Ford F-150 Lightning Surprisingly Useful Tool for Those Living off the Grid
For one man and his family living in a remote part of Colorado, the Ford F-150 Lightning is the perfect fit for their needs.
It’s fair to say that recently, the Ford F-150 Lightning has caught a lot of flak from certain places – some of its unfair, though certain critiques are certainly warranted. By now, we’re all well aware of the fact that the Ford F-150 Lightning is a great vehicle to drive, it’s quick, and it’s perhaps the most conventional EV pickup out there, even if towing heavy loads over longer distances isn’t exactly feasible. However, a lot of folks who own a Ford F-150 Lightning appreciate its many positive qualities, which apparently include the fact that it’s perfect for folks living off the grid.
We know this because Ben Westby recently shared his story, and it’s an interesting one given the fact that he lives way out in the remote Rocky Mountains, miles from civilization. In that type of setting, one might assume that the Ford F-150 Lightning isn’t exactly the best choice, especially in the frigid winter. However, the EV pickup has one killer feature that actually makes it quite useful for things like winter storm prep – Pro Power Onboard.
“We’re at 9,000 feet of altitude with no electrical infrastructure so everything is a bit tougher,” Westby said. “Having a propane generator is nice, but this truck is truly a game changer with its exportable power – instead of having to go to the generator, the generator comes with us. [We get] the utility of the F-150 plus the benefits of the battery. Being off-grid in the Rockies is an extreme case for owning an EV, but we’re maximizing it. We’re absolutely loving it.”
In that sense, Westby uses Pro Power Onboard to charge the batteries for his snowblower and chainsaw while he’s out working on the land. Additionally, he routinely uses the F-150 Lightning as a backup, which came in handy when his combination solar and propane-powered home recently experienced an issue. “We had a system failure and one of our solar inverters failed, and we were able to use extension cords to power our refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine, all of our essential devices off the F-150 Lightning,”
Interestingly, Westby doesn’t even have an EV charger at his home – he simply charges his Ford F-150 Lightning when he’s in town at work. Luckily, Colorado apparently has pretty solid charging infrastructure, which certainly isn’t the case in some states. “We drive 25,000-30,000 miles a year,” he said. “Mathematically, it just makes sense to go electric. I find features like the regenerative braking to be a game-changer for me with Colorado mountain driving.”
If nothing else, this is certainly an interesting use case, and one that shows how useful the Ford F-150 Lighting can be in certain situations. Though Westby doesn’t need to haul and tow heavy loads across long distances, the EV pickup seems like a perfect fit for his lifestyle, as unique as it may be in today’s world.
Photos: Ford
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