Ford F-150 with generator “A moving welding factory?”

Ford announced a full model change for its pickup truck F-150 on June 25 (local time). The new F-150, which will appear in the fall of 2020, is said to be capable of supplying power to power tools, refrigerators, and speakers with a powerful generator that is more than five times higher than that of existing cars.

Mass-produced cars equipped with household outlets are not uncommon. Minivans, trucks, and family cars that can supply power to electronic devices such as smartphones and PCs already exist in the market. Until now, however, in order to use large amounts of power in devices with high power consumption in automobiles, separate batteries and gasoline generators had to be carried.

In fact, when Ford conducted a market research, F-150 users were often loaded with gasoline generators. First, it was trying to secure power. For this reason, Ford is equipped with a gasoline generator system called Pro Power Onboard on the new F-150 to provide power to move power tools, refrigerators and giant speakers without carrying a separate gasoline generator. will be.

The car generator output for the F-150 is 2 kilowatts for the gasoline model and 2.4 kilowatts for the hybrid model. Optionally, a 7.2 kilowatt generator can be used with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack. Ford emphasizes that the existing automobile outlet supplies 150 to 400 watts of power, but the vehicle basically provides 5 times more power than this.

In the 2 kilowatt type that can be installed on gasoline models, it is possible to watch sports by supplying power to chainsaws and portable speakers, repairing fences, or supplying power to TVs and heaters. The 2.4 kilowatt type can also run a power saw or air compressor for up to 85 hours at the same time, or run a mini-theatre with a rock machine, projector and speaker and popcorn machine.

The most advanced 7.2 kilowatt type can simultaneously supply power to plasma cutting machines, TIG welding machines, circular saws, air compressors and grinding machines. It is explained that if the gasoline is full, a set of equipment, which can be said to be a mobile welding factory, can be operated continuously for up to 32 hours. The 2 kilowatt or 2.4 kilowatt model supplies power from a 120V, 20A outlet, and the 7.2 kilowatt model can also use a 240V, 30A standard (NEMA L14-30R) outlet.

Ford predicts that the hybrid model will account for 10% of the new F-150’s sales, so implementing a pro-power onboard for the majority of Gasoli models is an important task. Because the standard 12-volt architecture cannot supply enough power, the development team said that they designed a new 24-volt electrical system by connecting two 12-volt architectures.

In addition to the battery, the gasoline model equipped with a pro power onboard includes a second generator, enabling power supply that cannot be realized in existing vehicles. Since the Pro Power onboard power generation system is completely isolated from other electrical systems, any problems with the Pro Power onboard will not affect the F-150’s driving performance.

Pro Power Onboard can be activated or monitored for operation via a smartphone app or vehicle infotainment system. In addition, when overcurrent flows, the system is automatically stopped and an alarm is sent or a breaker function is also installed. Not only does the gasoline model have to choose a gasoline engine that uses the Pro Power onboard, but the hybrid model with a battery automatically turns on the gasoline engine as needed to prevent battery drain. Pro Power Onboard can also be used while driving, providing power to vehicle electronics or charging power tools while on the go.

The new F-150 is expected to appear in the fall, and the pro power onboard is optional for gasoline models and standard for hybrid models. Related information can be found here .