Best way to drive on the expressway for maximum battery life?

[Newton]

I find it helpful to use the trip meter, I reset trip meter #2 whenever I charge (if I remember.) You will learn how many miles your usual routes are, and you will learn what your usual miles/kWh are. Watching the miles/kWh will teach you a lot more about how the truck responds to conditions than the range meter. I could rant about the software guesses that they build into the range meter that make it too unpredictable to be of much use, but I understand that is what people are familiar with.

It is useful to keep in mind that if you are returning to your house, it does not matter how low the battery is as long as you can make it to your power cord. It is quite acceptable to come in with 5% or less. The car doesn't blow up if you run out of battery, the worst case is that you have to be towed (which I never have.) Go to online forums like "Out of Spec reviews" where they test every car down to the point that they can barely creep to the charger and you will feel more comfortable with the battery.

I have taken my Kia EV6 down to 4% (with 14 showing on the range meter) and it was a non-event.

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[Yellow Buddy]

These are always funny questions because it’s to the extreme. I worry about this when I’m gunning to make the best time over distance. Usually 500+miles driving by myself. I turn HVAC off, don't use blue cruise, feather the pedal, etc.

I never really worry about this when I’m with the family, we’re much more leisurely about it and bladders and stomachs usually run out before the truck does. And I’ve done 2500+mile trips.

But let's play...I worry about charger availability much more than driving habit.

FWIW, here’s how much range (and peak charge speed) matters, these are over the same 500 mile route, same speed ranges, same max speed of 85mph, driven multiple times arranged in highest to lowest actual range. No other stops aside for charge. Actual range is based on my specific vehicle due to degradation, driving habits, weather, etc. YMMV.

R1T: 314mi Rated/280-340mi Actual
Peak Charge Speed: 220kW
Total Travel Time: 8-9.5 hours

Lightning: 320mi Rated/230-280mi Actual
Peak Charge Speed: 176kW
Total Travel Time: 8-9.5 hours

Model S 75D: 259mi Rated/180-220mi Actua
Peak Charge Speed: 137kW
Total Travel Time: 8.25-8.75 hours

Model X 90D: 257mi Rated/180-220mi Actual
Peak Charge Speed: 120kW
Total Travel Time: 8.25-8.75hours

All four cars do the drive in approximately the same time. In my experience traffic/road closures impact the travel time more than the range.

But notice despite having 45% less peak charging speed and 35% less range, it's about the same time. More importantly, the window of travel time is much more consistent. A 30 min window vs a 2 hour window. That's how important charging reliability and availability (and charging curve vs peak) is.

Rather than NEEDING to stop early or NEEDING to adjust my driving habits to make it to the next one, it's more gas station like - I'll grab the next one. They also have typically have less overhead, ~3-5min vs 10-15min per stop.

I anticipate being able to cut at least 30 minutes off the trip for the Lightning when the Tesla SC switches on for us and shrinking the travel window to the same. That puts this trip squarely around 7.5-8hours. What does that mean? Well for comparison:

Alfa Romeo Giulia (ICE Rental) 413mi Rated/370-380mi Actual (Calculated [email protected])
Peak Fueling Speed: ???/ but actual fuel stop was 20-25min
Total Travel Time: 7 hours

 

[Rickpo4238]

You will get a bunch of opinions here but in simplest terms if you want to maximize range, precondition before leaving, use minimal cabin heat, and drive no more than about 72-73 MPH, speed kills range, its like that for every EV.

It will be a bit better in the summer, but your range in town will always be better than on the highway/interstate.

Also forget that range number on your dash. It means nothing.

If you can’t rely on the range number how do you determine range?

Forgot to check “watch this thread “

 

[csukoh78]

BMW did a study years back that says drivers are perfectly comfortable in cold weather as long as *whatever they are touching is warm*, regardless of internal cabin temperature. BMW started and perfected the heated steering wheel and heated seats which let all the heat that would've been blown into the cabin warm the gasoline engine faster preventing premature wear and tear.

