Ice & Easy: Winter Driving Tips from Ford

[Ford Motor Company]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners,

With the holiday season around the corner, initiatives like the Ford Power Promise are helping customers have peace of mind with home charging, so that they can travel with confidence.

As some states witness below freezing temperatures, here are some tips from our Ford experts on how you can best prepare your electric vehicle to maximize range and performance during cold weather.

1. Park your electric vehicle in a garage, if possible: Garage storage helps to ensure that harsh weather conditions outside do not affect your vehicle and maintaining a warmer storage temperature than outdoors will aid in vehicle and battery performance.  And with zero tailpipe emissions, you can safely warm up the vehicle's cabin while garaged.

2. Remove all snow from the vehicle before driving: This is important to reduce weight and reduce air resistance when driving, but it's also important for visibility and your own safety. Several of Ford's driver assistance technologies make use of sensors and cameras that must be free of snow to function properly.

Did You Know? Ford’s patented Vapor Injection Heat Pump (VIHP) is designed to help improve heat transfer capability and reduce power consumption. Being equipped with the heat pump aids in optimizing energy consumption, especially in colder weather.

The heat pump in the 2024 electric F-150 Lightning pickup and upcoming 2025 electric Mustang Mach-E SUV works automatically so the driver doesn’t have to do anything special to utilize the benefits, apart from driving with more confidence during winter. Fan noise may be heard while the heat pump is running, which is normal.

3. Plug in your electric vehicle when parked for extended periods of time: Keeping the vehicle plugged while parked for extended periods of time, such as while you’re away on a trip or even while parked at home overnight works to maintain battery health and helps to prevent range loss. 

When the vehicle is plugged in, the vehicle’s battery temperature is kept above freezing temperatures to help optimize battery performance; this occurs regardless of whether or not the vehicle is actively charging while plugged in.

Did you Know? If you’re heading toward a DC fast charging station (using your vehicle’s navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination.  

4. Set daily Departure Times to precondition both the vehicle’s battery and cabin while plugged-in: If you have a regular reoccurring driving schedule, such as a daily commute, preconditioning the battery using Ford’s Departure Times feature allows it to warm to optimum temperature before use, positively affecting range and power.

For Ford electric vehicle owners, Departure Times can be scheduled using the vehicle’s SYNC touchscreen under charge settings or from the comfort of your couch using the FordPass app’s Departure Times feature under Energy/Schedule. 

“The big advantage of owning an electric Mustang Mach-E is the comfort of getting into a warm car every day. Pre-conditioning via the app until my departure time is a complete game-changer. A quick snow and ice brush and we are good to go." – Ellen Anne Bye and her husband, Peter Arne Lislien (pictured) are both proud owners of their electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs. They live in Sigdal, Norway, where temperatures sometimes drop to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Never Get Into a Cold Car Again: Preconditioning Your Vehicle

One of the most frequent questions new electric vehicle owners have been around how they can precondition their vehicle.

Preconditioning helps your vehicle's battery perform at its best by adjusting the battery temperature to an ideal state before you start driving or charging. This not only increases charging efficiency but also helps to ensure consistent vehicle performance.

Just follow these easy steps to get it done without even getting into the driver's seat.

• First, open the FordPass app and switch over to the "Energy" tab, where you can find your schedule preferences.
  • 

• Here is where you'll be able to adjust your departure settings.
• When plugged in, your vehicle cabin and battery will be preconditioned by your set time for every day that you have selected. If you're not plugged in, you can select the "Prepare Cabin Off Plug" option. This option allows the Departure Times feature to prepare your cabin comfort settings. Preconditioning only occurs when the vehicle is plugged in.
  • 

• Within the "Departure Time" menu, you'll see options to edit time, dates, and cabin comfort levels.
  • 

• Select the time you want your vehicle to be ready by.
  • 

• Then you can choose which days of the week you want the preconditioning to take place. This is especially convenient when you have a set schedule or a regular commute to work.
  • 

• Finally, you can choose the level of cabin comfort – Cool, Medium or Warm - you want to experience when you get into your vehicle.
  • 

• And that's it! Press the 'save' button in the top right corner and your electric vehicle’s cabin will be ready to your liking with an optimized battery for your set times and days of the week.

5. Reduce energy consumption used by the vehicle climate control system: If equipped, use the heated seats and heated steering wheel as primary heat and lower the cabin temperature setting to reduce energy consumed by using climate control.  For DC fast charging (also known as Level 3) sessions minimize cabin heating while plugged in and charging.

