Ford has revealed the upcoming Fathom, a sub-$30,000 electric pickup truck scheduled for release next year that functions as a home backup battery out of the box. Traditional vehicle-to-home systems require DC power from the electric vehicle to pass through a wallbox-mounted inverter to convert into usable AC power for a house. However, the Fathom features an integrated inverter built directly into the vehicle.
A Different Approach to Electric Trucks
According to Ars Technica, the market is seeing two distinct affordable electric trucks emerge simultaneously from very different automakers. One option is a bare-bones two-door vehicle from a startup called the Blank Slate, which avoids features like touchscreens, onboard modems, and infotainment systems. In contrast, the Ford Fathom represents a traditional Detroit automaker adapting strategies inspired by low-cost Chinese electric vehicles.
While the Ford Fathom carries a $5,000 higher price tag than the Slate, it includes an extra pair of doors, electric windows, an infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and access to an extensive dealership network for vehicle maintenance.
