Farley & Ford Execs Traveling the American West in F-150 Lightning

[GuyInVA]

Seems Farley and others will find out about the challenges of charging on the road. Sort of hope he has challenges rather than an easy time...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/august-america-heading-out-road-jim-farley/

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[Peddyr]

Sort of hope he has challenges rather than an easy time...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/august-america-heading-out-road-jim-farley/

Never happen. They'll use PlugShare to make sure he avoids the various EA chargers that are broken or charge at a low rate.

 

[Zprime29]

I think they already know, and is part of why Ford was first in line to broker a deal with Tesla. Will be interesting to see how this trip pans out. EA's CEO trip was a bit disappointing. We need the big dogs to highlight just how bad things can get. Send him to Quartzsite, AZ!!

 

[sotek2345]

Never happen. They'll use PlugShare to make sure he avoids the various EA chargers that are broken or charge at a low rate.

Let's hope (or not) they are very experienced with Plugshare and know to dig back through the actual text of the reviews. I have had plenty of issues at charging stops rated a '10'.

 

[Zprime29]

Let's hope (or not) they are very experienced with Plugshare and know to dig back through the actual text of the reviews. I have had plenty of issues at charging stops rated a '10'.

I don't want to derail this thread, but what's considered good feedback when adding a "check in" on PlugShare? Is there a thread already for what people look for or consider helpful? I usually just remark on the charger that I'm using and the speed I'm getting. I've seen some that basically update the status of every unit at the location.

 

[sotek2345]

I don't want to derail this thread, but what's considered good feedback when adding a "check in" on PlugShare? Is there a thread already for what people look for or consider helpful? I usually just remark on the charger that I'm using and the speed I'm getting. I've seen some that basically update the status of every unit at the location.

I typically note any problems I have had before I was able to get a charge going. Something like

Station 2 was unable to initiate a charge. Station 3 is derated and only charging at 30kW. Currently charging at station 4 but it took multiple attempts to initialize.

If it works the first time (rare) then I just do what you said.

 

[Silenze]

Give him a standard range truck. Make him suffer

 

[Tony Burgh]

I wonder if he‘s an Early Access Program member with Charge Assist.

 

[GDN]

They probably have 20 people running down chargers and ensuring they are working well to keep the press as good as it can be.

Years ago after the first couple of 48 state Cannonball runs in a Tesla Kyle Conner was going to set off to challenge the record in a Taycan. I believe he set the record, but only because they reached out to EA and gave them their route and timing and EA worked with them to ensure the chargers would be working.

Seems that since then EA hasn't seemed to care, and they may not now either since Farley has swung the bandwagon moving to NACS.

 

[MacMike]

I just completed a trip around the USA with my Lightning. Started in Texas with my friend and hit 44 states. Used EA for charging on the whole trip. Used 2 non EA charges on the trip. One was at a Ford dealer between Phoenix and Las Vegas to add a few miles to make it to LV. It was a level 2 and took an hour while we ate lunch.The next charge was at the Best Western Airport location in LV which had a charger in the parking lot at the front door. All in all I would rate EA a 4 out of 10 due to all the problems stated in various threads about EA! Those Tesla adapters can't come soon enough. I did this trip just to prove to my friends that long trips can be done in EVs if one is not on a timetable. In my case my friend and I are retired and had as much time as we needed although my friend's wife was glad to have him back home. The trip took 3 weeks and added 10,000 miles to the odometer. The Lightning ran flawlessly!

 

[vandy1981]

I wonder if he‘s an Early Access Program member with Charge Assist.

Shhh! You're not supposed to talk about that program .

 

[Tony Burgh]

Shhh! You're not supposed to talk about that program .

Ooops. My bad.

 

[Joneii]

I don't want to derail this thread, but what's considered good feedback when adding a "check in" on PlugShare? Is there a thread already for what people look for or consider helpful? I usually just remark on the charger that I'm using and the speed I'm getting. I've seen some that basically update the status of every unit at the location.

I think it is important to log any issues that prevented you from charging on a particular unit as “could not charge. “ Do this even if you do eventually find a unit that allows you to charge at that location. So, for example, if I show up to a location and the first unit I approach is out of service, I log it as a “could not charge”. Then I move to a second unit and it only produces 34 kW—“could not charge”. I move to a third unit and have a successful charge, but at a derated rate of 112 on a 350 kW unit—I log it as successful, but note the derated charging rate. This ensures that your failed attempts show up red and lower the location’s score. If you just write about all your problems in the comments the station keeps a perfect score and someone just glancing at the Plugshare will see a 10 with green reviews and think there are no issues (of course anyone who has used EA enough knows a unicorn is magical and hard to find).

 

[sotek2345]

I think it is important to log any issues that prevented you from charging on a particular unit as “could not charge. “ Do this even if you do eventually find a unit that allows you to charge at that location. So, for example, if I show up to a location and the first unit I approach is out of service, I log it as a “could not charge”. Then I move to a second unit and it only produces 34 kW—“could not charge”. I move to a third unit and have a successful charge, but at a derated rate of 112 on a 350 kW unit—I log it as successful, but note the derated charging rate. This ensures that your failed attempts show up red and lower the location’s score. If you just write about all your problems in the comments the station keeps a perfect score and someone just glancing at the Plugshare will see a 10 with green reviews and think there are no issues (of course anyone who has used EA enough knows a unicorn is magical and hard to find).

That is a good strategy, I will start doing that.

 

[Maxx]

I just completed a trip around the USA with my Lightning. Started in Texas with my friend and hit 44 states. Used EA for charging on the whole trip. Used 2 non EA charges on the trip. One was at a Ford dealer between Phoenix and Las Vegas to add a few miles to make it to LV. It was a level 2 and took an hour while we ate lunch.The next charge was at the Best Western Airport location in LV which had a charger in the parking lot at the front door. All in all I would rate EA a 4 out of 10 due to all the problems stated in various threads about EA! Those Tesla adapters can't come soon enough. I did this trip just to prove to my friends that long trips can be done in EVs if one is not on a timetable. In my case my friend and I are retired and had as much time as we needed although my friend's wife was glad to have him back home. The trip took 3 weeks and added 10,000 miles to the odometer. The Lightning ran flawlessly!

Thanks for sharing. Big battery pack I assume?

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