for the Lightning’s Intelligent Backup Power

1. Ford F-150 Lightning

It’s pretty self-explanatory: You can’t power your home with an F-150 Lightning without, well, having an F-150 Lightning.

2. Ford Charge Station Pro

The 80-amp version of Ford’s in-home charging station comes standard with the extended-range version of the Lightning, and it’s optional with the standard-range version. It’s a necessary part of this equation.

3. Home Integration System

This system is sold and installed by Sunrun, a solar energy company, in partnership with Ford. It’s similar to the setup you’d need to have solar panels power your home. The system includes a power inverter, “dark start” battery (which enables the battery to operate without the need for a power grid) and transfer switch. Where feasible, Sunrun can also install solar panels at your home.

4. A Power Outage

We don’t really wish for you to experience this, but it’s a necessary part of the scenario, too.

ford f 150 2022 lightning solar charging black exterior truck scaled jpg 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | Manufacturer image

What Happens

Once everything is properly installed and your F-150 Lightning is plugged into the Charge Station Pro, if a power outage occurs, the Lightning can automatically reverse its power flow and send electricity back into your home.

Ford estimates that the truck’s extended-range battery pack can power a home for up to three days of regular usage at approximately 30 kilowatt-hours per day, or up to 10 days with rationing (i.e., reduced electrical consumption and possibly even stopping the Lightning from powering the home when it’s unnecessary) and additional solar-power generation capabilities.

Additional Possibilities

Ford says it plans on adding additional capabilities to Intelligent Backup Power, such as using the truck to power your home while electricity rates are high and then charging it again when rates decrease.

More From Cars.com:

Related Video:

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Brian Normile
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.
Email Brian Normile

Featured stories

most available fuel efficient cars 2024 exterior editorial 05 jpg
subaru brz ts 2024 01 exterior front angle scaled jpg
ram 1500 rho 2025 01 exterior dynamic offroad scaled jpg