Ford F-150 electric trucks can now power a home’s electrical panel

Owners of certain Ford F-150 electric and hybrid trucks can now use their vehicle to back up their whole house during a power outage, instead of just running extension cords to a few appliances. Ford worked with Global Power Products to make its GenerLink transfer switch work with the truck's built-in 240-volt outlet, called Pro Power Onboard. A transfer switch is a device that lets a power source, in this case your truck, safely feed electricity into your home's main panel so it can run hardwired items like a well pump, refrigerator, wifi, and lighting.

The setup works with 2022-25 F-150 Lightning trucks and 2021-26 F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid trucks. Ford estimates a hybrid F-150 can power an average home for up to five days, while a Lightning can provide two to three days, depending on battery range and how much electricity the house uses.

The equipment bundle costs around $1,100. Installing the transfer switch at the utility meter typically adds $250 to $450, though if your utility doesn't allow that setup, mounting it elsewhere can cost $1,000 to $1,500 instead. A utility or licensed electrician has to do the installation, and requirements vary by location. More than 800 US utilities currently allow the meter-mounted version, according to Ford, so it's worth checking whether yours is one of them if you own an eligible truck and want backup power during outages.