Ford’s electric pickup charges up an e-scooter business, helping to double owners’ fleet

An electric truck powering an e-scooter fleet? Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric pickup helped Max Rastelli double his e-scooter fleet using its powerful mobile battery features.

Rastelli started HFX e-Scooters in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2019 to provide sustainable mobility across the city.

Although he was always interested in owning an electric vehicle, Rastelli needed a truck for his business.

When Ford unveiled the all-electric version of its best-selling pickup in 2021, Rastelli immediately put in a deposit. This is where the F-150 Lightning comes in.

As a longtime F-150 owner, Rastelli was excited about the idea of an electric-powered pickup. His F-150 Lightning arrived in October 2022. Eager to show off his new Ford electric truck and e-scooters, Rastelli quickly realized the EV was more valuable than he thought.

Rastelli has improved his business over the years, introducing swappable batteries in 2021. Before that, he would haul them back and forth to a central hub for charging.

Although it cut out some, it was still a lot of downtime. The batteries still needed to be charged every day at the hub, which didn’t have enough power for all the batteries.

Ford F-150 Lightning powers up e-scooter business

Instead of constantly driving back and forth to the hub, the electric pickup can charge the batteries on the go.

Ford’s F-150 Lightning features Pro Power Onboard, which turns the electric truck into a mobile generator.

According to Ford, Pro Power Onboard offers up to 9.6 kW of mobile power that can be used to power a construction site for three days. Or, in Rastelli’s case, charge up an e-scooter business.

The feature allows Rastelli to charge batteries without returning to the hub. He said the mobile charging station has helped him “double the number of e-scooters” with “near-zero downtime related to charging.”

After doubling the efficiency of his e-scooter business, Rastelli added a second Lightning to his fleet this past June.

Rastelli says the big screen and navigation are also helpful while driving around the city to find his e-scooters.

Electrek’s Take

Ford’s F-150 Lightning powering up an e-scooter business is the electric truck’s latest success.

Since launching in April 2022, the Lightning has been used to power essentials during hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and extreme weather. It was even used to make a movie deep in the woods. What’s next?

The automaker unveiled a new “Flash” trim for 2024 that Ford says hits the “sweet spots” with 320 miles range and high tech interior. The new trim pulls favorites from the XLT and Lariat with an included heat pump, starting at $69,995.

The 2024 Ford Lightning lineup now includes the Pro, XLT, Flash, Lariat, and Platinum. Ford will open online orders for the above models in early 2024.

All F-150 Lightning trims, exept the Platinum, will qualify for the EV tax credit. The Platinum exceeds the $80K IRA threshold.

Are you interested in joining Max to take advantage of all the Ford F-150 Lightning has to offer? You can use our link to get started today.