I'm out after 6 months

[djwildstar]

For pre-heating, I've only heard of that being necessary on your way to public charging.

The Lightning has both preconditioning for driving and preconditioning for charging. Either way, the truck warms the battery up before you use it, so that you can get more usable energy into or out of the battery. As far as I know, there are only two ways to precondition the battery on a Lightning (Source: F-150 Lightning Owners Manual):

1. If you set a fast charger as destination on the on-board navigation, the truck will precondition the battery for charging starting about 18 miles out from the charger.
2. If you set a departure time either on the truck or through FordPass, the truck will precondition the battery for driving so that it is ready to go by your departure time.

These are the only ways to precondition the battery.

In particular:

• Using remote-start warms the cabin up, but doesn't precondition the battery for driving -- and it takes a LOT more energy to warm the battery up than it does the warm the air in the cabin.
• Similarly, if you don't have a fast charger set in the on-board navigation, the truck won't precondition for charging, even if you have the fast charger set as a destination in Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, etc.

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[JvlTed]

The Lightning has both preconditioning for driving and preconditioning for charging. Either way, the truck warms the battery up before you use it, so that you can get more usable energy into or out of the battery. As far as I know, there are only two ways to precondition the battery on a Lightning (Source: F-150 Lightning Owners Manual):

1. If you set a fast charger as destination on the on-board navigation, the truck will precondition the battery for charging starting about 18 miles out from the charger.
2. If you set a departure time either on the truck or through FordPass, the truck will precondition the battery for driving so that it is ready to go by your departure time.

These are the only ways to precondition the battery.

In particular:

• Using remote-start warms the cabin up, but doesn't precondition the battery for driving -- and it takes a LOT more energy to warm the battery up than it does the warm the air in the cabin.
• Similarly, if you don't have a fast charger set in the on-board navigation, the truck won't precondition for charging, even if you have the fast charger set as a destination in Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, etc.

Thank you for that.

Would mileage still be less?, and anybody know how much?

 

[TaxmanHog]

Thank you for that.

Would mileage still be less?, and anybody know how much?

Remote start or Departure Time while unplugged use about 1% or 1.3 KWH of energy for a 15 minute cycle.

 

[Lightning Rod]

The cold has been a bit of a rude awakening the last week for me. Cold temps + long trips at 80mph interstate speeds had the range really chopped.

Has been kind of a shocker for me as well. I'm not sure how you guys with the standard range batteries do it.

 

[TheWoo]

Has been kind of a shocker for me as well. I'm not sure how you guys with the standard range batteries do it.

Yeah, I'm an ER guy and couldn't do it with SR. Living in the middle of the country, charging infrastructure is dispersed and I have to do some long drive days, even if it isn't that often. SR would be a major pain on those days.

 

[luebri]

The Lightning has both preconditioning for driving and preconditioning for charging. Either way, the truck warms the battery up before you use it, so that you can get more usable energy into or out of the battery. As far as I know, there are only two ways to precondition the battery on a Lightning (Source: F-150 Lightning Owners Manual):

1. If you set a fast charger as destination on the on-board navigation, the truck will precondition the battery for charging starting about 18 miles out from the charger.
2. If you set a departure time either on the truck or through FordPass, the truck will precondition the battery for driving so that it is ready to go by your departure time.

These are the only ways to precondition the battery.

In particular:

• Using remote-start warms the cabin up, but doesn't precondition the battery for driving -- and it takes a LOT more energy to warm the battery up than it does the warm the air in the cabin.
• Similarly, if you don't have a fast charger set in the on-board navigation, the truck won't precondition for charging, even if you have the fast charger set as a destination in Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, etc.

This thread is a glaring example of how Ford EV'S (and assuming many EV's) have a serious education and intuitiveness problem.

The same exact term 'PRECONDITION' or "warming" as OP called it, is used interchangeably for 3 very very different functions and goals.

TERM | DESCRIPTION | GOAL/BENEFIT

1) 'PRECONDITION' | Using Ford Nav prior to DCFC | optimize battery temp to ensure battery is prepped for fastest possible DCFC session

2) 'PRECONDITION'| While plugged in using departure time schedule | optimize battery & cabin temp using charger power ("shore power") to optimize range / MPK prior to imminent drive.

3) 'PRECONDITION' | While NOT plugged in using departure time schedule | optimize cabin temp only. This is purely for comfort of passengers! and provides no optimization of battery or MPK benefit.

 

[Kev12345]

After 6 months of driving my Lightning Platinum - I'm out.

Paid $100,000 for it on Memorial Day and received a trade in on Thanksgiving for $64,500. (Other trade in offers were $45,000, $53,000, and $59,000) Not good.

Yikes. Did you try selling private at all first?

 

[snowy_91]

Yeah, I'm an ER guy and couldn't do it with SR. Living in the middle of the country, charging infrastructure is dispersed and I have to do some long drive days, even if it isn't that often. SR would be a major pain on those days.

Has been kind of a shocker for me as well. I'm not sure how you guys with the standard range batteries do it.

It can be challenging to do it in South Dakota in the winter. It requires good route planning on slower state roads to keep the speed down.

 

[lightspeed]

Remote start or Departure Time while unplugged use about 1% or 1.3 KWH of energy for a 15 minute cycle.

Departure doesn't pre-warm the batteries when unplugged AFAIK. It's takes a LOT more than 1.3kWh to warm those massive things up.

