[Updated With First Details] I'm Attending Lightning Official Launch Event

[DrZoidberg]

First I have heard anything like that, where did you get that information?

somene who is attending the even in MI

Sponsored

 

[gorwell]

did confirm that the EPA range estimates are intentionally conservative

So ford is lying? Gotcha....

They are not conservative. Especially with how most people consider "range", i.e., highway miles.

Unless Ford has an extra 10 to 20% of battery capacity it's going to unlock, range expectations are simple math problems...

Best case highway @ 70mph in ideal conditions:

131x2.33 = 305 miles.

That's using rivian's efficiency number, which ford won't get as it's a bit bigger. EPA suggets ford is around 4%ish less efficient than rivian. So around 290. Which is still good. Also assumes you're getting all that battery out of a charge.

Going faster than 70mph?

@ 75mph range around 270 (7% decrease)
@ 80mph range around 246 (15% decrease)

Those decreases are what Tesla's average. A truck would be worse than a Tesla at higher speeds (larger frontal area), so those are conservative.

Is ford talking about adding up all those Grocery store pick ups down the street? Then yes, the range is conservative. Could probably get close to 400 miles per charge.

 

[adoublee]

range expectations are simple math problems...

Simply not true. You don't even know what variables you don't know about.

 

[Sklith]

Not sure where you got 360 Wh/mi, but it is closer to 325 (88kWhrs for 270 miles). That would mean the Lightning would be about 26 percent less efficient.

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/43603.shtml
I’m actually seeing 370Wh/mi

 

[sotek2345]

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/43603.shtml
I’m actually seeing 370Wh/mi

Those numbers include charging losses through the EVSE and onboard charger - so it is plug to wheel, not battery to wheel. That accounts for roughly 15% loss. Battery to wheel is more efficient.

 

[hturnerfamily]

if the LIGHTNING is anything like my 2015 Nissan Leaf, which will put you in your place when you floor it, I can only imagine my SMILE when I do this the first time in my new LIGHTNING.....

until you've driven a full EV, you have no idea!

and, yes, I agree with the assumption that the battery 'mileage' will actually be better for most of us than the EPA rating, as it is in many vehicles - my 'old' Ford Focus got much more than it's rating, and maybe a lot of that is attributed to my conservation driving style. I'm o.k. with that, and that's why, along with already owning TWO full EVs and a new PHEV, I have no issues with a new Truck which gets 'at least' 230 miles....

 

[Sklith]

Those numbers include charging losses through the EVSE and onboard charger - so it is plug to wheel, not battery to wheel. That accounts for roughly 15% loss. Battery to wheel is more efficient.

No, this is not true in the slightest. The 325 number you're getting must be from a single motor variant without the extended battery.

 

[sotek2345]

if the LIGHTNING is anything like my 2015 Nissan Leaf, which will put you in your place when you floor it, I can only imagine my SMILE when I do this the first time in my new LIGHTNING.....

until you've driven a full EV, you have no idea!

and, yes, I agree with the assumption that the battery 'mileage' will actually be better for most of us than the EPA rating, as it is in many vehicles - my 'old' Ford Focus got much more than it's rating, and maybe a lot of that is attributed to my conservation driving style. I'm o.k. with that, and that's why, along with already owning TWO full EVs and a new PHEV, I have no issues with a new Truck which gets 'at least' 230 miles....

The Lightning should be significantly faster than your Leaf - almost twice as much acceleration for the ER version.

I can only imagine that folks thinking cars like the Leaf accelerate hard have never really driven a performance ICE vehicle. EVs do have good low end torque, but a compliance commuter like a Leaf is still a slow vehicle by modern standards. We test drove a base AWD Mach-e before we got our GT. It was OK, but nothing to write home about. and that car was still quite a bit faster than your Leaf.

 

[sotek2345]

No, this is not true in the slightest. The 325 number you're getting must be from a single motor variant without the extended battery.

No.....270 Mile is the rated range for the ER AWD variant (GT even) with an 88kWhr (usable) battery pack. 88000/270 = ~325wH/mi. (ok 326)

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Here I am right after my test ride... Holding my stomach... from all the G-Force.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

if the LIGHTNING is anything like my 2015 Nissan Leaf, which will put you in your place when you floor it, I can only imagine my SMILE when I do this the first time in my new LIGHTNING.....

until you've driven a full EV, you have no idea!

While I'm not supposed to give specific details about certain parts of the driving experience, one thing I can say is that it's expected because it's an EV, but unexpected in something that big and heavy.

Before yesterday, every time I've experienced speed it was in a vehicle that's smaller, lighter, and lower to the ground. Having that kind of acceleration and handling in something that large feels entirely unique.

Your sense of what's possible makes a massive shift in another direction.

 

[Sam James]

Here I am right after my test ride... Holding my stomach... from all the G-Force.

I don't feel bad for your stomach at all, you lucky bastard.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

I don't feel bad for your stomach at all, you lucky bastard.

Truth be told. I had to eventually ask the driver to slow down because I just had lunch and the entire ride blew my mind... and really did shake things up in my belly.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

My first addon purchase already was one of those silencers

That's how I used to feel. But my '09 Escape Hybrid doesn't make any noise and I quickly learned that in parking lots ... people walk down the middle of an aisle and wont get out of the way because they can't hear the car ... at all.

So not only do I welcome the sound ... I wish it were louder.

This one ... could be useful.

 

[LightningShow]

No, this is not true in the slightest. The 325 number you're getting must be from a single motor variant without the extended battery.

Nope, EPA Wh/mi (or kWh/100mi) ratings include charging losses. The manufacturer provides the charging loss, for the Lightning it's 15%. For the Mach-E, Ford used 13%. You can calculate it from the numbers provided on the EPA sticker.

Mach-E
Overall efficiency: 37 kWh/100mi
Driving efficiency: 32 kWh/100mi

Lightning (Lariat ER)
Overall efficiency: 48 kWh/100mi
Driving efficiency: 41 kWh/100mi

Sponsored