Because ICE vehicles put off so much waste heat as highly INefficient air pumps, we have gotten used to just blowing all the extra heat into the cabin when it's cold.

Electric vehicles are fantastic but heating the cabin is a huge unnecessary drain. Become accustomed to heated steering wheel and heated seats and refrain from increasing the cabin temperature. If it is especially cold, I will set my cabin temperature to 65° which works well. Turn on recirculation so you're not heating fresh cold air.

Lastly, 70 miles an hour has been found to be the ideal speed for highway travel. This is the ideal combination of fast travel and minimal charging time.

There is a whole video that an aerodynamics company did on how to perfect the F150 for efficiency. Even though they used a gasoline engine, the lessons are the same.

 

[TheWoo]

If you can’t rely on the range number how do you determine range?

Those who want to do so accurately learn what kind of efficiency we get, and use that times kWh remaining to calculate range. I have a pretty regular 250 mile round trip I do, and I know in cold and/or windy weather I'm going to get 1.2-1.4 mi/kWh, and if it's nicer and the wind is light, I can get up to 1.8 if I'm willing to hang back on speed. I know I have 131 kWh when full. So, with 50% battery, I have ~65 kWh x whatever efficiency I'm expecting (let's say on that day it's 1.5) means I have 95-100 miles left, regardless of what the guess-o-meter says.

It becomes easier as you drive more miles in more conditions as long as you are paying attention. Unfortunately, it does require that, and lots of people aren't as into the details as others. It would be nice if Ford would recalibrate the guess-o-meter to be more accurate, but such is life.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

If you can’t rely on the range number how do tou determine range?

After a while you stop caring and it becomes more intuitive. Not much different than a gas car. I watch my % remaining more than I do the miles remaining.

I don't do it consciously but if I just went 100 mile when I'm at 50%, well I've got about 100 left type of situation.

 

[Rickpo4238]

Those who want to do so accurately learn what kind of efficiency we get, and use that times kWh remaining to calculate range. I have a pretty regular 250 mile round trip I do, and I know in cold and/or windy weather I'm going to get 1.2-1.4 mi/kWh, and if it's nicer and the wind is light, I can get up to 1.8 if I'm willing to hang back on speed. I know I have 131 kWh when full. So, with 50% battery, I have ~65 kWh x whatever efficiency I'm expecting (let's say on that day it's 1.5) means I have 95-100 miles left, regardless of what the guess-o-meter says.

It becomes easier as you drive more miles in more conditions as long as you are paying attention. Unfortunately, it does require that, and lots of people aren't as into the details as others. It would be nice if Ford would recalibrate the guess-o-meter to be more accurate, but such is life.

Thanks. Heading from Seattle to Palm Desert on Tuesday. My first long trip. Should be interesting…

 

[Yellow Buddy]

BMW did a study years back that says drivers are perfectly comfortable in cold weather as long as *whatever they are touching is warm*, regardless of internal cabin temperature. BMW started and perfected the heated steering wheel and heated seats which let all the heat that would've been blown into the cabin warm the gasoline engine faster preventing premature wear and tear.

Because ICE vehicles put off so much waste heat as highly INefficient air pumps, we have gotten used to just blowing all the extra heat into the cabin when it's cold.

Electric vehicles are fantastic but heating the cabin is a huge unnecessary drain. Become accustomed to heated steering wheel and heated seats and refrain from increasing the cabin temperature. If it is especially cold, I will set my cabin temperature to 65° which works well. Turn on recirculation so you're not heating fresh cold air.

Lastly, 70 miles an hour has been found to be the ideal speed for highway travel. This is the ideal combination of fast travel and minimal charging time.

There is a whole video that an aerodynamics company did on how to perfect the F150 for efficiency. Even though they used a gasoline engine, the lessons are the same.

Or (as a snowboarder) just dress appropriately. I'm a fringe case but I dress warmly in freezing temps. Fleece lined pants, 3-4 layers. Most of the time I jump in the truck if I'm dressed appropriately I find I don't need HVAC and if the family is with me I'm usually peeling off layers once they turn it on. But I've gone 9 hours in the truck w/o HVAC in below 30F, but I'm a nutcase...

