Man abandons $115k Ford electric truck on family road trip

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【Summary】A Canadian man and his family were forced to abandon their $115k Ford electric truck during a road trip due to charging troubles. After encountering faulty chargers in Minnesota, they had to finish their journey in a petrol-powered car. The man called eco-friendly vehicles "the biggest scam of modern times" and expressed frustration with the lack of charging infrastructure. The incident highlights the need for improved charging networks and better information for consumers.

FutureCar Staff Aug 17, 2023 9:56 AM PT

Man abandons $115k Ford electric truck on family road trip

A Canadian man and his family recently encountered charging troubles with their electric truck during a road trip, resulting in them having to switch to 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. However, in Albertville, Minnesota, they experienced a "faulty connection" error message from the fast charger. They tried another charger in Elk River, but it didn't work either. Frustrated, they were forced to abandon the electric truck in Minnesota and rent a Toyota 4Runner to continue their journey.

Bala expressed his frustration, stating that they were stuck, hungry, and heartbroken. The truck was towed to a local Ford dealership with only 15 kilometers of battery remaining. It is unclear why the truck wouldn't charge, as other customers were able to successfully charge their electric vehicles at the same stations that day. Bala had previously experienced delays in getting a small repair done on the truck, which took six months to fix.

Bala had purchased the electric truck to offset his fuel costs, which had become quite high. He installed chargers at his office and home and had to upgrade his electric panel. However, his experience with the truck has been disappointing. He can only use it for his daily commute and is unable to take it on trips to his lake cabin or for off-grid camping. He referred to eco-friendly vehicles as "the biggest scam of modern times."

In response to the incident, Ford stated that actual driving range for electric vehicles can vary depending on various factors. They also mentioned the development of public charging infrastructure 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 4,000 fast chargers at dealerships. However, James Hart, the President of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, mentioned situations where customers had to contact charger operators to reset the chargers.

Bala believes that the government should provide consumers with accurate information about electric vehicles. Despite his negative experience, he hopes that charging infrastructure will continue to improve to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles.