Ford’s electric vehicles are being put to good use, you know, other than saving the planet from harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Since launching, they have been used as power sources during devastating disasters like hurricanes and floods. Now, Ford reports its electric vehicles, including the F-150 Lightning truck and E-transit van, are being put to work for another kind of use – making a movie.
As more people are driving electric vehicles than ever before, consumers are learning they can be used for more than just zero-emission driving.
The possibilities continue presenting themselves for these vehicles’ powerful mobile battery. Ford’s electric vehicles, in particular, offer a unique feature called Pro Power Onboard. The technology converts Ford’s EVs into mobile generators with the ability to power a job site, camping setup, or anything that requires energy.
The Ford F-150 Lightning loaded with Pro Power Onboard gives you up to 9.6 kW power with 11 conveniently spread-out plugs. Four 120V outlets can be found in the truck’s massive Frunk, two in the cab, four inside, and the last is a 240V in the bed.
In August, Electrek reported an F-150 Lightning was used to provide portable power for crews during a Kentucky flood.
And then, more recently, during the devastating Hurricane Ian when 2.6 million people were left without power, reports surfaced of people using their Ford electric vehicles to power essentials in their homes.
It seems Ford’s EVs are more valuable than just during an emergency. Ford Canada reports a new film used power from several of its electric vehicles to make the movie possible.
Ford’s electric vehicles power up movie set
Ford partnered with Director Parra, an industry veteran, to make Mushroom, a short film featuring two unique mushroom foragers who stumble upon the discovery of a lifetime while a war brews to see who will get it.
The movie was set in the forest, so it’s a good thing mobile electric power is now a viable option with recent EV battery tech advancements. The movie was made possible with the power of three Ford electric vehicles, two E-Transits, and one Ford F-150 Lightning. Ford Canada states the EVs were used for:
Powering on-set lightning effects and windstorms, hi-definition cameras, and even the production’s coffee maker – if it needed a kilowatt, it was a Ford electric vehicle with available Pro Power Onboard that was ready to provide it.
Mike Andre from the film’s camera crew talks about how he was blown away by the functions:
We see the front, has a whole other cabin/storage space, to store whatever goods you have. It has so many different functions, yeah its surprising.
The success shows the potential that electric vehicles, like Ford’s, can be used as mobile power generators to support creative endeavors. You can watch the video on youtube here.
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The UAW union’s Stellantis Council met yesterday to discuss the beleaguered carmaker’s “ongoing failure” to honor the agreement that ended the 2023 labor strike, and their latest union memo doesn’t pull many punches.
In an email sent out by the UAW earlier today (received at 4:55PM CST), UAW President Shawn Fain wrote, “For years, the company picked us off plant-by-plant and we lacked the will and the means to fight back. Today is different. Because we stood together and demanded the right to strike over job security—product commitment—we have the tools to fight back and win … We unanimously recommend to the membership that every UAW worker at Stellantis prepare for a fight, and we all get ready to vote YES to authorize a strike at Stellantis.”
Kia promises the new EV9 GT will have “enormous power,” but that’s not all. For the first time, the Kia EV9 GT was caught with an active spoiler, giving us a sneak peek at potential new upgrades.
The brand’s first three-row electric SUV is already making its presence known in the US, helping push Kia to back-to-back record sales months. Meanwhile, a more powerful, sporty variant is on the way.
Kia confirmed the EV9 GT will top off the electric SUV’s lineup in April. Packing “enormous power,” the high-performance GT model can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 4 secs.
With a “high-output” dual-motor (AWD) system, the EV9 GT can quickly pick up speed despite weighing over 5,000 lbs.
Kia also equipped it with other high-performance features, such as a reinforced suspension and electronic braking system, for better control and stability.
We’ve already caught a glimpse of the performance electric SUV out testing, revealing aggressive new bumpers and wheels. Now, a new design feature has been spotted.
Kia EV9 GT could come with an active rear spoiler
The latest video from HealerTV shows the EV9 GT with what appears to be an active spoiler. As the reporter noted, it could be similar to the one spotted on the Genesis GV70 Magma.
Tesla’s Model X also used to come with an active spoiler until it was dropped a few years back. Although the GT model was spotted with one, Kia could just be testing new features, so don’t get too excited yet.
Earlier this week, a video from HealerTV showed the front row of the EV9 GT, comparing it to the current GT-Line model.
Several differences can be immediately noticed, including a more aggressive, all-black design with a yellow stripe down the center of the seat.
Kia is set to launch the EV9 GT in early 2025. It will rival other performance SUVs like the Tesla Model X Plaid.
Although prices have yet to be confirmed, the GT model is expected to sit above the current GT-Line at $73,900. In comparison, Tesla’s Model X Plaid starts at $94,990 and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 secs.
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Consumer Reports and EV charging app Chargeway are working together to give drivers a better way to rate public chargers, report uptime, and address maintenance issues.
The technical collaboration with Chargeway is part of a larger effort called the EV Charging Community, which engages with a number of different EV advocacy groups including Plug In America, GreenLatinos, and Generation 180, and leverages the mobile app to rate public EV charging experiences based on various factors, with the findings reported back to industry stakeholders like EVSE manufacturers, CPOs, and utilities.
Be heard
“We are very excited to be partnering with Consumer Reports,” says Chargeway founder, Matt Teske. “From day one, Chargeway has focused on a driver first app design to provide easier EV charging experiences as well as transparency for what drivers can anticipate at (the) station they choose … we share Consumer Reports’ goal to give drivers a voice in the public EV charging reliability conversation. Now, instead of posting complaints on social media and feeling ignored, EV drivers can use the Chargeway mobile app to provide their feedback to the leading consumer advocacy organization.”
Consumer Reports says it’s already seen nearly a third of its 1,600 enrolled community members experience a problem with public charging, so it’s a real problem. “Charging stations are critical services, but when they’re out of order or barely functional, it wastes consumers’ valuable time,” explains Drew Toher, Consumer Reports’ sustainability campaign manager.
Consumer Reports points out that EV drivers who don’t use Chargeway can also enroll to be part of the community at this link.
Electrek’s Take
Chargeway founder Matt Teske is an old friend. He’s a good friend, too, so it’s great to see his top-shelf EV charging app starting to get some of the recognition it deserves. The CR tie-up and added visibility these ratings will give to industry stakeholders are only going to make things better for EV drivers everywhere.
That up there? That’s one of my early interview episodes of Quick Charge featuring a walkthrough of Chargeway+, another collab between Matt and Austin Energy. Enjoy!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Chargeway, Consumer Reports.
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