Freedom By Car

We always love to give our following a window into innovations and consumer trends. Let’s get up to speed with one the ultimate representation of freedom: cars.

The desire for a simpler lifestyle is growing – even post-COVID – and trends like #nomadism and #vanlife still represent independence. Cars have always represented personal freedom. While lockdowns and remote work supercharged the appeal of this lifestyle, uncertainty about future crises, climbing housing costs, as well as a growing distrust in public institutions, will push more people to hit the road. But what does that look like in a decarbonized, electrified world?

As the car industry continues the shift to electric, automakers are well-positioned to develop solutions that allow drivers to adopt more self-sufficient lifestyles. Innovating the idea of the car as an ultimate ‘freedom machine’ in the context of a sustainable, electric world.

With EVs and their battery systems, automakers can satisfy consumer demand for a sustainable, independent life. We have been writing insights about going off the grid various times. When dwellers choose for a cabin in the woods in Northern Sweden, they can hook it up to a Hyundai IONIQ5. Instead of solar energy – which wouldn’t supply much power, especially in the winter – the car’s Vehicle-To-Load function turns it into a massive power bank, providing enough electricity to power a heat pump, refrigerator, espresso machine, wifi and more.

Ford has also developed an all-electric pickup truck that can power up a home during an outage. The idea is like a battery: meaning it can charge (receive energy) and discharge (supply energy). The pickup’s Intelligent Backup Power can provide full home power for up to three days on a fully-charged battery, or for up to 10 days if power is rationed.

Car brands get consumers to make more sustainable purchases, explain how an EV could help improve their lives in ways they may not have imagined.