Pacific Fuel and Electrical Firm (PG&E) and Ford Motor Firm are collaborating to discover how Ford’s new F-150 Lightning electrical pickup truck can present backup energy for purchasers’ properties within the California utility’s service space.
Earlier this week, PG&E mentioned it will work with Normal Motors on an identical pilot that includes testing bidirectional charging capabilities to ship electrical energy from the grid to the EV’s battery and again within the occasion of an outage. The utility firm needed to reduce off energy for lots of and 1000’s of properties and companies final 12 months to stop energy strains from sparking wildfires throughout high-risk climate circumstances, so it’s teaming up with automakers to seek out methods to keep away from overstressing the grid.
“Right this moment, we’re seeing breakthrough alternatives on the intersection of the power and transportation industries,” mentioned PG&E CEO Patti Poppe in a press release. “As extra electrical autos and new charging know-how develop into accessible, it’s vital that we higher perceive how EVs can work together with the electrical grid and the way we are able to greatest assist our clients.”
Ford introduced plans to construct the Lightning with bidirectional charging capabilities again in Could 2021. The pickup’s 9.6 kW of Clever Backup Energy, an onboard generator that’s making its debut within the Lightning, can present as much as 10 days of energy to properties throughout an outage, relying on residence utilization, says PG&E. Ford had beforehand mentioned it might present full-home energy for as much as three days on a full cost.
Ford’s Clever Backup Energy, which robotically begins powering your own home in case your Lightning is plugged in on the time of an outage after which switches again to charging when the outage is over, will see its first installations in spring 2022. They’ll be supported by photo voltaic, battery and power companies supplier Sunrun, which has partnered with Ford to put in the 80-amp Ford Cost Station Professional and residential integration system.
Via an preliminary deployment with a small variety of clients’ properties, PG&E goals to check Ford’s know-how and be taught the way it connects to the electrical grid and the way it can assist buyer resiliency throughout grid outages. Past that, the 2 corporations plan to discover further use instances for bidirectional charging know-how.