“During the winter months or if I plan to go skiing, I precondition my F-150 Lightning in the garage while plugged in. Regenerative braking helps me a great deal while driving downhill from the mountains. I was at Mount Blue Sky recently and loved getting range back on my drive downhill,” said Les and Marlene Strickland, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners and residents of Broomfield, Colorado.

Did you Know? You can adjust your cabin temperature, defrost, heated seats and heated steering wheel options from your phone using FordPass. From the FordPass-vehicle tab, simply select remote climate (fan icon) and scroll down to "Climate Settings" to make changes.

6. Ensure your tires are at the proper pressure – Proper tire pressure not only works to maximize range, it also works to help ensure that the correct amount of tire surface area is gripping the road. Tires that are over or underinflated can lead to range degradation along with safety and performance issues.

You can find the proper tire pressure figures for your vehicle using the sticker on the sticker inside the driver door. Likewise, higher speeds can negatively impact range in all types of weather. For best results, Ford recommends limiting your speed when possible.

By following these winter driving tips, you can help to ensure that your electric vehicle is prepared to tackle the challenges of colder weather. With new technology like Ford’s Vapor Injection Heat Pump, found in 2024 F-150 Lightning pickups and soon-to-be-launched 2025 Mustang Mach-E SUVs, Ford vehicles are better equipped than ever to optimize performance in cold conditions. And as electric vehicle adoption continues in the U.S., staying informed and prepared is more important than ever.

If you’re ever unsure about living with your electric vehicle, Ford owners can also text a dedicated Ford advisor for 24/7 electric vehicle support.

Stay warm and happy driving!

 

[luebri]

When plugged in, your vehicle cabin and battery will be preconditioned by your set time for every day that you have selected. If you're not plugged in, you can select the "Prepare Cabin Off Plug" option. This option allows the Departure Times feature to prepare your cabin comfort settings. Preconditioning only occurs when the vehicle is plugged in.

First I noticed this, Very good verbiage change to be more clear on this option! One of their 4 instances in which the terminology "Precondition" bites the dust!

 

[thunderbayterry]

I want to highlight this: " Did you Know? If you’re heading toward a DC fast charging station (using your vehicle’s navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination. "

Really? This works with Android Auto? So if I navigate - in Android Auto - to a Tesla Supercharger - it will start to condition the battery 20 miles (32kms) out? I did see an update that seemed to make my Android Auto work better a few months ago . . . . . This is HUGE, IMO.

(Also - PS - Thank you Ford for my free Tesla SuperCharger adapter - it arrived yesterday. Now I have 2 of them, so I think I will gift it to my buddy that just bought a 2024 Flash )

Cheers!

 

[Bwanapete]

Ford forgot to tell you that if you are in snow or ice-rain country, and charge outside, you should buy and carry a battery-powered heat gun. You may not need it to unplug but will sometimes need to use it so you can fold up the little flap or clear things up so the chargeport door can be closed. Use it carefully, checking heat output with your bare hand, and you won’t melt any plastic. I bought a Ryobi at Home Depot, and a big battery for it. It does the job.

I guess it doesn’t snow in Dearborn, MI.

 

[LightitUP]

As the article states: "Did you Know? You head toward a DC fast-charging station (using your navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination" "

What penalty or problem do I incur if I arrive at a DC station without using the map option? 20 minute additional time to condition the battery or ??

 

[TMND]

Winter “driving” tip Number one. Park in a garage!?

besides recommending we keep our tires at pressure. Where is an actual driving tip in this post?

here I got one. In blizzard conditions switch to off-road mode since we don’t have a winter driving mode

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Thanks for posting this.

When I was invited to the factory on launch day, Darren Palmer mentioned something that I found pretty interesting.

If you have a home charger, it's not a bad idea to configure a morning departure time even if you don't know for sure what time you plan to leave because a preconditioned battery remains warm for quite a while without drawing any additional power from the battery or even the home charger.

 

[thunderbayterry]

Ford forgot to tell you that if you are in snow or ice-rain country, and charge outside, you should buy and carry a battery-powered heat gun. You may not need it to unplug but will sometimes need to use it so you can fold up the little flap or clear things up so the chargeport door can be closed. Use it carefully, checking heat output with your bare hand, and you won’t melt any plastic. I bought a Ryobi at Home Depot, and a big battery for it. It does the job.

I guess it doesn’t snow in Dearborn, MI.

I keep my plug inside a plastic shopping bag, and then when I plug it into the truck I stuff that plastic shopping bag all around the plug into the charging port area. Then next morning when I unplug, I just pull that bag away and no freezing rain or snow has built up around it. LOL

 

[Andrewbens]

@Ford Motor Company does using Apple Maps to go to a charger location heat up the battery?

