For a sub-$US20,000 ($27,552) price tag and a handsome 37 mpg combined fuel mileage, you can’t do much worse than the 2022 Ford Maverick. Next, it might even become a generator on wheels thanks to the Pro Power Onboard technology.
That said, it’s going to be a while before we get that technology, Muscle Cars & Trucks reports. Yes, the Ford F-150 Lightning and Hybrid both have the electrical architecture necessary to not only accept a charge but to distribute that charge to outside objects, like some of your house objects when the neighbourhood loses power.
But Ford engineering says that the company is planning to introduce that architecture to the Maverick Hybrid’s second generation — though an engineer told Muscle Cars & Trucks that this could become the norm for all vehicles:
“We’ve had conversation of some element of power to the box going to be what it is? It could be maybe not a 2.0 kW system. Maybe it is… (with a four cylinder engine) the capability is there, especially with the hybrid. That’s what we’re looking into and ideally leaning into that.”
Trevor Scott, Maverick’s marketing manager, mentioned that the 110-volt outlets in the Maverick are functional for much of your current needs — things like power tools, small generators for camping, and more. But with a more powerful output, the Maverick could achieve something similar to the F-150, which has been powering homes and weddings since it was introduced.
The 240-volt onboard outlet in the F-150 Lightning will also be capable of offering vehicle-to-vehicle charging in the near future. Will the Maverick be able to replicate that? Probably not to that extent — but it’s interesting to see that Ford is considering making the Maverick even handier than it already is.
An increase in capabilities, though, will likely come with an increase in price — which is something the current-gen Maverick model has already started succumbing to.