I'm out after 6 months

[lightspeed]

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).

Thanks for the context. Agree with all of that.

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[data003]

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.

Couldn’t agree more! The logic should be this,

User remote starts truck:
IF plugged in, precondition battery and cabin
ELSE precondition cabin


Departure times are great but I take plenty of trips where I know when I’m leaving 20 minutes before, but not an hour before.

FFS Ford, this isn’t hard!

 

[luebri]

Couldn’t agree more! The logic should be this,

User remote starts truck:
IF plugged in, precondition battery and cabin
ELSE precondition cabin


Departure times are great but I take plenty of trips where I know when I’m leaving 20 minutes before, but not an hour before.

FFS Ford, this isn’t hard!

I would go much further… I would use DISTINCTLY different terminology for the different functions. The OP stated his confusion in this very thread and potentially took a $40k haircut because of the confusion from it!

 

[TaxmanHog]

Couldn’t agree more! The logic should be this,

User remote starts truck:
IF plugged in, precondition battery and cabin
ELSE precondition cabin


Departure times are great but I take plenty of trips where I know when I’m leaving 20 minutes before, but not an hour before.

FFS Ford, this isn’t hard!

Remote start while plugged only prepares the cabin.

In extreme cold conditions, the truck might do protective warming, but I've never seen it in my 16 months and 13,813 miles to date, last winter 22/23 was mild though.

To get the battery warmed in cold conditions, requires a set departure time and the truck needs to be plugged in, it decides when to begin the preparation process, see this post for a recent test
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...oning-pre-heat-your-battery.13693/post-349341

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

I dont know about this "cratering market" there is nothing available in this area, maybe there was a scare in October. Every dealer seems to have 10 trucks on the way so there may be a surplus in the winter.

Very low inventory in the Pacific Northwest (when I last looked for a friend this weekend).

It's funny, people want all the advantages that come with owning an EV but seem surprised at the adjustments you also need to make. It's not like driving a gas vehicle, it's better, but for those that can't wait until Spring 2024 when the SCs open up and the infrastructure to quickly catch up, I understand.

Unfortunately for the OP he ate all of the initial devaluation. Whomever gets his Platinum is going to get a steal.

I was offered $45k for my Pro this weekend while helping a friend car shop.

Good luck bud, maybe we'll see you back here on the next gen.

 

[MichaelCA]

I get boned in taxes here in California but it does make me appreciate never having to worry about preconditioning.

 

[JvlTed]

I would go much further… I would use DISTINCTLY different terminology for the different functions. The OP stated his confusion in this very thread and potentially took a $40k haircut because of the confusion from it!

Hey Luebri - I have some Ford Lightning stuff you can have if you're in the Janesville area. Call me at 608-289-5599

 

[MVO]

(

I installed a gasoline heater to fix this problem. Basically zero electricity consumption for heating.

Google espar coolant heater / cabin heater. Uses about 200mL (0.05 US gallon) of fuel per hour of use and provides almost unlimited heat.

Small 2 gallon tank mounted in bed. Heater heats coolant loop feeding heater and installed against firewall just behind and to the passenger side of the 12v battery. Turn my fan on, set the temp on a small dash-mounted controller, and out comes warm air. Presto.

There are companies that do this for commercial vehicles/ semis.

 

[data003]

Remote start while plugged only prepares the cabin.

In extreme cold conditions, the truck might do protective warming, but I've never seen it in my 16 months and 13,813 miles to date, last winter 22/23 was mild though.

To get the battery warmed in cold conditions, requires a set departure time and the truck needs to be plugged in, it decides when to begin the preparation process, see this post for a recent test
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...oning-pre-heat-your-battery.13693/post-349341

I know how it currently works, I was suggesting how it should work

 

[RickLightning]

Couldn’t agree more! The logic should be this,

User remote starts truck:
IF plugged in, precondition battery and cabin
ELSE precondition cabin


Departure times are great but I take plenty of trips where I know when I’m leaving 20 minutes before, but not an hour before.

FFS Ford, this isn’t hard!

Here's the problem with that logic. In 20 minutes, subtracting heating the cabin, you're doing little to heat the battery. The logic issue is not with Ford, it's with customers having little understanding of how long it takes to heat a massive ~2,000 pound battery from say 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

Think of the amount of heat that could possible be created, and then pumped through the battery, to warm this 1 ton cold mass. In cold weather, a departure time can take over an hour, even 90 minutes.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I know how it currently works, I was suggesting how it should work

Pardon my tunnel vision, dealing with mis-information in this thread is GETTING TO ME.

 

[jdmackes]

So this is my first winter with the truck and I'm surprised that people are surprised by the performance. Yes, I get less than the 2.4 miles/kw I was getting in the summer, but if I know that I'm going somewhere far and need to pay attention to my range, I either plan out my charging or I drive slower. I can still get over 2 mi/kw in the cold weather as long as I'm not going 70-80 mph. Realisitically it's probably closer to 1.8 at 65 mph or so but if I can make it work with a standard range pro, I don't see how anyone couldn't make it work. I also have 0 DC fast chargers within a 50-70 mile radius of my house, so I have to make sure I have enough charge to make it back.

 

[data003]

Here's the problem with that logic. In 20 minutes, subtracting heating the cabin, you're doing little to heat the battery. The logic issue is not with Ford, it's with customers having little understanding of how long it takes to heat a massive ~2,000 pound battery from say 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

Think of the amount of heat that could possible be created, and then pumped through the battery, to warm this 1 ton cold mass. In cold weather, a departure time can take over an hour, even 90 minutes.

Yes I expect it’s quite a challenge for the 5kW heater they put in the truck.

Ford sold it with an 80A charger though, which works out to 19,200kW of power. The heater could have been oversized (or they could have put two heaters in) so they could heat both, faster.

Edit:
Anyway, this is all hindsight 20/20. Ford made this overly complicated and the result is unhappy customers. Hopefully they get it right next time.

Edit2:
Removed some incorrect info.

 

[JRT]

I get it for sure, the fan boys and those with little cold weather don't understand. I went into my 2nd Ford eyes wide for sure. This cold range is a killer, no denying it. This morning after precondition was achieved my range was 300 miles, after my 18 mile commute it is 274. It's down to 2 m/kw too. I'm fine with my ER but would never consider a SR again.

 

[RickLightning]

Yes I expect it’s quite a challenge for the 5kW heater they put in the truck.

Ford sold it with an 80A charger though, which works out to 19,200kW of power. The heater could have been oversized (or they could have put two heaters in) so they could heat both, faster.

If I recall, the current heating system can’t even heat both the battery and the cabin at the same time, it’s mutually exclusive.

Also, when DC fast charging in cold weather they want you to turn off the cabin heat, yet another limitation of the current design. Pretty much the last thing I want to do is freeze in my truck for 40 minutes waiting for it to charge.

Edit:
Anyway, this is all hindsight 20/20. Ford made this overly complicated and the result is unhappy customers. Hopefully they get it right next time.

You can heat both battery and cabin. However, the more heat the cabin draws, the less goes to the battery.

If you have the fast charger entered in the navigation, the truck will preheat the battery starting at just under 20 miles away (may be extending that). Keep the heat off for 10 minutes of fast charging, then you are good.

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