Ditched $115k Ford electric truck

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【Summary】A man and his family were forced to abandon their $115k Ford electric truck during a road trip due to charging troubles. The truck experienced a faulty connection error message and couldn't be charged at two different stations. They had to rent a petrol-powered car to continue their trip. The owner expressed frustration and called eco-friendly vehicles a scam. The cause of the charging issues is unknown, but other customers successfully charged their EVs that day.

FutureCar Staff Aug 25, 2023 10:01 AM PT

A Canadian man and his family recently encountered charging troubles with their electric truck, forcing them to complete their road trip in a petrol-powered car. The man, Dalbir Bala, was traveling from Manitoba, Canada to Chicago in his six-month-old 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat with an extended-range battery. The vehicle, purchased for $115,000, had been fully charged before they left home and had planned stops for recharging along the way.

However, their problems began in Albertville, Minnesota, where they encountered a "faulty connection" error message from the fast charger. They continued to Elk River, but the charger there also failed to work. Frustrated and with only 15 kilometers of battery life remaining, the family had to abandon the electric truck in Minnesota and rent a petrol-powered Toyota 4Runner to reach their destination.

Bala expressed his frustration, calling eco-friendly vehicles "the biggest scam of modern times." He had bought the electric truck to offset his fuel costs, which had become quite high. However, he had faced previous issues with the vehicle, including a minor accident that required months to repair. Despite having installed chargers at home and the office, he found the electric truck to be inconvenient for anything other than city driving.

In response to the incident, Ford of Canada stated that actual driving range can vary based on various factors, including external conditions and vehicle maintenance. They also mentioned the ongoing development of public charging infrastructure in the US and Canada. However, James Hart, the President of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, acknowledged similar situations where users had to contact charger operators for a reset.

Bala believes that the government should provide consumers with better information regarding electric vehicles. Meanwhile, Ford claims to have a charging network that includes thousands of fast chargers, Tesla superchargers, and chargers at dealerships.