 

[WalleyeGuy]

Is there a way to control the inside heat other than just "driver focused" button? When I hit driver focused, it only turns off the floor heat for the passenger side. It is still coming out the front vents, as well as both the floor and console heat for the back seat.

 

[TaxmanHog]

As the article states: "Did you Know? You head toward a DC fast-charging station (using your navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination" "

What penalty or problem do I incur if I arrive at a DC station without using the map option? 20 minute additional time to condition the battery or ??

Additional time at the charger while the truck diverts energy to warm up the battery before ramping up the current rate to a full send pace.

 

[Maquis]

@Ford Motor Company does using Apple Maps to go to a charger location heat up the battery?

No.

 

[Schroederhc1]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners,

With the holiday season around the corner, initiatives like the Ford Power Promise are helping customers have peace of mind with home charging, so that they can travel with confidence.

As some states witness below freezing temperatures, here are some tips from our Ford experts on how you can best prepare your electric vehicle to maximize range and performance during cold weather.

1. Park your electric vehicle in a garage, if possible: Garage storage helps to ensure that harsh weather conditions outside do not affect your vehicle and maintaining a warmer storage temperature than outdoors will aid in vehicle and battery performance.  And with zero tailpipe emissions, you can safely warm up the vehicle's cabin while garaged.

2. Remove all snow from the vehicle before driving: This is important to reduce weight and reduce air resistance when driving, but it's also important for visibility and your own safety. Several of Ford's driver assistance technologies make use of sensors and cameras that must be free of snow to function properly.

Did You Know? Ford’s patented Vapor Injection Heat Pump (VIHP) is designed to help improve heat transfer capability and reduce power consumption. Being equipped with the heat pump aids in optimizing energy consumption, especially in colder weather.

The heat pump in the 2024 electric F-150 Lightning pickup and upcoming 2025 electric Mustang Mach-E SUV works automatically so the driver doesn’t have to do anything special to utilize the benefits, apart from driving with more confidence during winter. Fan noise may be heard while the heat pump is running, which is normal.

3. Plug in your electric vehicle when parked for extended periods of time: Keeping the vehicle plugged while parked for extended periods of time, such as while you’re away on a trip or even while parked at home overnight works to maintain battery health and helps to prevent range loss. 

When the vehicle is plugged in, the vehicle’s battery temperature is kept above freezing temperatures to help optimize battery performance; this occurs regardless of whether or not the vehicle is actively charging while plugged in.

Did you Know? If you’re heading toward a DC fast charging station (using your vehicle’s navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination.  

4. Set daily Departure Times to precondition both the vehicle’s battery and cabin while plugged-in: If you have a regular reoccurring driving schedule, such as a daily commute, preconditioning the battery using Ford’s Departure Times feature allows it to warm to optimum temperature before use, positively affecting range and power.

For Ford electric vehicle owners, Departure Times can be scheduled using the vehicle’s SYNC touchscreen under charge settings or from the comfort of your couch using the FordPass app’s Departure Times feature under Energy/Schedule. 

“The big advantage of owning an electric Mustang Mach-E is the comfort of getting into a warm car every day. Pre-conditioning via the app until my departure time is a complete game-changer. A quick snow and ice brush and we are good to go." – Ellen Anne Bye and her husband, Peter Arne Lislien (pictured) are both proud owners of their electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs. They live in Sigdal, Norway, where temperatures sometimes drop to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Never Get Into a Cold Car Again: Preconditioning Your Vehicle

One of the most frequent questions new electric vehicle owners have been around how they can precondition their vehicle.

Preconditioning helps your vehicle's battery perform at its best by adjusting the battery temperature to an ideal state before you start driving or charging. This not only increases charging efficiency but also helps to ensure consistent vehicle performance.

Just follow these easy steps to get it done without even getting into the driver's seat.

• First, open the FordPass app and switch over to the "Energy" tab, where you can find your schedule preferences.
  • 
• Here is where you'll be able to adjust your departure settings.
• When plugged in, your vehicle cabin and battery will be preconditioned by your set time for every day that you have selected. If you're not plugged in, you can select the "Prepare Cabin Off Plug" option. This option allows the Departure Times feature to prepare your cabin comfort settings. Preconditioning only occurs when the vehicle is plugged in.
  • 
• Within the "Departure Time" menu, you'll see options to edit time, dates, and cabin comfort levels.
  • 
• Select the time you want your vehicle to be ready by.
  • 
• Then you can choose which days of the week you want the preconditioning to take place. This is especially convenient when you have a set schedule or a regular commute to work.
  • 
• Finally, you can choose the level of cabin comfort – Cool, Medium or Warm - you want to experience when you get into your vehicle.
  • 
• And that's it! Press the 'save' button in the top right corner and your electric vehicle’s cabin will be ready to your liking with an optimized battery for your set times and days of the week.

