Forced to abandon $115k Ford electric truck during family road trip

author: FutureCar Staff    

A Canadian man and his family recently encountered charging troubles with their electric truck, leading them to complete their road trip in a petrol-powered car. This experience has caused the man, Dalbir Bala, to express his frustration and label eco-friendly vehicles as "the biggest scam of modern times."

Bala, who resides in Manitoba, Canada, embarked on a journey from his home to Chicago in his six-month-old 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat with an extended-range battery. He purchased the vehicle for $115,000 (around £90600) excluding tax in January.

Initially, Bala's wife and three children joined him for the ride, with a fully-charged battery and three planned stops for recharging. The first stop went smoothly, but 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 encountered another non-functional charger.

Due to these charging issues, Bala and his family were compelled to abandon their electric truck in Minnesota on July 27. Bala described the situation as a "nightmare frustration" for them. 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 in Chicago.

The cause of the charging problems 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 accident, resulting in a need for repairs on the truck's front bumper. However, he claims that it took six months to resolve the issue.

Bala initially purchased the Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat to offset his fuel costs, which had reached up to $1.5K per month (around £1180). He was impressed by the electric vehicle's new technology and installed chargers at his office and home, even upgrading his domestic electric panel.

However, the recent charging troubles have severely impacted Bala's perception of electric vehicles. He now only uses the truck for his daily commute, as he finds it unsuitable for trips to his lake cabin, off-grid camping, or even road trips. He strongly believes that electric vehicles are a "scam" and called for the government to provide consumers with accurate information.

In response to the situation, Megan Joakim of Ford of Canada stated that the actual driving range of electric vehicles can vary depending on various factors, including external conditions, vehicle use, and maintenance. She also mentioned the ongoing development of public charging infrastructure in the United States and Canada as electric vehicle sales increase.

Ford claims to have a charging network that includes 10,000 fast chargers, along with 12,000 Tesla superchargers and an additional 4,000 fast chargers at dealerships. James Hart, the President of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, offered a different perspective, mentioning instances where individuals have had to contact charger operators to reset the charging stations.

FutureCar Staff