With constant issues around the grid, and constant problems electric companies have just to keep the juice flowing, home energy storage systems are all the rage. They offer an attractive way to keep everything electrical continuing to work when tornados, blackouts, brownouts, or other impediments essentially cut you off from the world. And the Ford F-150 Lightning offers an alternate solution for power storage that might surprise you.
According to Engineering Explained, the F-150 Lightning’s Intelligent Backup Power, which functions as a backup power source for your home, is cheaper than Tesla’s Powerwall. Though the Powerwall is a stationary home energy storage source and the Lightning is a mobile source, they function in a similar way.
How can the F-150 Lightning’s Intelligent Backup Power be better than Powerwall?
The F-150 Lightning comes in two ways for its dual battery versions. The Pro SR deals 98 kWh of usable power, while the Pro ER has 131 kWh of usable power. Respectively, the Pro SR sells for an MSRP of $41,669. The Pro ER goes for $51,669.
For the Tesla Powerwall system to equal the capacity of the Lightning’s Pro SR, it takes seven Powerwalls. That costs $52,500. And for storage capacity equal to the Pro ER, you’ll need 10 with the equivalent amount of storage, which will cost $75,000.
How much cheaper would the F-150 Lightning’s storage system be?
A blue 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | Ford
Any of these storage systems would harness enough saved storage equivalent to several days of use. So the difference in costs is $10,831 cheaper with the Lightning Pro SR, and a whopping $23,331 for Pro ER capacity. And you get a shiny, new F-150 Lightning as an added bonus.
The Lightning is acting as an energy storage system on wheels; as long as an 80A Ford Charge Station Pro is part of the equation. However, the Powerwall power output is 10kW per un,][ while the Lightning’s costs are significantly less. Conceivably, you could park the Lightning and use it exclusively as a connected auxiliary source. Of course, we doubt anyone would purchase a Ford Lightning for the purpose of providing power storage exclusively.
Tesla’s Powerwall is a very popular home storage system
The Ford F-150 Lightning | Ford
Right now there have been over 250,000 Tesla Powerwall home energy storage systems installed. That makes it one of the most popular of this type of auxiliary home energy systems on the market. So with the capacity of the F-150 Lightning’s storage system, it beats the Powerwall by plenty.
The thing is that most home applications don’t need this amount of electric energy storage. So our hypothetical comparison would not be a consideration for most looking for this type of energy solution. Basic home needs would only require maybe one or two Tesla Powerwall units. Still, it is an interesting comparison of two very different capabilities with the same result.
Keyword: Home Electricity Out? Cheaper Power Storage From F-150 Lightning Than Tesla Powerwall