Ford’s Sub-$30,000 Electric Truck Promises Cheaper Bidirectional Home Power

Ford is aiming to make powering your home with an electric vehicle much more affordable with its upcoming sub-$30,000 Fathom electric truck. Arriving in 2027, the Fathom will be the first EV from a US automaker priced below $30,000 that can deliver more than 10 kW of AC power to a home without requiring a separate wall-mounted inverter. Traditional bidirectional charging setups require a pricey external inverter because EV batteries store electricity as direct current while homes use alternating current. Following its acquisition of startup Auto Motive Power in 2023, Ford redesigned its bidirectional charging system for its new Universal EV Platform, which will underpin the Fathom.

Instead of a separate wall-mounted unit, Ford built the inverter directly into the truck’s E-box, one of the vehicle’s five main modules. This reduction in parts lowers costs, savings that Ford says will extend to home charging equipment as well. Fathom owners will be able to utilize the truck’s battery in two primary ways: Home Power Management and Home Backup Power. Home Power Management allows owners to charge their truck when electricity rates are low and use that stored power at home during peak rate hours, requiring Ford’s new Home Power Station which is expected to cost about half as much as the company’s first-generation bidirectional charger.

Home Backup Power keeps the lights on during an outage, requiring both the Home Power Station and Ford’s Home Backup Panel. Ford states this backup hardware should cost at least 60% less than first-generation equipment, though specific hardware prices have not yet been released. To ensure smooth integration, Ford formed a working group in July with American Electric Power, BC Hydro, Consumers Energy, Exelon, and Pacific Gas and Electric to streamline utility procedures, connect bidirectional EVs, and accommodate standards for virtual power plants. The Fathom’s system is designed to meet UL 1741 requirements, IEEE 1547 interconnection standards, and uses SAE J3068 communications technology to help reduce charger costs.