5. Reduce energy consumption used by the vehicle climate control system: If equipped, use the heated seats and heated steering wheel as primary heat and lower the cabin temperature setting to reduce energy consumed by using climate control.  For DC fast charging (also known as Level 3) sessions minimize cabin heating while plugged in and charging.

“During the winter months or if I plan to go skiing, I precondition my F-150 Lightning in the garage while plugged in. Regenerative braking helps me a great deal while driving downhill from the mountains. I was at Mount Blue Sky recently and loved getting range back on my drive downhill,” said Les and Marlene Strickland, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners and residents of Broomfield, Colorado.

Did you Know? You can adjust your cabin temperature, defrost, heated seats and heated steering wheel options from your phone using FordPass. From the FordPass-vehicle tab, simply select remote climate (fan icon) and scroll down to "Climate Settings" to make changes.

6. Ensure your tires are at the proper pressure – Proper tire pressure not only works to maximize range, it also works to help ensure that the correct amount of tire surface area is gripping the road. Tires that are over or underinflated can lead to range degradation along with safety and performance issues.

You can find the proper tire pressure figures for your vehicle using the sticker on the sticker inside the driver door. Likewise, higher speeds can negatively impact range in all types of weather. For best results, Ford recommends limiting your speed when possible.

By following these winter driving tips, you can help to ensure that your electric vehicle is prepared to tackle the challenges of colder weather. With new technology like Ford’s Vapor Injection Heat Pump, found in 2024 F-150 Lightning pickups and soon-to-be-launched 2025 Mustang Mach-E SUVs, Ford vehicles are better equipped than ever to optimize performance in cold conditions. And as electric vehicle adoption continues in the U.S., staying informed and prepared is more important than ever.

If you’re ever unsure about living with your electric vehicle, Ford owners can also text a dedicated Ford advisor for 24/7 electric vehicle support.

Stay warm and happy driving!

I have a sincere question: How does the Ford Power Promise relate to the Home integration product and service.?

 

[Mike37]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners,

With the holiday season around the corner, initiatives like the Ford Power Promise are helping customers have peace of mind with home charging, so that they can travel with confidence.

As some states witness below freezing temperatures, here are some tips from our Ford experts on how you can best prepare your electric vehicle to maximize range and performance during cold weather.

1. Park your electric vehicle in a garage, if possible: Garage storage helps to ensure that harsh weather conditions outside do not affect your vehicle and maintaining a warmer storage temperature than outdoors will aid in vehicle and battery performance.  And with zero tailpipe emissions, you can safely warm up the vehicle's cabin while garaged.

2. Remove all snow from the vehicle before driving: This is important to reduce weight and reduce air resistance when driving, but it's also important for visibility and your own safety. Several of Ford's driver assistance technologies make use of sensors and cameras that must be free of snow to function properly.

Did You Know? Ford’s patented Vapor Injection Heat Pump (VIHP) is designed to help improve heat transfer capability and reduce power consumption. Being equipped with the heat pump aids in optimizing energy consumption, especially in colder weather.

The heat pump in the 2024 electric F-150 Lightning pickup and upcoming 2025 electric Mustang Mach-E SUV works automatically so the driver doesn’t have to do anything special to utilize the benefits, apart from driving with more confidence during winter. Fan noise may be heard while the heat pump is running, which is normal.

3. Plug in your electric vehicle when parked for extended periods of time: Keeping the vehicle plugged while parked for extended periods of time, such as while you’re away on a trip or even while parked at home overnight works to maintain battery health and helps to prevent range loss. 

When the vehicle is plugged in, the vehicle’s battery temperature is kept above freezing temperatures to help optimize battery performance; this occurs regardless of whether or not the vehicle is actively charging while plugged in.

Did you Know? If you’re heading toward a DC fast charging station (using your vehicle’s navigation or Google Maps via Android Auto), your battery will now start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your destination.  

4. Set daily Departure Times to precondition both the vehicle’s battery and cabin while plugged-in: If you have a regular reoccurring driving schedule, such as a daily commute, preconditioning the battery using Ford’s Departure Times feature allows it to warm to optimum temperature before use, positively affecting range and power.

For Ford electric vehicle owners, Departure Times can be scheduled using the vehicle’s SYNC touchscreen under charge settings or from the comfort of your couch using the FordPass app’s Departure Times feature under Energy/Schedule. 

