Ford’s $28,350 Fathom EV Truck Powers Homes, But Lacks a Key Lightning Feature

Ford‘s upcoming $28,350 Fathom electric truck can supply more than 10 kW of power to a home through an inverter built directly into the vehicle’s E-box module, according to details shared by Kay Hart. While this promises to cut home backup hardware costs compared to the $6,510 total for the Ford F-150 Lightning setup, some prospective owners and current Lightning drivers have raised questions about missing features and installation costs. As an F-150 Lightning XLT Extended Range owner who has used the truck during Texas blackouts, Blake Lowry points out that his current truck features Pro Power Onboard with a 240V 30-amp outlet in the bed. This allows him to run a heavy-duty cord to a manual generator transfer switch without requiring a proprietary Ford wall box. Ford’s initial announcement for the Fathom has not confirmed a 240V bed outlet, leaving owners wondering if they will be tied to proprietary garage hardware such as the projected Home Power Station and Backup Power Panel. Commenters note that installation expenses like permits, transfer switches, and licensed electricians still apply, with estimated costs ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 or more. Furthermore, when asked about home solar islanding compatibility—allowing an older 3.4 kW SolarEdge array to keep running and recharge the truck during a grid outage—a Ford representative stated there was no confirmed answer yet. To streamline grid interconnection, Ford has formed a working group with utilities including PG&E, Consumers Energy, Exelon, AEP, and BC Hydro to meet UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 standards, though customers outside those regions remain concerned about wait times. For comparison, the F-150 Lightning provides up to 9.6 kW of backup power using external inverter hardware, whereas the Fathom targets a projected output of more than 10 kW using an integrated truck inverter.