Ford Hybrid F150 used as a generator

[Sirfun]

TFL posted this video bragging about how the new Ford F150 Hybrid can be used as a generator. I'm curious how this would compare to using an actual generator. Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise. Does this really seem like a good idea? Also how would it compare to plugging into the Cybertruck.
Inquiring minds would like to know.

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[Ehninger1212]

Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise. Does this really seem like a good idea?

*Palms face hard

Eco friendly my ass.

 

[ajdelange]

I'm curious how this would compare to using an actual generator.

It evidently has a 240V 30A inverter (or inverters) which I presume are pure sine wave inverters. Electrically it would look just like a stand alone 7.2 kW sine wave inverter equipped generator. Compared to a conventional generator THD would be a bit smaller depending on the quality of the conventional generator.

As far as the engine is concerned the stand alone generator would be on all the time whereas the truck has a small (1.5 kWh I think he said) battery to buffer the trucks generator output so the truck engine will start and stop according to the SoC of the battery.

Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise. Does this really seem like a good idea?

If people buy it it's a good idea. Better than a conventional generator in the sense that you don't have to lug a separate piece of gear to your camp or worksite (at which something like this would be very useful I'd think). But of course fuel is being consumed all the time it is generating power.

Also how would it compare to plugging into the Cybertruck.

Electrically, the same. The CT is going to be equipped with pure sine inverter(s) wired for 240V. What we don't know is how stiff the supply is going to be. We hope it will be at least 30 A but it could be as much as 50. Of course it could also be less than 30 A. We'll just have to wait and see. The fact that the truck in the video does 30 suggests that the CT will do at least 30 A for competitive reasons.

With the CT too you are, when running the system, drawing down the "fuel" available for traction.

 

[Sirfun]

I would think that once the CT comes out, we could do a really good comparison of how many gallons of gas, to produce say 50kw of power, to the CT producing 50kw (show loss %). With some kind of cost analysis.

One other thing brought up in the comments that I don't believe I've seen anyone comment about here. They were excited about driving down the road with the trailer plugged in, so they could run the AC and arrive at a campsite with a cool trailer.

 

[Ehninger1212]

One other thing brought up in the comments that I don't believe I've seen anyone comment about here. They were excited about driving down the road with the trailer plugged in, so they could run the AC and arrive at a campsite with a cool trailer.

Thats actually pretty cool.. Pun intended.

 

[firsttruck]

TFL posted this video bragging about how the new Ford F150 Hybrid can be used as a generator. I'm curious how this would compare to using an actual generator. Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise. Does this really seem like a good idea? Also how would it compare to plugging into the Cybertruck.
Inquiring minds would like to know.

The on/off cycling causes additional friction wear on the engine because lubrication is sub-optimal at starts in additional if the engine stays off long enough to cool significantly there are now additional thermal stress cycles. This is similar to why engines in cars/trucks that are high mileage and less frequently turned off can suffer much less wear. Car that are turned on drive a few miles then turned off for hours suffer more engine wear.

Plug-in hybrids in new emissions scandal as tests show higher pollution than claimed
2020 Nov
https://www.transportenvironment.or...s-scandal-tests-show-higher-pollution-claimed

Hybrids vehicles 'up to eight times more polluting than advertised
23 nov. 2020
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...imes-more-polluting-than-advertised-jfbh9gjmd

The alarming truth behind Plug-in Hybrids exposed by European transport group
By Simon Alvarez
Posted on November 23, 2020
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-vs-phev-gate-pollution-cheating-europe/


A dedicated generator with a battery buffer for surges would be less polluting, more fuel efficient, less costly.

 

[Luke42]

Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise.

A regular generator has all of those disadvantages, and several of them are worse than the truck.

The hybrid truck will cycle the engine off and on as needed. They do this because they can run the engine in one of its efficiency sweet-spots, and store the excess energy in the battery. My 2010 GMC Sierra Hybrid (2-mode) does this while idling with the A/C on, so it's a safe bet that the more advanced F-150 Ford will do that too. This is an advantage over a regular generator.

Also the F-150 has roadworthy emissions and noise controls. Generator are held to a much lower standard in both respects, so the truck is likely to be far better here.

Lastly, running an RV off of a generator is a last resort. Most RV campgrounds have grid-powered electric service out to the campsite, and that's clearly the best choice whenever it's available.

You brought up real issues, but they're all somewhat better when running from the truck. Well, everything except the price.

 

[Crissa]

Yeah, but sleeping at an RV park means reservations months in advance anymore.

