Ford F-150 Lightning Home Integration Priced at $3,895 – How Will It Play in Peoria?
By Edward A. Sanchez – May 2, 2022
EV blog InsideEVs.com posted the alleged price of the Ford F-150 Home Integration System enabling integrated home power backup capability at $3,895. This, it should be noted, is not officially confirmed by Ford or its authorized official installer of the system, Sunrun. Sunrun’s site only says “coming soon” for pricing information. On its face, the price may seem expensive. And certainly, any initial outlay in the thousands is not an insignificant cost.
The cost for home electrical upgrades to accommodate EVs is a long and ongoing discussion here at The Watt Car, as well as a topic that needs more attention from “influencers,” opinion-makers, and PR departments globally. Those who have an instinctive inclination against EVs will say, “Ha! What a rip-off! They expect us to pay nearly $4,000 to be able to charge at home? No thanks! I’ll keep my internal-combustion truck!”
Let’s back off from the knee-jerk reactions for a second and unpack the actual numbers.
Ford’s home charging and power solutions aren’t the cheapest. EV enthusiasts will see the value, but will the average consumer?
First, Ford’s Home Integration System does more than simply charge an F-150 Lightning – it offers home backup power. Also, Ford offers its Charge Station Pro for “only” $1,310, if you simply want to add juice to your EV truck at home. But let’s bypass these points and stare straight into the face of that $3,895 Home Integration System and what that money likely means to the average consumer.
The national average for a gallon of 87 octane unleaded is currently $4.19, according to AAA. If you live in California, that average is a staggering $5.74. Let’s generously assume that if you’re an (ICE) F-150 owner, you’re averaging 20 mpg – although realistically, it’s probably more like 17-18 mpg, but let’s err on the side of efficiency. At the national average of $4.19, $3,895 will get you 930 gallons of unleaded. Multiplied by 20, that’s 18,592 miles. If you go by the less-generous (but probably more realistic) 18 mpg, it’s 16,733 miles. Using the California average, it’s 13,571 at 20 mpg, and 12,214 at 18 mpg.
So TLDR, if you live outside of California or other areas where gas is currently exorbitantly expensive, it’s slightly more than a year’s worth of gas (assuming an annual miles driven of 15,000 miles), and slightly less than a year’s worth of driving in the Golden State.
The benefits to Ford’s Home Integration System extend beyond at-home EV charging. The difficulty comes in convincing the average consumer.
There’s no getting around the fact that there’s an up-front price premium for EVs. While that premium is shrinking year by year relative to ICE, it will likely be a factor for years to come, until the majority of houses have a dedicated 14-50 plug or 50-amp or higher circuit in the garage, and a 200 amp main panel. We’re likely decades away from that being the case.
Buying an EV (and especially a larger, higher-capacity EV, like the F-150 Lightning) is still a commitment that requires initial sacrifice in the promise of long-term gains or savings. From a purely “pencil it out” perspective, EVs still don’t make financial sense for many people. Right now, it’s a combination of “I want the latest-and-greatest/I want to feel I’m making a difference/I know I’m not saving money, but I want to do the right thing.”
I’m not telling you one way or the other what you should or shouldn’t do. But EVs are still not for everyone, and require a shift in expectations and lifestyle if you’re coming from an ICE vehicle. I encourage everyone to thoroughly research their potential purchase before committing to avoid buyer’s remorse.
(Images courtesy Ford)
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