Texas Ford F-150 hybrid owners using generator functions to weather the storm
With Texas, the biggest truck market in the country, currently in the middle of a nasty winter storm and subsequent widespread power outages, we’ve been wondering if anyone has put the generator capabilities of the 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid to the test. The answer is, unsurprisingly, yes. A few users at F150Gen14.com shared photos and experiences using the generator function, and they’re all rather glowing.
The user that kicked off the thread offered the most comprehensive review. He mainly powered household appliances, citing a space heater, toaster oven, coffee maker, lights, TV and refrigerator. He apparently let it run at least 10 hours a day for around three days, mainly for the refrigerator to keep the freezer section frozen. Besides keeping the appliances running, he noted that the truck was significantly quieter than some of his neighbors’ power generators. The truck’s large fuel tank meant he could run it a long time without refueling, which could have been an issue as local gas pumps weren’t working. We would bet that the truck also produces far fewer emissions than those outdoor generators, too.
Two other users chimed in with their experiences. One of them hooked up the house furnace to it the past few days so that the blower and igniter would work. Another was running household appliances like the original poster, and has had it running non-stop for 72 hours. He noted that the truck has gone through a quarter tank of fuel, so he could probably keep relying on it for some time to come.
All of these owners said they had purchased the hybrid with the upgraded 7.2-kW generator capability, though all hybrids come standard with 2.4-kW generator ability. The non-hybrid trucks can provide 2-kW. As cars continue to get more robust electrical systems, we’ll be curious if these generator functions will become more common. There are examples of similar features in both current and upcoming vehicles. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has 1,500 watts of electrical power that can be used when the crossover is switched off, and the upcoming Hyundai, Kia, Ioniq and Genesis electric cars built on the E-GMP platform will be able to provide up to 3.5 kW of power for electrical appliances.