 

[JRT]

Ya precondition at home on charger helps, but not a miracle in cold. I'm 31k on Mach-e SR and 1k on my Lightning for experience. 20 to 30 % lose on the Mach-e, the Lightning is similar. This morning precondition for 7 AM departure, range 315, 20 mile trip, down to 280. Returning home tonight, 80% SOC and 240 mile range on my ER.

 

[hturnerfamily]

QUOTE=

...Paid $100,000 for it ...
[Why would you pay that for just a 'truck'??] I don't suppose I can mandate that no one pays such an amount for a 'truck', as my $39,974 MSRP 'PRO' model, which does the same, may even be more than some would pay for a 'truck', too. If you have the money, splurge, if you don't, stay with the basics. I do understand that 'trucks', of almost any sort or size, are not cheap, as well as, well, almost ANY vehicle these days - although I'll admit that my two youngest son's '17 and '19 gently used BOLTS, all-electric 250 mile range, are terrific for their 'needs'. Both less than $19,000 each.
We are spoiled, no doubt. It's good that you have the ability to look back and see that you gave it the good 'ol college try, and aren't ruined by the loss of value. It's all a learning experience for all of us.

... the range dropped from 320 to 100 miles...
[If you're just going on what the 'guessometer' says, before you even start, you've already missed the EV Range estimation calculations 'boat'... it's the m/kwh that is important - it's doubtful that the guessometer was correct.] I experienced this just today - the guessometer kept telling me that I had 'such and such' miles left, and yet my CALCULATOR showed TWICE as much, which was the actual correct amount - yes, Ford could work on their software, of course.

... I got caught up in "the hype" of the waiting list and seeing it after 2 years.
[yes, probably why many have overpaid for such a 'truck'.] I don't doubt that the hype helped, but the sense of paying so much for a vehicle with 4 wheels seems a little overboard, at times, certainly for ME, too. We all 'like' the idea of Battery Propulsion, including the hopeful lowered cost per mile, the quiet and smooth ride, and the very little maintenance predicted for the future, but in the end, it's still just a vehicle. Tesla's truck will have it's day. Ram's truck will have it's day, etc. This truck, though, as a compliment to Ford's almost 50 years of Dominance in the vehicle and truck market, is not going anywhere - it's here to stay. Many of us will be willing to deal with range and charging issues well into the future, and I'm glad that we can - it's takes US to make anything in the future a viable idea. No Charging Infrastructure will happen if EV sales are not happening. While I'd like the infrastructure to come first, it's obvious that it will not. Finger's crossed.

... I'm very lucky I had the money to buy it for cash, take the hit on trade in, and return to Q7's which have treated me well.
[ those CHEVY BOLTS I mentioned are also a great option, though maybe not with the 'cache' of the Q7 : ) ]

end quote.

as a Note: I enjoy my LIGHTNING. I tow my camper 1/2 of the time over 37,000 miles. I've seen the range. I've seen the charging. I've seen the success. I will continue to love it. I'll admit, too, whether others buy one, drive one, enjoy one, keep one, trade one, sell one, or otherwise get rid of one, I will continue to enjoy mine - it matters not to me what others do.

 

[Count Orlok]

I'm in very rural Wisconsin and am 12 months into my R1S ownership and wish Ford would sell me the Lightning XLT I ordered (and it delivered to my dealer) months ago. I'm sorry you couldn't make a Lightning work. I find it odd you would use general click bait WSJ reporting, however, to rationalize your decision. If it wasn;t right for your use, no problem, but why link it to some problem with dealers and national "demand?"

 

[Surfnturf]

A good rule of thumb is to halve the mileage for either towing (decent sized trailer) or cold weather. So if 350 is max in perfect conditions, assume 175 miles in cold weather. Then half either 350 or 175 if you're towing a trailer. The rule of halves will keep expectations of all buyers in check.

 

[luebri]

I'm in very rural Wisconsin and am 12 months into my R1S ownership and wish Ford would sell me the Lightning XLT I ordered (and it delivered to my dealer) months ago. I'm sorry you couldn't make a Lightning work. I find it odd you would use general click bait WSJ reporting, however, to rationalize your decision. If it wasn;t right for your use, no problem, but why link it to some problem with dealers and national "demand?"

@Count Orlok it sounds like you need to find the dealer here in WI that bought @JvlTed ’s Platinum and make it your own if @Ford Motor Company won’t sell you your order!

 

[TaxmanHog]

Departure doesn't pre-warm the batteries when unplugged AFAIK. It's takes a LOT more than 1.3kWh to warm those massive things up.

Agreed, the response I gave is that when remote starting the truck UNPLUGGED to warm the cabin, seat and wheel, we are depleting the battery by ~1% or 1.3 KWH over 15 minutes, I'm trying to expand on his concern on the impact of reduced range doing, it comes to 1.3 KWH x 1.7 mpk (winter) or lost range of ~ 2.21 miles on the GOM.

Plugged in for remote start consumes 1.3 KWH from the grid not the battery, preserving that modest loss.

Had he used departure timer [PLUGGED IN], the battery would be warmed about an hour prior to leave time and cabin warming starts t-minus 5 minutes to departure and will cease ~10 minutes after departure timer assuming, all energy would have come from the grid in the amount of 6 to 8 KWH depending on conditions, he said he didn't use that feature and started with a cold battery.

Following recommended guidelines to condition the cabin and battery maximize the range potential, Ted would have seen better performance, potentially meeting his requirements (or not).

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