Forced to abandon $115k electric truck on family road trip

author: FutureCar Staff    

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. This incident led the man, Dalbir Bala, to express his frustration and criticize eco-friendly vehicles as "the biggest scam of modern times."

Bala, who resides in Manitoba, Canada, embarked on a journey to Chicago in his six-month-old 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat with an extended-range battery. He had purchased the vehicle in January for $115,000 (around £90,600) excluding tax.

Accompanied by his wife and three children, Bala initially set off with a fully-charged battery and planned stops to recharge along the way. However, their troubles began in Albertville, Minnesota, where they encountered a "faulty connection" error message from the fast charger. They proceeded to Elk River, approximately 15 minutes away, but the charger there also failed to work.

As a result, Bala and his family were compelled to abandon their electric truck in Minnesota on July 27th. Bala described the situation as a "nightmare frustration," leaving them hungry and disheartened. With only 15 kilometers of battery life remaining, the truck was towed to a local Ford dealership, and the family rented a Toyota 4Runner to reach their destination, Chicago.

The reason behind the charging issues remains unknown, as other customers successfully charged their electric vehicles at both stations that day. Bala also mentioned a previous incident where he had a minor collision, resulting in a six-month delay for repairs on the vehicle's front bumper.

Bala had purchased the Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat to offset his fuel costs, which had reached up to $1.5K per month (around £1,180). He had installed chargers at both his office and home and had to upgrade his domestic electric panel as well.

Upon his return journey, Bala picked up his electric truck but now only uses it for his daily commute. He expressed disappointment that he cannot utilize it for trips to his lake cabin or off-grid camping, stating that he can only drive it within the city.

In response to the incident, Megan Joakim of Ford of Canada explained that the actual driving range of electric vehicles can vary based on external conditions, vehicle use, and maintenance. She also mentioned the ongoing development of public charging infrastructure in the U.S. and Canada as electric vehicle sales increase.

James Hart, the President of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, shared a different perspective, citing situations similar to Bala's where customers have had to contact charger operators for a reset. Bala emphasized the need for the government to provide consumers with accurate information regarding electric vehicles.

FutureCar Staff