Ford’s first all-electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, has finally started to hit the streets of the United States – and owners are finding an unexpected accessory in the delivery box.
One of the Lightning’s most impressive features is its bi-directional charging capability – that is, its ability to send power to other Ford electric models or even an entire home. However, according to recent posts on Lightning Owners (opens in new tab) forum (as seen by InsideEVs (opens in new tab)), the automaker is also providing customers with an adapter to charge idle Teslas.
The J1772 adapter, which is “compatible with all Tesla vehicles”, reportedly was not previously listed by Ford as a standard accessory to ship with the F-150 Lightning – Tesla itself sells one. almost identical connector (opens in new tab) for $50 on its own website – although the new owners of the so-called “truck of the future” seem to welcome the surprise.
“If I find any dead Teslas, I’ll let my Ford Lightning come to the rescue,” joked one user on the forum, while another wrote, “I’ll add a ‘Tesla Rescue Squad’ sticker.”
Check out an image of the adapter in question below:
Of course, there’s no way of knowing whether Ford is really poking fun at its automotive rival – one that remains the top name in the EV market – with the inclusion of this accessory, but it’s hard to look beyond the move as a subtle marketing ploy ( make Ford truth care about giving your customers the ability to charge cars from competing manufacturers?).
Ironically, it would likely be more beneficial for Teslas to come equipped with Ford-compatible charging capabilities, as the former have access to a extensive network of proprietary charging stations that offer drivers more opportunities to plug in than any other electric automaker.
Still, we’re inclined to think of Ford’s adapter inclusion as nothing more than an ironic nod to Elon Musk’s company. And anyway, it’s far from the most remarkable thing about the F-150 Lightning.
Borrowing its name from an earlier performance-focused iteration of the best-selling F-Series, Ford’s electric pickup can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4 seconds – courtesy of a 555bhp all-wheel drive powertrain. – and gives drivers a whopping 775 lb ft of torque.
Naturally, Lightning is also a powerfully strong machine. The standard 18-inch wheel variant has a maximum payload of 907 kg, along with a towing capacity of up to 4,536 kg. To add some perspective, that means it could comfortably tow an adult hippo behind it – or two and a half Tesla Model 3s…
