RV Trailer Towing With F-150 Lightning - Considerations & Discussions

[EaglesPDX]

Ford is sending out teams to monitor, test, and repair charging stations that are included in the "blue oval" charging network.

Here’s the OR/WA/ID EA repairman, not from Ford.



In talking to the EA repairman (here working on the 350kW charger at 10 bank EA at the mail in back of the local Ford dealership) occasional component failure Is his main fix job.

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[jefro]

I still don't get how Ford could even legally touch any EV charger that is owned by other companies. The Ford charge network is just a collection of commercial chargers and Ford just has an app like plugshare.

I could see them maybe testing them is all or doing a visual check.

 

[astricklin]

I still don't get how Ford could even legally touch any EV charger that is owned by other companies. The Ford charge network is just a collection of commercial chargers and Ford just has an app like plugshare.

I could see them maybe testing them is all or doing a visual check.

Ok so they call ea and get them to come repair it.

Ford has entered into a legal agreement of some sort with these companies to create the 'blue oval' network, and we don't know the details of this agreement. Ford could damn well be contracting repair persons authorized by EA or whomever to do the repairs. Maybe Ford has said, hey EA we're not happy with how your network is going and we are willing to pay for repairs. We don't know. Ford certainly has deeper pockets than most of the charging network companies and has a very vested interest in the customer experience especially as the lightning makes it's way to customers

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Ford and VAG are both clearly unhappy with how the EA rollout is going, but are not able to control everything. They get that their future depends on this getting fixed, and that unlike Tesla, they don't own the entire solution, or even the hammer that could smash through the issues - like Tesla did with its few initial Supercharger glitches. We do need to give EA some grace due to the multi-platform complexity - but they don't get a lot of runway because consumer expectations are rightly set by experience with ICE fueling and stories from those of us with Tesla Supercharging - when there is ANY level of fail, if is amplified. It isn't just an inconvenience when a charger is down or in use - which is why Tesla created system sto let you know status in advance, and others have copied - but nowhere near as well - so you cannot see in a Ford what is really happening at an EA location on a real time basis - leading to exacerbation of many of the reported fails - how do you plan around a charger that isn't working when you don't know it? - with Tesla, in that rare instance, you can. Hopefully EA, Ford et al will keep refining this in their apps and communications.

All of this is reminiscent of 2014 in the Tesla world. I never believed that DelMarva would see a Supercharger even though the 2014 Tesla location map showed four "future" Supercharge sites. Now we have all four sites in DelMarVa PLUS another (and many more Tesla destination chargers). EA has none built AND their map shows none planned. That is a total fail. How can their network be a thing on the east coast when there's no high speed DC charging anywhere the main routes between the Delaware/Maryland beaches and DC/Baltimore on the eastern shore side? Literally not one by EA. Plenty of Walmarts over there... Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury, New Castle, Dover, Seaford, Georgetown, Rehobeth, Berlin, Ocean City... but no sign of EA

 

[jefro]

My i3 used to show chargers on it's nav but it too was not a real collection of BMW chargers. Ford is just a collection of commercial chargers so far. It might at some point own some.

 

[EaglesPDX]

Ford and VAG are both clearly unhappy with how the EA rollout

Doesn't seem to be any evidence of that.

The main stream EV testers (Out of Spec and others) have all done trips, many long trips, using EA and they quickly figure it out and no issues. That Kia6 and Taycan both beat Tesla in charging time on long road trips due FASTER charging at Electrify America provides evidence that EA net work is robust and equal to Tesla in areas they concentrated in covering 70% of US population.

Kia Beats Tesla: EV6 Sets Charging Record In Journey Across U.S. The Kia EV6 spent several hours less on charging on a route from New York City to Los Angeles.

A Porsche Taycan Just Beat Tesla for the Fastest EV Cannonball Run Record

These six F150EV's pull in an all start charging no issues.

The above six F150's were interesting as they just pull into a DC EA station and start charging, no issues and just 189 miles from Pungoteague, Virginia.

Those of here who actually use EA have no issues when we need a charge and that on a mix of EV's, Tesla, Jaguar and Ford.

In talking to the EA repairman (see above pic of Rick Durst at work), an electrical contractor, repair work is such that three states, WA, OR and ID, don't have that much work. Interestingly, also met the Tesla repair main who has the same coverage area as the EA repairman. And the number of down chargers seems to match for both.

 

[Blainestang]

Doesn't seem to be any evidence of that.

The main stream EV testers (Out of Spec and others) have all done trips, many long trips, using EA and they quickly figure it out and no issues.

They don't have "no issues." Kyle @ Out of Spec still says Tesla's network is substantially better. He said it's "the easiest, best charging experience on road trips" just a few days ago in his comparison of the Model Y, Mach E, etc. He says he's still worried that his parents might run into a non-working charging stations on a trip because they have an ID.4. Start at the ~35 minute mark or so in that video if you want to hear it for yourself. If there were "no issues", he wouldn't be worried for his parents.

EA is definitely much better than many Tesla superfans give it credit for, but it also doesn't have "no issues" once you "quickly figure it out".

 

[EaglesPDX]

They don't have "no issues."

Neither does Tesla.

Fact remains Kyle/OutofSpec has done two TIMED cross country runs using non-Tesla's and EA chargers and beaten out Tesla and Tesla chargers.

