Can your truck offer power to the entire neighborhood? Well, the Ford F-150 Hybrid pickup can, and it has come through in a way most didn’t think it could. Amid unprecedented cold and historic winter storms, Texas has been hit by snow and temperatures the region isn’t equipped to handle. One owner had no idea the truck they purchased several weeks ago would be keeping the lights on in their house when millions were without power.
The 2021 Ford F-150 hybrid houses an onboard generator that produces up to 7.2 kW of power, and gives you the option of using your truck like a mobile generator.
Owner Randy Jones of Katy, Texas, mentioned in a phone interview with CNBC that he purchased the truck partially because of that feature, going on to say he often loses power because of strong storms and hurricanes in the Texas region. When the power went out, he knew it was time to test the feature and pulled out a few extension cords.
“Without it, I would have been in the dark and cold like everybody else in our neighborhood,” said the retired refinery worker. He didn’t just use the power for himself, he allowed neighbors to charge phones and laptops, which helped everyone get their message of what was happening out to the world. In a time of crisis, the most popular truck had come through to bring communities together.
At this point, the neighbors were sold on the truck. Several neighbors mentioned they’d be “trading in their Dodge or GMC and getting this F-150 Hybrid.” South Texas is notorious for hurricanes and power outages, so having something like this is not only practical, but it could be lifesaving. No one could have predicted the power outages occurring outside of hurricane season and caused by snow and frigid cold.
Mr. Jones said that the truck’s onboard generator was used to power appliances in his home for three days until the power was restored. He’s not the only one, a Kerrville, Texas, resident, Jerry Hall, purchased the truck at the end of January, which turned out to be perfect timing. “The truck saved the day. It would have been a miserable three days without this truck.”
Mr. Hall described spending the three days without heat, but the truck allowed them to run extension cords into the house to power the refrigerator, lights, television, and other luxuries. “It kept us connected with the outside world.”
The primary reason Mr. Hall purchased the truck was because of the onboard generator, noting that last spring led to many blackouts in his part of the state. It made sense to get a truck with a generator.
During what has become a potential humanitarian crisis, the Ford brand has been a hit for its owners and neighbors. Is this enough to convince you to purchase an F-150?