 

[Newton]

I learned to drive when the federal speed limit was 55mph and find casual discussions of driving 80-85 mph somewhat terrifying. The laws of physics were not repealed just because some politicians decided to pander to their anti-government base, and no amount of AI wizardry overcomes inertia.

We are in exceptionally heavy vehicles with long stopping distances. I would much rather be driving along smoothly at 60 than stuck in a three hour backup because somebody discovered that human reaction times evolved when 15 mph was considered very fast. I have had people tailgate the %$# out of me because they want to do 50 in a 25 who turn into their driveway two blocks later. Whats up with that? Seriously, I don't understand.

 

[TheWoo]

I learned to drive when the federal speed limit was 55mph and find casual discussions of driving 80-85 mph somewhat terrifying. The laws of physics were not repealed just because some politicians decided to pander to their anti-government base, and no amount of AI wizardry overcomes inertia.

We are in exceptionally heavy vehicles with long stopping distances. I would much rather be driving along smoothly at 60 than stuck in a three hour backup because somebody discovered that human reaction times evolved when 15 mph was considered very fast. I have had people tailgate the %$# out of me because they want to do 50 in a 25 who turn into their driveway two blocks later. Whats up with that? Seriously, I don't understand.

Your point is taken, though I'll argue that in the wide open spaces of the high plains, driving several hundred miles at 55mph is a crawl...

 

[solastobann]

I have been driving the 2023 F-150 for 5 weeks now, and I have been working on reteaching myself to drive on streets to preserve the battery life and gain mileage when in sport mode. My question what's the best way to drive on the expressway? Speed limits are 70mph which drains the battery so fast, at a full charge I feel like I would be able to go more than 150 miles tops. Yesterday traveled 30 miles and it took 50+ miles off the battery!!

I just finished a white-knuckle trip in my ‘23 Lariat. Max tow package, SR battery. 1,375 miles or so. Amazing how few charging stations there are. I plan to do a YouTube video on it. Did I mention I was pulling a travel trailer and the truck bed was full?
I tried to keep it about 55 mph. Shades of the ‘70’s! Lesson learned, BTW, don’t do it. I joked before leaving that I was going to bring my 240v gas/propane generator with me. Now I wish I had. Paid as low as 20¢/kWh in Tennessee and 90¢ in Texas! (Oil is king. Consurned e-lectric trucks!)

 

[Danface]

Drive behind an 18 wheeler ... Went from 2.0 ish to 2.3 kW/m

 

[Bhinde99]

use seat warmer, not heater. Find a semi going to 70, and climb in his back pocket.

I get it, but hoping for a better solution

 

[G-Zeus]

For me, I didn't pay upwards of $80k to sit in a frosty cabin with only a warm behind... I would rather be comfortable and drive 70-75 mph, and maybe take 1 extra stop on a longer journey. I usually have to stop to use the bathroom, stretch, or grab something to eat/drink anyway.

 

[G-Zeus]

Alfa Romeo Giulia (ICE Rental) 413mi Rated/370-380mi Actual (Calculated [email protected])
Peak Fueling Speed: ???/ but actual fuel stop was 20-25min
Total Travel Time: 7 hours

This right here... "actual fuel stop was 20-25 min"

On my road trip last summer, I was surprised when I thought I would only be running into get something and spend 5 minutes, and then have to sit around for another 15 while charging... that turned into a 20 minute stay (lines, stretching, waiting for the dogs to do their thing...). On a 10 hour trip, it didn't add significantly more time than doing the same trip in an ICE F-150, I'm essentially making about the same number of stops for about the same number of time (I'm not a marathoner road tripper!)

The bigger stress has been WHEN and WHERE to charge, if I would have to wait for a charger, if the charger would be working at capacity (or at all)... playing charger hopscotch... that is not pleasant at all, and if that doesn't get better than this will never go mainstream. I hope the Tesla network will be better, but I do worry that with so many other manufacturers jumping into that network will it then cause availability and reliability issues?

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