Ford Fathom to include built-in inverter for home backup power
Ford says every sub-$30,000 Fathom electric pickup will have a built-in inverter to back up a home.
The key change is the location of the inverter. In Ford’s earlier vehicle-to-home setup, developed for the now-discontinued F-150 Lightning, DC power from the electric vehicle runs through an inverter built into the wallbox to turn it into AC power that the house can use. With the Fathom, Ford has built the inverter into the truck from the start, so every Fathom will be able to act as a backup battery for a home.
Ars Technica compared the Fathom with another low-cost EV due around the same time: the Blank Slate, a bare-bones two-door from a new startup. According to the report, the Blank Slate is designed around features the Internet says it wants, including no onboard modem, no touchscreens and no infotainment system. The Fathom will cost $5,000 more than a Slate, the report said, but that money buys an extra pair of doors, an infotainment system, CarPlay, electric windows and access to a vast dealership network for service.
The report added that the dealership network may be helpful given how many recalls Ford issues each year.