Ford Builds Home Backup Into Its Fathom Electric Pickup

Ford is targeting one of the persistent barriers to vehicle-to-home energy: the cost of the extra hardware needed to convert a battery’s stored power for household use. The company’s upcoming Fathom electric pickup integrates bidirectional charging capability directly into the vehicle, eliminating the need for a separate wall-mounted inverter.

According to CleanTechnica, the Fathom is expected to start at $28,350. Ford says the on-board system is engineered to deliver more than 10 kilowatts of alternating current directly into a home’s electrical grid — though the company has not confirmed whether that function is included in the base price or will be available as a paid add-on. Ford is collecting requests for invitations to pre-order.

Kay Hart, general manager of Ford Model e, said the team’s ambition went beyond simply adding bidirectional capability — the goal was to redesign the system from the ground up to bring its price down substantially. Ford argues that keeping the Fathom below $30,000 will extend the benefits of home backup power and potential energy-bill savings to a far broader pool of buyers.

Supporting hardware is also set to become cheaper. Ford expects the next-generation Ford Home Power Station to cost roughly half as much as the current model. A new Ford Home Backup Power Panel is in development as well; the company has not announced its final price but expects it to come in at least 60 percent below the first-generation version.

Source: CleanTechnica