“The big advantage of owning an electric Mustang Mach-E is the comfort of getting into a warm car every day. Pre-conditioning via the app until my departure time is a complete game-changer. A quick snow and ice brush and we are good to go." – Ellen Anne Bye and her husband, Peter Arne Lislien (pictured) are both proud owners of their electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs. They live in Sigdal, Norway, where temperatures sometimes drop to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Never Get Into a Cold Car Again: Preconditioning Your Vehicle

One of the most frequent questions new electric vehicle owners have been around how they can precondition their vehicle.

Preconditioning helps your vehicle's battery perform at its best by adjusting the battery temperature to an ideal state before you start driving or charging. This not only increases charging efficiency but also helps to ensure consistent vehicle performance.

Just follow these easy steps to get it done without even getting into the driver's seat.

• First, open the FordPass app and switch over to the "Energy" tab, where you can find your schedule preferences.
  • 
• Here is where you'll be able to adjust your departure settings.
• When plugged in, your vehicle cabin and battery will be preconditioned by your set time for every day that you have selected. If you're not plugged in, you can select the "Prepare Cabin Off Plug" option. This option allows the Departure Times feature to prepare your cabin comfort settings. Preconditioning only occurs when the vehicle is plugged in.
  • 
• Within the "Departure Time" menu, you'll see options to edit time, dates, and cabin comfort levels.
  • 
• Select the time you want your vehicle to be ready by.
  • 
• Then you can choose which days of the week you want the preconditioning to take place. This is especially convenient when you have a set schedule or a regular commute to work.
  • 
• Finally, you can choose the level of cabin comfort – Cool, Medium or Warm - you want to experience when you get into your vehicle.
  • 
• And that's it! Press the 'save' button in the top right corner and your electric vehicle’s cabin will be ready to your liking with an optimized battery for your set times and days of the week.

5. Reduce energy consumption used by the vehicle climate control system: If equipped, use the heated seats and heated steering wheel as primary heat and lower the cabin temperature setting to reduce energy consumed by using climate control.  For DC fast charging (also known as Level 3) sessions minimize cabin heating while plugged in and charging.

“During the winter months or if I plan to go skiing, I precondition my F-150 Lightning in the garage while plugged in. Regenerative braking helps me a great deal while driving downhill from the mountains. I was at Mount Blue Sky recently and loved getting range back on my drive downhill,” said Les and Marlene Strickland, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners and residents of Broomfield, Colorado.

Did you Know? You can adjust your cabin temperature, defrost, heated seats and heated steering wheel options from your phone using FordPass. From the FordPass-vehicle tab, simply select remote climate (fan icon) and scroll down to "Climate Settings" to make changes.

6. Ensure your tires are at the proper pressure – Proper tire pressure not only works to maximize range, it also works to help ensure that the correct amount of tire surface area is gripping the road. Tires that are over or underinflated can lead to range degradation along with safety and performance issues.

You can find the proper tire pressure figures for your vehicle using the sticker on the sticker inside the driver door. Likewise, higher speeds can negatively impact range in all types of weather. For best results, Ford recommends limiting your speed when possible.

By following these winter driving tips, you can help to ensure that your electric vehicle is prepared to tackle the challenges of colder weather. With new technology like Ford’s Vapor Injection Heat Pump, found in 2024 F-150 Lightning pickups and soon-to-be-launched 2025 Mustang Mach-E SUVs, Ford vehicles are better equipped than ever to optimize performance in cold conditions. And as electric vehicle adoption continues in the U.S., staying informed and prepared is more important than ever.

If you’re ever unsure about living with your electric vehicle, Ford owners can also text a dedicated Ford advisor for 24/7 electric vehicle support.

Stay warm and happy driving!

Thanks for the information. Can I make two recommendations on the topic?

First, allow a switch in the app to start preconditioning at non-scheduled times, Many of us do not have set schedules, yet our vehicles are plugged in awaiting such an unscheduled departure. I‘d like to be able to extend my range as far as possible and per your own recommendations this should help.

Second, allow us to begin preconditioning with a command to the Ford assistant such as “OK Ford, Start preconditioning“. We are on the road driving and shouldn’t be fooling around with the navigation. This would allow us to decide which charging stations to use independent from the navigation app.

I’m not a programmer, so I have no idea of the difficulty of doing this. But as a customer, I think I can vouch for the convenience of having them available.

 

[LightitUP]

Additional time at the charger while the truck diverts energy to warm up the battery before ramping up the current rate to a full send pace.

Thank you kind sir!

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