Someone made claims of Ford and VW "dissatisfaction" with no evidence while there was already a lot of evidence to the contrary.

 

[Blainestang]

Neither does Tesla.

I never otherwise.

You claimed "no issues" and cited Out of Spec Motoring. I showed where Out of Spec Motoring disagrees with you.

Fact remains Kyle/OutofSpec has done two TIMED cross country runs using non-Tesla's and EA chargers and beaten out Tesla and Tesla chargers.

The new Plaid crushed both of those records, but yeah, the CCS network is pretty good now, like I said. I was responding to the "no issues" claim, specifically.

Someone made claims of Ford and VW "dissatisfaction" with no evidence while there was already a lot of evidence to the contrary.

You already responded to that. I was responding to your "no issues" claim.

 

[EaglesPDX]

You claimed "no issues" and cited Out of Spec Motoring.

Correct. Kyle noted they has issues going out as they did not know how to operate the EA chargers. No issues coming back when they figured it out.

Same on Kia EV6 run.,

Two tests of availability and charging speed and EA beat Tesla in both.

Again to the point of someone's idea that VW and Ford had issues with EA, no evidence of it.

All evidence points to a EA as a dependable, fast public charging system that F150EV owners can depend on.

 

[Blainestang]

Correct. Kyle noted they has issues going out as they did not know how to operate the EA chargers. No issues coming back when they figured it out.

Same on Kia EV6 run.,

Two tests of availability and charging speed and EA beat Tesla in both.

No. Now you're trying to pretend like you were only talking about "no issues" on those two particular drives. That's NOT what you claimed. You claimed that "Out of Spec and others" have done "many long trips" and that "they quickly figure it out and no issues."

Further, you're wrong about the EV6 run. It beat a 2015 Tesla run. It did NOT beat the current Tesla record-holder for total cross-country time nor even charging time (6hr 31mins for Tesla, 7hr 10mins for EV6). It is a Guinness World Record holder, but only because nobody else has bothered to have Guinness certify their records since that 2015 Tesla run.

Also, the Porsche record was set DESPITE the charging issues they experienced, which required them to "have Porsche and EA engineers on speed dial" for the trip.

Again to the point of someone's idea that VW and Ford had issues with EA, no evidence of it.

Again, I already said I wasn't commenting on that at all. No reason to keep bringing it up as if I was.

All evidence points to a EA as a dependable, fast public charging system that F150EV owners can depend on.

I was commenting on your "no issues" claim. I'm planning to buy a Lighting and use it for trips, so I believe it's a pretty good network. But it doesn't have "no issues" once you "figure it out", as claimed.

 

[EaglesPDX]

You claimed that "Out of Spec and others" have done "many long trips" and that "they quickly figure it out and no issues."

Which is correct. As OOS noted, no issues once they figured out the routine. Had there been issues neither the Porsche nor the Kia would have beaten the Teslas, which they did, and EA charging system would not have beaten the Tesla charging system, which it did.

Good news for F150 EV owners Who will be using the EA system.

 

[Blainestang]

Which is correct. As OOS noted, no issues once they figured out the routine. Had there been issues neither the Porsche nor the Kia would have beaten the Teslas, which they did, and EA charging system would not have beaten the Tesla charging system, which it did.

Good news for F150 EV owners Who will be using the EA system.

There are still substantial issues even when people "figure out the routine", as evidenced by the VERY recent comments from Kyle at Out of Spec.

The person you keep citing disagrees with your claim of "no issues once they figure out the routine."

He has also said recently that he likes road-tripping CCS cars for the challenge. Road tripping Teslas is almost too easy, now, in comparison.

Had there been issues neither the Porsche nor the Kia would have beaten the Teslas, which they did, and EA charging system would not have beaten the Tesla charging system, which it did.

Please re-read my previous post. The Porsche absolutely "had issues" and set a great time despite those issues by having EA and Porsche engineers on speed dial.

The Kia "beat" a 2015 Tesla's record. It did not beat either the total time (not even close) nor charging time of the current Tesla recordholder (6h31m vs 7h10m).

EA is getting quite good. It should be pretty good for many use cases with the Lighting. It does not, however, have "no issues" once people "figure out the routine."

 

[ilkhan]

The first generation 2022 Lightning is full of limitations. If you cannot accept all of these then wait or buy something else. We used to call a purchase like this "The Bleeding Edge".
...
Somebody tell me how wrong headed I am.

I dont disagree with you, but I also know that buying a lightning will be severely limiting in the ways you mentioned. I fully plan on pickup a super duty in 2024-2025'ish to use for RVing, once we have our second kid and they've grown a little to enjoy the outdoors more.

Even a smaller RV suitable for a full family to be comfortable on a long trip (we'll be doing 3-5k mile loops staying out for a month or two at a time) won't be very feasible with a Lightning.

But like you say, it'll be a great DD and complement to something more suitable for towing heavy trailers around.

 

[jefro]

Buc-ees (Travel center company) is putting in a number of Tesla Superchargers. Hopefully they will put in some ability to both pull through and allow CCS adapters. That way one might do like ice do, go in, use restroom, wander store, buy chopped beef sandwich and maybe by then you'd have a bit of charge to keep moving.

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