Future Battery Upgrades?

[The Weatherman]

Sorry if this subject has been covered elsewhere. I have searched and didn’t see anything. A link to that thread would gladly be accepted.

Otherwise, here’s the question to the collective:

With the advancements in this battery technology moving forward at light speed and the competition coming out with superior range capability, What’s the likelihood that our early Lightnings will have an option (expensive one no doubt) to upgrade and gain additional range?

Thoughts, Opinions or Insight?

Sponsored

 

[MickeyAO]

Sorry if this subject has been covered elsewhere. I have searched and didn’t see anything. A link to that thread would gladly be accepted.

Otherwise, here’s the question to the collective:

With the advancements in this battery technology moving forward at light speed and the competition coming out with superior range capability, What’s the likelihood that our early Lightnings will have an option (expensive one no doubt) to upgrade and gain additional range?

Thoughts, Opinions or Insight?

Doubtful.

There is a lot of work in the verification process for a new battery to be used in a vehicle. You need to drop a lot of packs, submerge a lot of packs, short circuit a lot of packs, put a BUNCH of packs into thermal runaway, crush a lot of packs, shake a lot of packs, thermal shock a lot of packs, etc.

I figure that if EVERY test goes perfectly and passes all the criteria, you are looking at well a couple of hundred packs. If something fails, you redesign and start over on all the tests.

I do this for a living (check my bio) and we are working on packs that will be introduced in a couple of years. I blow up so many packs that I have a backlog processing the hazardous waste iaw the CFRs

 

[COrocket]

It’ll most likely depend on how long Ford produces the Lightning in its current form before going to a clean sheet EV design, which will most likely use different battery dimensions and make retrofits impossible. However, if they decide to keep the current frame design around for another generation and come out with a bigger pack to compete with the Ram REV/Cybertruck, it might be possible for a hefty sum of money.

If you look at an EV platform like the Model S that has been around for a decade, some of the original cars had 60 or 85 kWh batteries and a few eventually needed to be replaced (most under warranty). By that point, Tesla no longer built packs that small, so retrofitting an up to date and higher capacity new/refurb battery of at least equal capacity (75-100kwh) was their solution instead of warehousing old packs for warranty spares. But the key to that plan was the Model S chassis going unchanged besides minor suspension tweaks for a very long time.

So it could be a thing in the future, but I certainly wouldn’t count on it. It’ll all depend on how Ford plans to support their vehicles.

 

[biers]

I would be happy if I could someday replace my degraded SR pack for a ER. Extra HP with the right programming. I can live with the 48A onboard.

However, I’m sure it will be cheaper to just sell it and get something else by then.

There is an independent shop in Portland, OR that has figured out how to swap batteries from the newest Leaf into any of the older models. Great service to offer and keep cars on the road longer.

 

[lightspeed]

No doubt eventually there will be a big industry of repairing and replacing old batteries. And when batteries get below $50/kWh, the Lighting battery will cost $7000 to replace and they might even have larger options. But I doubt we'll see this being mainstream for 10+ years.

 

[detansinn]

Battery tech is not advancing at “light speed”. We won’t see a substantial shift until solid state batteries can be produced cost effectively at scale — likely a decade away.

 

[queuewho]

Only thing you can really hope for is if inside 8 years or 100k miles, you have an SR and you need a warranty replacement, and they only keep ER batteries in stock for those, and you end up with that as your replacement.

 

[Pioneer74]

It’ll most likely depend on how long Ford produces the Lightning in its current form before going to a clean sheet EV design, which will most likely use different battery dimensions and make retrofits impossible.

The next generation Lightning is a clean sheet design and will not use the current Lightning frame. The current Lightning frame is a compromise to make the Lightning work with the ICE truck body. The next gen ICE truck won't even use their current frame when redesigned for 2026.

 

[Maxx]

If they sell enough Lightnings before new gen kicks in, independent shops may think of something.

 

[RickLightning]

Zero likelihood.

There is a chance that Ford will increase the AVAILABLE size over time. I believe the ER battery is 143.3kWh, of which 131 is usable. So there is 12.3kWh held by Ford. On the Mach-E, it shipped with 88kWh, which was upgraded to 91kWh, of the actual 98kWh.

 

[lakeguy55]

I'm one who keeps my vehicles until they don't run anymore, and I don't put in a lot of mileage on an annual basis. So it's a safe bet that I will be covered by the 8-year warranty for the full duration. My theory (based on no facts, just my opinion), it that at some point Ford may either replace my packs with better ones, or make me an offer I can't refuse to retire the vehicle. As others have said, I think the technology will continue to advance by leaps and bounds. As some point it will be cheaper for Ford to retrofit older packs with new technology rather than trying to continue to repair them.

 

[RickLightning]

I'm one who keeps my vehicles until they don't run anymore, and I don't put in a lot of mileage on an annual basis. So it's a safe bet that I will be covered by the 8-year warranty for the full duration. My theory (based on no facts, just my opinion), it that at some point Ford may either replace my packs with better ones, or make me an offer I can't refuse to retire the vehicle. As others have said, I think the technology will continue to advance by leaps and bounds. As some point it will be cheaper for Ford to retrofit older packs with new technology rather than trying to continue to repair them.

Remember that the warranty is 70% or more at 8 years / 100,000 miles.

So, if it's at 65%, Ford simply releases 5% or more of the capacity (which they hold) and you're at 70% or greater, and the warranty commitment is met.

 

[The Weatherman]

I'm one who keeps my vehicles until they don't run anymore, and I don't put in a lot of mileage on an annual basis. So it's a safe bet that I will be covered by the 8-year warranty for the full duration. My theory (based on no facts, just my opinion), it that at some point Ford may either replace my packs with better ones, or make me an offer I can't refuse to retire the vehicle. As others have said, I think the technology will continue to advance by leaps and bounds. As some point it will be cheaper for Ford to retrofit older packs with new technology rather than trying to continue to repair them.

I’m the same way when it comes to long term ownership and I hope your right on the technology upgrade in the future.

 

[Henry Ford]

I'm planning on a Coyote swap when my battery dies.

 

[lakeguy55]

Remember that the warranty is 70% or more at 8 years / 100,000 miles.

So, if it's at 65%, Ford simply releases 5% or more of the capacity (which they hold) and you're at 70% or greater, and the warranty commitment is met.

Which I would be ok with. If the batteries are still working at 70% after 8 years, that would be ok. I could still use the truck as desired and intended.

Sponsored