Millions of Texans are stocking up on food and water because they are without power due to the winter storm. Grady Trimble from FOX Business with more.
Some truck owners in Texas have managed to overcome power outages due to winter storms with comfort, thanks to the generators built into their vehicles.
Ford’s 2021 F-150 trucks have the “Pro Power Onboard” feature available, generating 2, 2.4 or 7.2 kilowatts depending on the engine.
Randy Jones was one of the millions of Texans who lost power this week. A Katy resident in the Houston suburb, he ordered a new F-150 in November, partly because he wanted the generator on board, and just received the truck on February 6.
“It arrived just in time,” he said.
Ford’s 2021 F-150 trucks have the “Pro Power Onboard” feature available, generating 2, 2.4 or 7.2 kilowatts depending on the engine. (Ford)
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Jones told Fox Business that his energy dropped from Sunday night to Wednesday night. During that time, he operated the F-150’s generator for 10-12 hours a day and turned it off at night. He used it to power the fridge and freezer to prevent food from spoiling, and he also turned on conveniences like lamps, coffee pots, toasters and TV.
“It was very useful,” he said.
F-150 models with the lowest electrical output can generate enough power to run power tools or portable amenities for a tailgating party, according to Ford. The most powerful model can run an entire team framing a home or day off-road vehicle parking with two electric dirt bikes, an electric plate and a portable air compressor simultaneously.
Some truck owners in Texas have managed to overcome power outages due to winter storms with comfort, thanks to the generators built into their vehicles. (Ford)
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Even Jones’ neighbors were able to take advantage of his truck’s generator. They were trying to charge one tablet or phone at a time, sitting in their cars.
“When they saw the lights on in my house, they decided to come and see what was going on,” he said.
Jones established a power strip so that entire families in his neighborhood could charge their devices.
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He is not the only one who has used one of the trucks as power during the interruptions that followed the storm. Ford sent a letter to dealers in Texas this week asking them to loan F-150 trucks to people without power so they could use the generators, Automotive News reported.
“Our Texas communities need all the support they can get now,” says the letter. “You can make a significant difference in our community by providing assistance during these very difficult times.”
Jones said he was happy to get the truck before the crash.
“This saved us from a lot of misery and gave us a comfort that we would not have otherwise,” he said.