The Return of Dr. Frunkenstein: Ford Employee Using Halloween to Bring Electric Vehicles to Life

Ford’s Ryan McManus, manager of competitive intelligence and special strategic studies, is helping educate his community about electric vehicles and the added capabilities they offer in a unique way: He’s turning them into the spookiest decorations in his Halloween-obsessed town. And, with the exception of one local dog who continues to bark every time he passes McManus’ home, he’s done a convincing job.

McManus has been advocating for Ford’s electric vehicles in this unusual manner for three years now. The vehicles serve as a platform for frightening creations, but also as a stage to show off features like the Mega Power Frunk and Pro Power Onboard. After tricking out his Mustang Mach-E two years ago, McManus transformed his F-150 Lightning into a “monster truck” – a frightening spectacle complete with a bounty of candy set inside a set of sharp teeth lining the frunk. The intimidating mouth is accentuated by a smoke machine and strobe lighting and capped off by inflatable tentacles hanging out the windows. 

“The kids are excited, and they just get it, but the parents have questions,” he said. “They want to know about aspects such as range, charging, and towing capability. They ask if the battery is going to die while I’m running a smoke machine out of the frunk, and I tell them I could use this truck to power their house for days.” 

That often leads to further conversation about F-150 Lightning pickups being used as backup home generators during widespread power outages during storms and other topics like exportable power and bidirectional charging.

It’s alive!

McManus’ bespoke F-150 Lightning is back this year, joined by a new Mustang Mach-E Rally. The spider-looking creation, a “minor build” by his estimation, will serve as a companion to the “octopus” of the F-150 Lightning. McManus plans to leave the frunk of the Eruption Green SUV open with exposed teeth similar to his original Mustang Mach-E creation. Also, the vehicle’s integrated fog lamps will be tinted yellow like the pupils of snake eyes while inflatable spider legs spilling out of the windows will complete the look.

McManus said the electrical storm inside the frunk of the F-150 Lightning is meant to evoke Dr. Frankenstein’s use of electricity to reanimate his namesake monster. 

“It’s the same idea of electricity as this mysterious force,” he said. “It's a great traditional Halloween horror and science fiction trope that using it for electric vehicles is such a fun way to play around with the perception.”

Terrible twosome

Long lines are again expected to gather around McManus’ terrifying twosome. 

“Having a vehicle as part of your decoration in front of your home is still a novel thing,” he said. “It shows you can be creative with your vehicles and they’re not just for commuting. … Other electric vehicle owners are getting creative with their vehicles, and I think we’re just scratching the surface.”

How are you decorating your trunk or frunk? What’s the coolest setup you’ve seen this year? Submit your trunk or treat photos to the #WeAreFord topic on @BlueOvalNow!