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Ford says its forthcoming Fathom electric pickup will use an onboard inverter to send power from its battery to a home, reducing the need for expensive external bidirectional equipment. Ford says the compatible charging equipment will cost about half as much as its $1,300 Charge Station Pro, and the backup system bundle will cost 60% less than its $5,200 comparison package, before installation. Exact Fathom equipment pricing, availability and utility rules in most areas are not yet settled.
Ford says its forthcoming Fathom electric pickup, expected to start below $30,000, will be able to send power from its battery to a home using an inverter built into the vehicle. The design is intended to make home backup less expensive by avoiding the costly external bidirectional charger required by many current electric vehicles, though Ford has not set a final price for the Fathom-compatible equipment.
Ford’s system converts the pickup’s battery power from direct current to home-ready alternating current onboard, then sends it to the home through compatible equipment. The company says the approach can supply household power without a separate, costly DC-to-AC bidirectional charger. For backup during a grid outage, owners will still need a home backup power panel as well as the vehicle and compatible charging equipment.
Ford told Canary Media that its new AC-capable bidirectional charger will cost roughly half of the $1,300 price of the Ford Charge Station Pro used with the F-150 Lightning. The company also said the equipment package for home backup will cost 60% less than the $5,200 combined price of the Charge Station Pro and a home integration system. Those figures exclude installation, and Ford has not announced the exact Fathom system price.
The Fathom’s capability is based on Ford’s Universal EV Platform, developed for vehicles associated with its retooled Louisville, Kentucky, factory. Ford said other vehicles built on that platform will also have AC bidirectional charging. It developed the onboard inverter technology with engineers from Auto Motive Power, a startup Ford acquired in 2023.
Lower-Cost Backup Without a Separate Inverter
Home backup could make an electric vehicle more useful beyond transportation, allowing a vehicle’s battery to supply power during outages. The upfront equipment cost has been a barrier: the source report says existing bidirectional charger and home equipment can cost thousands of dollars, before installation. Ford’s stated price reductions could make the feature accessible to more buyers, although the overall cost to an owner will depend on the final system price, installation and local requirements.
The announcement may also affect how other automakers approach vehicle-to-home features. Ford’s system integrates power conversion into the vehicle rather than relying on a more expensive external unit. The company’s claim of a lower equipment price is not, by itself, evidence of broad adoption or a fully comparable total installed cost. But if the pricing holds, the design could increase pressure on competitors to make home-power features less expensive.
Availability is also shaped by utility rules. A vehicle connected to a home must meet safety and interconnection requirements, and the source report describes a patchwork of utility procedures across much of the United States. Lower hardware prices will not automatically make the system straightforward to install or use in every location.
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How Ford’s AC System Differs
Many current vehicle-to-home systems use direct-current equipment outside the vehicle to convert the car’s battery output for household use. According to the source report, equipment for those systems can cost from just under $7,000 to more than $10,000. The Fathom instead is designed to perform the conversion onboard, with the home connected through compatible equipment. Ford says this design makes the required system cheaper; the exact customer cost has not been finalized.
Ford’s technology uses communications based on SAE J3068, a standard certified by the automotive standards organization SAE International. The source report says the standard is intended to let the vehicle and home backup system communicate information needed for safe operation. Ford’s Dave McCreadie said the company has worked with utilities and regulators, including in Michigan and Colorado, on clearer guidance for connecting vehicle-to-home systems.
Ford also said it has been working since July with American Electric Power, BC Hydro, Consumers Energy, Exelon and Pacific Gas & Electric on common standards for integrating its AC system with utility interconnection rules. The report says California and Maryland have set utility regulations for AC bidirectional charging outside pilot projects, while rules elsewhere remain varied.
“This is not going to be Ford’s last EV that is bidirectional capable.”
— Dave McCreadie, Ford’s director of grid and energy services
Prices, Installation and Utility Access
Ford has not provided the final price of the Fathom-compatible home-power equipment or specified when it will be available. The 60% reduction is a comparison with Ford’s stated $5,200 Charge Station Pro and home integration system combination; it is not a confirmed final price for the Fathom setup. The quoted equipment comparisons also exclude installation, so the total cost to a household remains unknown.
The source report does not specify the Fathom’s battery capacity, how long it could power a home, which appliances or electrical loads the system can support, or whether all versions of the pickup will include the feature. It also does not give a launch date. Utility approval and connection processes may vary by location, and Ford’s work toward common standards does not mean every utility has adopted them.
Ford’s Pricing and Utility Milestones
Ford’s next key step is to disclose final equipment pricing and availability for the Fathom’s home-power system, along with details needed for buyers to estimate installation and confirm which home loads it can serve. Until those details are released, the company’s percentage comparisons indicate its intended price advantage but not the full cost of a working installation.
Ford and the utilities it named are working on common interconnection standards for AC vehicle-to-home systems. The outcome could affect how easily owners can connect the equipment, but the source report does not set a timetable for that work or say when additional utilities will adopt shared rules. The Fathom’s launch and later Universal EV Platform models will show how broadly Ford brings the capability to market.
Key Questions
How will the Ford Fathom power a home?
Ford says the pickup will use an onboard inverter to convert battery power into alternating current for a home through compatible equipment. During a grid outage, owners will also need a home backup power panel.
How much will the Fathom home backup system cost?
Ford has not announced a final price. It says the compatible bidirectional charger will cost about half of its $1,300 Charge Station Pro, and the backup equipment combination will cost 60% less than a $5,200 Ford comparison package. Installation is not included in those comparisons.
Will every Ford Fathom include bidirectional charging?
The source report says the Fathom will have the capability, but it does not specify whether it will be included on every version or offered as an option. Ford says other vehicles based on its Universal EV Platform will also support AC bidirectional charging.
Can owners use the system anywhere in the United States?
Not necessarily. Utility interconnection rules vary by location, and the report says only California and Maryland have set regulations for AC bidirectional charging outside pilot projects. Ford is working with utilities on common standards, but adoption and access in other areas remain unsettled.
Source: canarymedia.com
