If there's one thing that truck enthusiasts love, it's personalizing their vehicles. Oftentimes, owners are eager to kit out their vehicle with accessories like lights or pumps for things like camping or general work duties. Ford is well aware of this, and has taken steps with its new Maverick to make installing electrical gear easier. Enter Ford's e-DIY system.
The Maverick ships with two e-DIY 12-volt power sources in the back, good for 20 amps each. Each consists of a stout two-pin connector hidden behind a blanking plate on either side of the bed. The connector can be unplugged from this plate, and hooked up to a supplied pigtail connector instead. The owner can solder up any 12-volt accessories they like to this pigtail connector without having to chop into parts of the truck's original loom. Extra Ford e-DIY pigtail connectors can be purchased from dealerships as needed.
The system has the benefit that the locking connector makes far better contact than simply adding cigarette lighter sockets to the bed of the truck. It's more suited to permanent installations, and the wiring for any accessories can all be neatly tucked away inside the body.
Ford's video on the e-DIY system goes through two typical installation scenarios. First up, it demonstrates how easy it is to hook up bed lighting using LED strips, while also showing how a small air compressor can be installed in the Maverick's bedside cubby using the second e-DIY supply. Amusingly, for the air compressor install, the hack actually does simply install a cigarette lighter socket in the cubby to run the compressor, but notwithstanding, it still shows the value of having a versatile 12-volt supply in the back.
It's a surprisingly complete guide, showing how owners can solder up accessories to the convenient pigtail connectors, even touching on how to insulate the joints properly. The guide also reminds owners to disconnect the battery prior to starting work. It could go a long way to inspiring new owners to learn how to modify their own trucks to suit their needs.
Automakers have been taking strides in recent years to embrace owners who love to lavish their vehicles in aftermarket accessories. Jeep and Ford both have models available with auxiliary switch banks as a factory option, allowing owners to easily control things like winches, lights, and radios without having to mount extra hardware to the dash.
The Maverick's e-DIY provisions are just another step down this path. Fitting an extra cable run to the back of the bed at production time is no huge expense for Ford, but makes life much easier for owners wanting to fit their own gear. It's a strong point of difference, and could sway potential new customers on the fence about choosing the Maverick over another vehicle. Paired with the truck's two available 110-volt 400-watt outlets, it provides plenty of versatility for hooking up gadgets and tools to the Maverick when on the go.
Owners looking to run a few 12-volt accessories in the bed of their Maverick will appreciate the provision of the 12-volt feeds. It saves owners having to run their own lines all the way from cigarette lighter sockets in the cabin or other sources, and turns what can be a frustrating job into a much shorter and easier one. We wouldn't be surprised if the same design spread across the Ford truck range in coming years if it proves popular with the market.
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