Bidirectional charging is the ability to draw current from your household and when needed, reverse the process and send electricity back into the home. The F-150 Lightning has always had this ability, and Ford has explained it as a potential power source in the event of a grid power outage. Ford is considering harnessing this ability to lower a household’s electricity bill. Benna Ford explains how this is possible.
This past December, Ford announced they will partner with a company called Resideo Technologies. This partnership is meant to explore an energy management system that pairs the electric pickup truck’s battery with a Resideo smart thermostat used to control a home’s heating and cooling system, which is usually a home’s most energy-intensive system.
Taking Advantage of Tiered Energy Plans
The system would benefit locations with an electricity supplier with a tiered energy cost program in which the company charges more per kilowatt for peak usage periods. The peak period can often be in the late afternoon to early evening when both work and home locations draw power for climate control systems. For instance, the electricity supplier may charge more per kilowatt from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm than the rest of the day. The idea is that if an F-150 Lightning is home for the day during all or part of this time, it can supply electricity for the climate system during the peak period and draw from it during non-peak hours. Homes with solar can further benefit from vehicle charging while the electricity is essentially free and then having the vehicle supply power during the peak period after sundown.
The value of this ability would depend greatly on the habits of individual households and the timing of their use of their EV and climate control system. If used on a widespread basis, such a system could even reduce strain on the grid during these peak periods, theoretically to the point where there are no longer peak usage periods.
Year-Long International Feasibility Study
Ford will explore the potential for this capability through the 2024 calendar year. Part of the program involves collaborating with Volkswagen to test the system on an entire housing estate in Sweden. Volkswagen presently sells no bidirectional capable models in the United States. If the program yields positive results, and Ford thinks the results can apply to the United States, they will likely expand bidirectional charging to the Mustang Mach-E and future EVs.
When the time comes, Benna Ford will be sure to have information on how you could benefit from the idea. In the meantime, the F-150 Lightning, Kelley Blue Book’s winner for Electric Truck Best Buy, and fully bidirectional charging capability are available at Benna Ford right now. See how the EV pickup truck could fit into and benefit your life.
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