If you've been following the news, you may be aware that the US state of Kentucky is facing terrible flooding, which has left many people stranded and without power. Sadly, at least 37 people have died so far as a result of the floods. Ford sent two F-150 Lightning electric trucks and two F-150 PowerBoost hybrid trucks to help provide power during the catastrophe.
It seems every day we read and watch news about fires, floods, power outages, and the like. However, to be clear, this particular flood in Kentucky has relocated tens of thousands of people, water levels are at record highs, and the National Weather Service is calling it a "thousand-year flood." This is not just a little flood.
According to a report by Electrek, just the two F-150 Lightning electric pickups alone helped provide mobile power for workers to assist with getting 10 to 15 families back in their homes each day.
The new F-150 Lightning is one of a handful of new EVs that can essentially function as electric generators. Not only can the electric pickup truck provide power for tools at the worksite or your choice of electronics on a camping trip, but it can also power your entire home.
In the past, we shared news about people using the F-150 Lightning in a number of helpful situations. It can be used to charge another EV that's stranded or to provide power to cars that are stalled on the road in a winter storm. However, in the case of the Kentucky floods, the Lightning's primary purpose is to provide power for rescue crews.
When events like this occur, power is essential to speeding up the recovery process. While an EV like the F-150 Lightning may only be able to power a whole home at full capacity for a matter of hours or perhaps a day, it has more than enough power to last much longer when the use is limited to a few items rather than an entire estate.
When properly configured, Ford's electric F-150 can deliver up to 9.6 kW of power to as many as 10 120-volt outlets and a single 240-volt outlet. Rescue teams can use this mobile power to turn on lights, fans, and various power tools that are needed to facilitate recovery efforts. What's more, the truck is silent, unlike a gas-powered generator, and it doesn't smell or pollute.
Dealing with these type of rescues is obviously taxing and anxiety-inducing. We can imagine that the roar and stink of generators and the need to scream over them to communicate can't help the situation.
According to Electrek, Team Rubicon – a nonprofit that helps with disaster recovery – shared that a Lightning electric truck can support a crew of 5 to 7 workers as they aim to assist 10 to 15 families per day. With the help of the hybrid trucks, the crews can get even more families back into their homes. However, to use the PowerBoost hybrid's onboard power, you must leave the gas truck running the whole time.
