This week, Texas was hit by wicked winter weather that cut off power to millions of people.
As wicked weather struck Texas, millions of Texas residents were faced with dangerously low temperatures. People sought shelter, warmth, and refuge in the frigid temperatures, just as Ford did. According to Automotive News the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker asked Texas retailers to lend 2021 F150pickups equipped with onboard generators for those in need.
Ford updated the F150 model year 2021 with a variety of new technologies and features. One of these was the onboard generator. Ford claimed that the product could power everything needed to run a tailgate party, construction site, or weekend movie night in your backyard. The F-150’s generator is the most powerful, so it can also power other important equipment like minifridges, heaters, TVs, and furnaces.
An entry-level, 2.0-kilowatt unit is available as an option with any gas engine. The standard equipment on hybrid F-150s is a 2.4-kW generator, but customers have the option to choose the 7.2-kW unit. Ford claims that the 2.4-kW generator can run for 85 hours at maximum load and with a full tank. Automotive News interviewed a homeowner who purchased the 7.2-kW unit to prepare for hurricane season. It was used to power his appliances at home and provide a charging station for his neighbors.
Yesterday, Ford had 415 F-150s with generators on Texas dealer lots. However, those vehicles are probably already in the inventory. Ford offered five dealers the opportunity to purchase five additional F150s, in an effort to get them to participate. A report from Ford found that dealers were placing orders for the new pickup, while the ones that made it to the showroom floors were selling in hours.