I have a TIG welder and a solid state linear amplifier that I'd love to be able to power from my truck instead of from a generator.
What I would like to figure out is if it can actually backfeed the home with 240V split phase power. That would be a seriously big deal if it could, it's not a common generator feature as it is. I'm skeptical, but they did claim it could transition from charging to supplying the house and back to charging when the power returned. Probably some fine print there where they say "only with the 120V charger". Otherwise, that would just be killer. An automatic whole-house UPS that can easily support all your needs for hours or even a couple days in a pinch.
It is good that people are aware of the risk, but in reality the risk is quite low. It is standard procedure for a lineman to ground a line he's about to work on, to mitigate the risk of any power source feeding it. But I'd never advocate a DIY setup. But damn near everyone I know with a portable generator has a suicide cord and just flips the mains. Ah well.
How many linemen are killed a year in the US due to backup generators or similar? Are there no procedures they can do to work on lines safer?
But since lives are at stake here, we prefer to have layers of protection rather than just one thing. Grounding jumpers can fail if not properly connected (a large mechanical force will be applied to the jumper when the phase-to-ground fault current flows through it).
Bottom line, respect the electrical code and connect generators through a transfer switch. These rules are in place for a reason.
In fact it's likely the transformer on the street between your house and the network that's responsible for the death of the linemen. IIRC that's a step down transformer (so step up when run backwards like this.)
oh, you mean like solar PV on-grid setups ...
Some battery systems, like the Tesla Powerwall include a contactor that allow their microgrid battery systems to conform to the standard without a loss of power to the site they power.
Needless to say, if you're looking for a backup power source this isn't a property you want.
(an idiot who the state of NM certified last year to install his own on-grid solar PV system, so doubly an idiot!)
A correct install is of course also required as it's possible to screw up and unintentionally cripple this important safety feature.
I wonder if the wiring is basically plug the 240v split phase into a special outlet in the house that feeds the transfer switch. The 80amp charger is then just a charger.
Could be completely wrong though. We'll know more at launch.
Product launch is when something is released and you can buy it, not when someone published plans and best wishes.
It basically worse and more expensive at everything and its very unlikely Ford can build close to as many as the Cybertruck. Simply because of batteries alone and other production capacity as well (a lot is shared with the other F150s).
Its really slow charging considering the time it will come out. If you want to use this to transport anything its range is worse compared to the Cybertruck and its gone charge much slower.
This will likely sell well and they will likely sell as many as they can make. But that doesn't make it a game changer.
This will sell well but
Remember when 5 years ago people claimed that as soon car companies make electric cars they would outsell Tesla?
Well the fact is that Tesla sells more EV by far then even VW by a large amount.
Scaling BEV production is hard, and just because for produces lots of ICE cars does not mean they can magically produce lots of EVs.
Do yourself a favor and actually learn about BEV production and supply chain issues.
Remember 5 years ago when Telsa fans claimed BEV range and acceleration wasn't possible for legacy automakers?
Ford sell more F series vehicles per year than all tesla models combined - why are you assuming they need to pivot asap to EV only?
No, I don't. Its the opposite, most people were saying that legacy makers could do it eventually but they need to make massive investments in EV production, and guess what, they did.
Tesla fan were actually right, it took way longer then people said for real mass market EV to come out.
But of course Tesla got the lead and they are not just outselling everybody else and are still among the leaders in performance and efficiency.
> Ford sell more F series vehicles per year than all tesla models combined - why are you assuming they need to pivot asap to EV only?
They don't but in a few years EV version will outperform the alternative ICE version along pretty much every dimension and there will be huge demand for EV trucks.
The question is if you at that point have the capacity to produce them in accordance with demand.
The hybrid F-150 could already do that.
A production prototype doesn't even exist yet.
Cybertruck is Musk's equivalent of the Mac G4 Cube ego mistake, except far worse. He understood that electric vehicles should look like existing conceptions of vehicles, things people can easily identify with as being vehicles they'd want to drive, but electric and maybe sexy + better in various boring functional ways. He abandoned that with the Cybertruck, and it'll bomb accordingly over time. Meanwhile Ford will sell a bazillion electric trucks, and humiliate Tesla's efforts in the space (in his inability to be humble, Musk will fall back on claiming Cybertruck is superior, even as it doesn't sell very well).
Tesla should have acquired Ford in a stock swap, left it an independent operating entity, and electrified their trucks; or acquired a huge minority position (in a stock swap) if the Ford family wouldn't go for a full acquisition. They should have done that years ago. They were too self-absorbed to see the obvious opportunity. The electrified trucks would be enormous profit centers. Now, instead, Tesla will almost entirely miss out on the zillion dollar electric truck market, which they could have had a big slice of. Tesla's only shot is to abandon Cybertruck and build a normal looking truck, which they won't do for several years until the pain from the embarrassment overwhelms Musk's ego problems (otherwise they'll just leave Cybertruck as a low volume trinket in their lineup, or abandon the space entirely).
I have a pre-order Cybertruck and may or may not be in a position to buy one when they land in Australia (if they land at all) but man it's cool.
Think of the Lamborghini Countach [0], it was designed decades ago and it still looks like it's from outer space!
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_Countach
EDIT: Saying that, if this new F150 came to Australia (or say an all electric Raptor) I'd probably go for the Ford. I currently drive a 2019 Hilux and it's a very handy do everything car, but the F150 is quite a lot larger and not really suited to the (very few) Australian cities.
Even at 20% conversion of preorders (and that is way lower Tesla usually gets) they have plent for the first 1-2 years of production and that is assuming that they don't get more orders (again as they did with ever other car).
This is just your personal taste and you have formed your opinion on that 100%. Not a single actual state about the Cybertruck or its release indicates anthing like what you suggest.
> humiliate Tesla's efforts in the space
Ford wins in a space Tesla doesn't have a product in. Wow. Amazing.
> Tesla should have acquired Ford in a stock swap
That you believe that shows how you have absolutely no understanding of the car market. That the worst possible idea.
> Tesla's only shot is to abandon Cybertruck and build a normal looking truck
Or you know if your outrage claims are actually true, they could build a 'normal' turck and the Cyberturck. Crazy that a company could produce two different trucks.
The battery availability is the fundamental constraint.
Everything about this vehicle launch appears masterful, from its technology to its branding to the obvious care taken to ensure that in almost every respect it is so superior, and offers so many no-brainers, as to make anyone who can (both individuals and especially, fleet managers), buy these as fast they can.
This thing has more than one killer app.
The biggest by far IMO is its ability to power high voltage high draw tools at the jobsite.
If you have never worked on a jobsite, this is a BFD.
This is itself a game changer, it offers the ability to "disrupt" in a material way a whole class of project. Logistics just got 20% simpler and projects 30% cheaper.
Sure, it can go super fast; yes, you can lock your stuff in the truck...
But the other killer feature for fleet owners is that these are remotely manageable.
Your fleet now has detailed telemetry and its only going to get better.
And this is on launch.
We just got a RAV4 Prime and if I didn't live in SF proper, I might be seriously regretting not waiting for this thing. (I don't, and don't think this makes sense in the city.)
If we move to e.g. Sonoma and work remote? This would be that no brainer.
Hallelujah. Now, to invest in Ford...