Owners of the F-150 Lightning can use the all-electric pickup truck’s substantial onboard battery to power their homes in an emergency. Using the Ford Intelligent Backup Power and Home Integration System owners can store up to 131 kWh of energy and deliver 9.6 kW of power to their homes.

Based on an average U.S. home at 30 kWh of use per day, it can provide full home power for up to three days, or as long as 10 days when used in conjunction with solar power or rationing.

Once power is restored, the system automatically reverts back to utility power.

To benefit from Ford Intelligent Backup Power and future energy management solutions, customers need to equip their home with the Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System, which is composed of a power inverter plus a dark start battery and transfer switch, enabling the two-way power flow.

In the future, Ford will introduce additional features to help customers potentially save money and take pressure off the electric grid during peak usage. Ford Intelligent Power, for example, will allow customers to power their homes with their truck’s battery when electricity rates are higher, while charging the truck when rates are lower—or from their own solar-powered rooftop. This load shift can also help buffer the load on the power grid and help reduce the use of higher carbon energy without affecting daily routines or charging schedules.