Forced to Abandon $115k Ford Electric Truck

author: FutureCar Staff    

A Canadian man and his family recently encountered charging troubles with their electric truck, leading them to abandon it and 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. The vehicle, purchased for $115,000, had an extended-range battery.

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

With no other options, Bala and his family were forced to leave the electric truck in Minnesota and continue their journey in a rented Toyota 4Runner. Bala expressed his frustration, stating that they were stuck, hungry, and heartbroken. The truck was towed to a local Ford dealership, where it remains.

The cause of the charging issue is still unknown, as other customers successfully charged their electric vehicles at the same stations that day. Bala had previously experienced delays in getting his truck repaired after a minor accident, which he claims required only light assembly on the front bumper. He had purchased the electric truck to offset his fuel costs, which had reached up to $1.5K per month.

Bala had installed chargers at his office and home and upgraded his domestic electric panel. However, he now feels limited in using the electric truck and believes it is only suitable for city driving. He described eco-friendly vehicles as the "biggest scam of modern times."

In response to the incident, Megan Joakim of Ford of Canada explained that driving range can vary due to external factors and vehicle maintenance. She also mentioned the ongoing development of public charging infrastructure as electric vehicle sales increase. Ford claims to have a charging network that includes 10,000 fast chargers, 12,000 Tesla superchargers, and an additional 4,000 fast chargers at dealerships.

James Hart, President of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, acknowledged that situations like Bala's have occurred before, sometimes requiring a reset of the charger by the charger operator. Bala emphasized the need for the government to provide consumers with accurate information about electric vehicles.

FutureCar Staff