Nearly nowhere I camp has power. And the few I do the power goes to the elite, not me.

-Crissa

 

[FullyGrounded]

TFL posted this video bragging about how the new Ford F150 Hybrid can be used as a generator. I'm curious how this would compare to using an actual generator. Basically this $70,000 truck is just sitting there burning fuel at a 1500rpm idle for hours on end. In addition you get exhaust, carbon monoxide and noise. Does this really seem like a good idea? Also how would it compare to plugging into the Cybertruck.
Inquiring minds would like to know.

The problem with getting over the hump of what amounts to our ICE lifestyles is that we're accustomed to it and too distracted to care. And, teaching an old dog new tricks... you get the point. So, coming will be TFerL (The Faster Lane) showing a Tesla CT power 16 trailers, while the driver enjoys playing Pac Man on the CyberTruck's device, AC on full, with the windows down. Right now, there is no way to post replies to their drivel; but, like Todd (Cybertruck truck guy), there will likely be several people lining up to reply to all their Tesla and CT hate. They have toned down a bit, but still. Give them a rusted out, poorly running Jeep and they're happy as a bug in a rug. Bring up the CT, and you'd think there were bedbugs in that rug. peace

 

[Luke42]

Nearly nowhere I camp has power. And the few I do the power goes to the elite, not me.

The way my sister and her wife camp, they're rarely somewhere with a developed campground. A family-sized travel trailer isn't the right tool for their needs.

It's the difference between adventuring for adventuring's sake, and trying to get 3 screen-addicted kids out of the house. [Shrug]

I do my best to support my sister and her wife's adventures, because it's as close as I'm going to get to having my own adventures for a while. Vicarious adventuring via bureaucratic support is better than no adventuring at all!

 

[firsttruck]

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Generator or inverter? 2021 Ford F-150 Pro Power Onboard explained
By Jill Ciminillo
October 21, 2020
https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2020/10...-2021-ford-f-150-pro-power-onboard-explained/
.....
The bottom line on F-150 Pro Power Onboard
But what is it going to cost you? Well, first you’ll have to add the hybrid power-train, which will cost between $1,990 and $4,995, depending on trim and configuration. Then you’ll have to add the available 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard option, which is another $750. When we spec’d out a base XL with the SuperCrew and 5-1/2-foot box, added the hybrid and Pro Power Onboard – without any extraneous options – we were looking at a price of $43,760 including destination. We configured the Limited trim similarly and topped out at $74,420 – again without any additional options. 30.6-gallon fuel tank.

For comparison’s sake, you can get an 8,000-watt generator at Home Depot for $1,049.

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F-150 hybrid designed to be "worksite generator"
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29149319/print/true.cfm
.....
Posted By: pnichols on 01/11/17 01:47pm
We have a Ford V10 chassis based small motor-home that has a built-in generator for the coach. For years now during no-hookup parking/camping - even though our built-in generator is quite quiet - we sometimes merely idle the V10 to deliver a quick charge to the RV batteries or air condition the interior because the V10 idles way quieter than any generator.
For battery charging or air conditioning the RVs built-in generator consumes 0.3 to 0.5 gallons per hour.
The idling Ford V10 consumes around 0.7 gallons per hour, so our occasional use of the idling V10 consumes more fuel during short runs in situations where low noise is very important. Of course the upcoming F-150 power supply option will supply way more power than our V10's alternator or it's cab air conditioning system - but the overall concept for camping use is similar to what we have been doing in our RV for years.


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[ajdelange]

Clearly the best trade off is the one in which you buy a CT instead of either the gas guzzling truck or a generator. You get 240V/30(?)A as part of the base price (guess we don't really know if that's the case at this point but as Tesla is very spare when it comes to options I'm expecting it to be standard equipment).

I'll mention again that I think the real benefit of power in the bed is to working people who need it at job sites.

 

[azjohn]

TFL also has done a video where they use the F 150 Hybrid to charge their I3 and Tesla MY, they had to use a 4 prong to 3 prong adapter

 

[ThomasG]

But just wait for the Ford ad of an F150 charging a Cyber Truck .....

This is a JOKE, but could still happen.

 

[FutureBoy]

But just wait for the Ford ad of an F150 charging a Cyber Truck .....

This is a JOKE, but could still happen.

I can see it now, dueling commercials running back to back, a CT commercial with the CT winning a tug of war. Then a Ford commercial with the Ford charging a CT.

Luckily Tesla doesn’t advertise so that won’t actually happen any time soon.