Ford engineer behind Lightning EV tech explains why Pro Power Onboard is an emotional feature
Vyas Shenoy, a Ford engineer behind the advanced Pro Power Onboard technology on the Ford F-150 Lighting electric truck, says the feature means more to him than just having portable energy.
Ford has sent shockwaves across the auto industry with the introduction of its fully electric F-150 Lightning. If you haven’t seen one of these out in the wild yet, just wait. They are something.
The Lightning continues winning customers over, selling a record 2,436 in October to remain the best-selling electric truck across the US despite rising competition. A total of 11,196 Lightning pickups have been sold through October 2022 as Ford ramps production going into next year.
Lightning drivers are finding their electric truck has more capabilities than their gas-powered peers could dream of, which is why Ford calls it the “smartest, most innovative F-150 yet.”
The Ford F-150 Lighting includes an innovative feature called Pro Power Onboard that essentially turns the vehicle into a powerful mobile energy power bank.
With up to 9.6 kW power spread across 11 outlets, drivers can “tap in” whenever and wherever energy is needed. Drivers have found convenient ways to utilize the power, for example:
- When thousands of customers lost power during Hurricane Nicole, Bob Hathaway used his Ford Lightning to make the most of it by powering the coffee maker and toaster (he even let the neighbors tap in for energy).
- Remy Oktay, a student from Lafayette high school, needed help getting his electric plane to Pennsylvania, so several Ford F-150 Lightning owners stepped up, charging the plane in hour intervals.
- A film crew turned to Ford’s electric vehicles to power their movie set (everything down to the coffee maker) placed deep in the woods.
Meanwhile, the brains behind the technology, Vyas Shenoy, a Ford engineer, says the electric truck’s portable power capabilities “is a perfect testimony to life coming full circle” after growing up with electricity being a luxury.
Ford Engineer – F-150 Lightning Pro Power an “emotional feature”
Shenoy grew up in a small village in Southern India where the electricity could be out for several weeks at a time. In a LinkedIn post on Ford’s page, Shenoy explains:
Where I grew up in India, we had mandatory electricity cuts every day. And during a monsoon, we had to live without electricity for weeks because the trees had fallen, and it was flooded. There was no developed infrastructure to support the grid because all the power was going to the big cities.
Even everyday items for many of us, like battery-powered flashlights, were hard to come by. Shenoy says, “those were real commodities,” adding around grade 11, “we started getting 12-volt batteries – a portable charger with a 12-volt battery and two fluorescent tubes that could be used for study.”
Meanwhile, he added, “they were very expensive and a luxury to afford.”
Shenoy was determined for a better life, earning a Bachelor of Engineering and Diploma DME (GL) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manipal University in India.
He wanted more. Shenoy wished to pursue higher education in the US, but again, it was expensive.
Imagine a person struggling to get a battery for studies now investing in a higher education in America.
To help his son achieve his dreams, Shenoy’s father gave him property rights to the family house. Shenoy hopped on the opportunity, taking a loan against the property and making his way to the US without knowing anyone.
My mission is zero to hero.
Shenoy earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the University of Michigan and then took a job with Ford, where he has helped develop Pro Power Onboard on the F-150 Lightning.
Shenoy’s parents visited him over the summer, and knowing their struggle, he brought Ford’s electric truck to the house to show them what he has been working on. He said, “my parents were on cloud 9.”
Thinking back, Shenoy feels immense pride in what he has accomplished with the Lightning, adding:
I’ve seen what it is to be without electricity growing up, getting my education under that kerosene lamp. And now to be on this aspirational journey working with a fantastic team on a technological breakthrough product at Ford that can provide up to 9.6 kW of power through an electric truck is a perfect testimony to life coming full circle. I’ve seen the other side of life without electricity, and I’m contributing to a future where we don’t have to worry about things like that.
Electrek’s Take
We have followed Ford’s electric journey closely this year as drivers test new ways to use innovative features like Pro Power Onboard in their new Lightning trucks.
Hearing Shenoy’s story gives a new meaning to “coming full circle,” and the automaker’s electric journey is just starting. Ford’s Pro Power Onboard showcases another strength in which electric vehicles can benefit users with portable power.
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Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
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After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
| Starting Price | Range (EPA-est.) |
|
| 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard | $75,900 | 270 miles |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series | $59,990 | 327 miles |
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
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Tesla says it can deliver new orders for the refreshed Model Y within two weeks in China. Is the automaker already experiencing a demand problem with the new Model Y?
Last month, Tesla launched the new Model Y in China. The vehicle features an updated design and new features that bring it closer to the recently refreshed Model 3.
Tesla has now started delivering the Long Range AWD updated Model Y in China this week.
But along with the start of deliveries, Tesla also opened orders for the non-Launch edition and the Standard Range RWD:
There were rumors coming from China that Tesla managed to get hundreds of thousands of orders for the new Model Y, which is not impossible since it would be just a few months of production for the best-selling EVs, but now Tesla’s updated configurator raised questions about these rumors.
Tesla says it can deliver a new Model Y RWD order placed today in “2 to 4 weeks” in China.
The Long Range AWD Model Y takes a bit longer at “6-10 weeks” for new orders.
Based on insurance data, Tesla’s deliveries in 2025 are currently down about 7,000 units compared to the same period last year.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no doubt that the Model Y changeover is going to hurt Tesla in Q1. The question is, by how much?
I am surprised to see that you can place an order right now and get on in just 2-4 weeks. It does point to soft demand for the RWD version, at least.
It’s going to be interesting to track deliveries through March. Tesla will need to deliver over 50,000 vehicles next month to arrive at similar levels as it did last year.
It looks like the production ramp is going well, so demand might be the bigger factor.
As for the Model 3, Tesla is already pulling all the demand levers in order for the sedan to contribute, but everything points to the new Model Y being the different maker.
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