Zac Quinn 
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents are still without power. As utility companies and disaster relief teams continue to put things back together, Ford Motor Company is also looking to assist those in need with a few 2021 F-150 pickup trucks. CEO Jim Farley posted a few videos on Twitter showcasing the arrival of trailers full of F-150 PowerBoost hybrids to the Bayou State, which have 7.2 kWh inverter generators that can be used to perform essential tasks requiring electricity, like running a washing machine or a refrigerator. An estimated to be 430,000 people are still without power as of Tuesday, down from as many as 1.1 million.
Sure, a few truck loads of F-150 PowerBoost hybrids aren’t going to be enough for 430,000 people. But every little bit helps.
These F-150 hybrids with the 7.2 kW electric generators just arrived in Louisiana from Michigan. Grateful to our local @Ford dealers helping distribute these in their communities to help with urgent power needs. #Hurricane_Ida @FordTrucks pic.twitter.com/DZDUFatRBE
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) September 2, 2021
Ford F-150 PowerBoost: Not Your Average Generator
The 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid is the only variant of the fourteenth-generation F-150 family to offer a 7.2 kWh inverter generator, which is powerful enough to supply electricity to three average American homes. And unlike the ones you find at the big box stores, the truck’s muffler ensures quiet operation. It will require gasoline to continuously operate, of course.
This isn’t the first time Ford Motor Company has had their dealerships loan their 2021 F-150 trucks to help people without power. During the massive power outages that took hold of Texas amid a rare blizzard, Ford used their pickup trucks to assist those in need.
While the Pro Power Onboard inverter generator system was likely conceived with the intent to be used while camping, tailgating or working construction, it’s become clear through just this year that there’s a far more noble use for a pickup truck to have an inverter generator system built into its design. Hopefully this kind of technology can be seen across the automotive landscape very soon.
