Max tow = range impact? Told by dealer...

[user-name-required]

Hi all

Saga continues for me to actually get my hands on the lightning that I want...

But in the meantime, I have had a couple dealers tell me that they've had customers complain that purchased the max tow package. They said that the extra cooling equipment in that uses up a bit of extra energy and adds a small amount of weight of course.

Has anyone heard any kind of concrete evidence about this one way or another? Like maybe had a friend that swapped from one without Max tow to one with it or something or just heard other people commenting on it? I can't tell if it's just the sales people telling me that so they can get me behind the wheel of it or not. Personally I don't think I would actually need to tow anything heavier than 7500lbs, but I had thought for later resale value that I may just get the truck with it.


I'm just interested to know if anyone has heard other info that would confirm this or not. Or if @Ford Motor Company could confirm If there is even any amount of range difference or efficiency difference between Max tow or not?

It kind of makes sense to me that there would be..

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[StevenC56]

I wanted Pro Power and Max Tow too, but there just wasn't any Lariats in my area with the 2 packages especially in the color I wanted. (I've read that on 2024 builds you have to get both packages even though they are priced separately) I really don't plan on doing much towing, but just thought the additional battery cooling would be a good idea. Anyway, I ended up with my 2024 Lariat in Avalanche color and no max tow about 4 weeks ago since there just wasn't any around or in the pipeline. I love the truck so far. It's possible there is some truth to what your dealer is saying (Sounds good on paper anyway) or they could just be trying to downplay the option if you are looking for a Lariat since Ford seems to be putting the Max tow on all the preconfigured Flash's but not the Lariats. Don't count on Ford's representative replying, they have zero technical experience and appear to be just a 3rd party company Ford pays to have a social media presence.

 

[scoobybri]

I've got a 2023 XLT with max tow and the AT tires and I seem to get the same range and energy usage as most people seem to get on these forums. If it has any impact, it is super negligible.

 

[Grease Lightning]

I have both Pro Power and Max Towing on my XLT ER and I have really good efficiency and have always seemed to be above those posting on here.

Sadly we all drive differently so hard to say definitively until someone does a true side by side comparison to measure, but even that will be slightly off.

 

[astrand1]

I’ve got a 23 lariat ER w/max tow. I pretty much get exactly what the stated range and kWh usage is. As far as extra weight from the second compressor is concerned I would think that’s negligible. payload for my truck with the roof and factory deployable boards is 1541 just for comparison sake.

 

[user-name-required]

I've got a 2023 XLT with max tow and the AT tires and I seem to get the same range and energy usage as most people seem to get on these forums. If it has any impact, it is super negligible.

This is good to know because that's the configuration of this one. The 9.6kw pro power, and the AT tires. '24 flash trim


Mind if I ask what your efficiency ratings are like for like freeway speeds of say 70mph (112kmh?). And what ATs did it come with?

The one I test drove has the more base level tire package.


Truck still has all the other trailer goodies like the brake controller, cameras & 360° view thing, the pro trailer or whatever it's called?

 

[TaxmanHog]

Salesmen are paid BS artists, yes there is a bit more weight, negligible in the grand scheme of things.

 

[JRT]

At 70mph on a road trip for say 180 miles between chargers you are getting 2 to 2.1 m/kwh with no significant head wind and or elevation changes. Anyone posting better has conditions influencing it. I'm at 18k miles on stock XLT ER.

 

[Zprime29]

ProPower and Max Tow on my Lariat ER, absolutely no problem with achieving tested range (280 miles at 70mph and better than 2.7mpk yearly average for city driving). Trust your spidey sense when talking to a dealer. More often than not, they're talking our their rear end.

 

[Grumpy2]

This winter will provide more information on 2024 models with a heat pump. Perhaps max tow provides two heat pumps for both heating and cooling? In BC perhaps the 2nd heat pump isn't such a big deal ??

 

[TaxmanHog]

I would like to know if 2024 Lightnings have eliminated the PTC heater completely?

If so then the cabin warming and battery warming processes are handled by the sole heat-pump system.

If that is the case, a max tow system would have an exclusive heat-pump to either cool or warm the drive train systems depending on seasonal circumstances.

This would be a great topic for a Munro teardown video.

2022/2023 thermal management system ....

 

[RickLightning]

The AT tires are a hit to efficiency.

 

[Henry Ford]

I've theorized that Max Tow is the reason the Platinum's EPA range is 300 instead of 320 for all other trims. Max Tow is standard on a Platinum and optional on other trims. I've not verified this in any scientific way.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I've theorized that Max Tow is the reason the Platinum's EPA range is 300 instead of 320 for all other trims. Max Tow is standard on a Platinum and optional on other trims. I've not verified this in any scientific way.

Also the larger wheels.

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