This week, an immense 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Northern California and left 70 percent of households and businesses powerless. However, one dealership managed to defy the odds with help from two electric vehicles (EVs). Thanks to these EVs, they were able to keep the lights on in their establishment.

Harper Motors, a mainstay in Humboldt County since 1912 that sells new and used cars including EVs, proudly shared photos on its Facebook page of how it remained operational during the power outage.

The North Eureka dealership harnessed the vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature of both a Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia Niro EV to power their showroom, as well as parts department. Posting enthusiastically on Facebook, they proclaimed: “Powered by our friendly duo of a Niro EV and F150 Lightning – we’re open for sales & servicing”.

For those who need a reliable source of power, the Ford F-150 Lightning’s Pro Power Onboard offers convenience and is capable of supplying up to 9.6 kW from 11 available outlets situated around the truck, such as four 120V outlets in its trunk plus a 240V outlet located at the bed.

With the Kia Niro’s top “wave” trim level, you can access up to 1.8 kW of power from its front charging port or rear trunk for an enhanced driving experience.

It’s not the first time that EV owners have relied on their vehicles to keep homes and businesses powered during a power outage. After Hurricane Nicole struck Florida in November, an F-150 Lightning owner used his truck as a makeshift oven to help cook food for himself and his neighbor! Similarly, two Lightnings assisted with damages clean up after disastrous flooding in Kentucky occurred last August. This just demonstrates the resourcefulness of electric vehicle owners who refuse to be defeated by unfortunate circumstances.

Ford’s electrically-powered truck is capable of powering your home for days at a time with the right setup. The addition, “Ford Intelligent Backup Power,” involves minor modifications to your house’s electrical network and will yield you an effective in-house generator that activates once the power grid fails. With this option pack, Ford has made living off-the-grid simpler than ever.

This home generator is as effective and reliable as a traditional one, with the benefit of not polluting your environment or making noise. Although you’ll need to keep an eye on the battery levels, it’s no different from having to have enough fuel for an old-style generator if you want power for 24 hours straight.

Have you ever taken advantage of your EV to power your home? What has been your experience with it? We would love for you to share in the comments section below.

Source: Harper Motors (Facebook) via John Voelcker (Twitter)