2021 F-150 Lightning With Extended Battery May Get ~460 Miles Range, Unloaded!

[Blainestang]

FWIW, MKBHD clarified this claim on Twitter, matching what many here have theorized: The truck was driven at low speeds and so the Guess-o-meter had a ridiculously high estimate as a result. He still thinks 360-380 is possible when driven conservatively, but I'm not sure if he has really any basis for that or it's just a guess.

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[F150ROD]

Ford's head of EVs explains how the new F-150 Lightning conquers range anxiety

Seeing as the F-150 is already America's best-selling truck, Ford has a distinct leg up as it looks to sell an all-electric version: the F-150 Lightning. But the Michigan automaker still has its work cut out for it when it comes to convincing buyers to ditch their gas-fueled pickups for zero-emission ones.

Electric vehicles still only make up less than 2% of new car sales in the US. And study after study cites range anxiety — the worry of running out of battery without a charging station nearby — as one of the top hurdles to widespread adoption of EVs. That concern may even be heightened in pickups like the F-150 Lightning, since people depend on them to tow heavy trailers and haul hefty loads — both activities that can suck up energy and deal a blow to range.

For Darren Palmer, Ford's head of EVs, the key to winning over electric skeptics isn't just promising them loads of range — it's providing super-accurate, real-time range estimates that reassure drivers they won't run out of juice unexpectedly. The idea is to give buyers the confidence to use up most of their range and still trust that they'll get to a charger in time.

"Whatever you ask it to do, it's going to tell you if it can do it. That's what really matters because every situation is different," Palmer told Insider in an interview.

That all starts with factoring in a huge amount of variables beyond just battery level since range can vary widely depending on how a driver uses their truck.

Ford's Intelligent Range system creates a profile for each driver and assesses how far they can expect to travel between charges based on their driving habits. It also factors in the topography on a given route to account for any battery-draining climbs or energy-saving descents, Palmer said. Wind speed, weather conditions, and traffic are downloaded from the cloud and added to the calculation, too.

Ford introduced Intelligent Range in the Mustang Mach-E crossover, and Palmer claims he drives his Mach-E down to 20 miles before looking to charge because he's learned to trust the vehicle's estimates.

"It says what it does and it does what it says," according to Palmer.

But Ford added some key capabilities to Intelligent Range for its debut electric pickup. Onboard scales measure the weight of what's in the bed, cab, and frunk, though Palmer says bed payloads don't tend to affect range all that much. Similarly, when customers want to tow something, the truck can estimate how heavy the trailer it's hitched to is and fold that into range calculations.

Moreover, Palmer says, drivers can create a "trailer profile" by inputting the width, length, height, and weight of their trailer for an even more accurate prediction. Dimensions matter because, in addition to weight, a trailer's aerodynamics can have a major impact on range.

All in all, Ford takes in much more data than its rivals when generating range estimates, which it says are some of the most precise in the industry. And by virtue of over-the-air software updates — a function that Tesla pioneered and other automakers are starting to adopt — range calculations will improve over time, Palmer says. His team will continually assess how actual range stacks up against pre-trip estimates and correct the system to make it increasingly accurate.

Another strategy Ford employed to assuage the range-anxious is to underpromise and overdeliver. The company is targeting an EPA-estimated range of 300 miles for its extended-range model, and, according to Palmer, it achieved that with 1,000 pounds in the bed and without a bed cover. So drivers may end up surprised by how much range they're getting rather than disappointed by it, especially if they add a drag-reducing tonneau cover and don't haul very much. In the end, though, Palmer says consumers will simply need to get over their mental hangups with range anxiety and charging.

"The only thing you have to do with electric is charge on a long journey. And that just means pull up, plug in, get coffee, go to the restroom, come back, and go," Palmer said. "It's effortless."

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-f150-lightning-ev-range-darren-palmer-2021-5

 

[Blainestang]

Moreover, Palmer says, drivers can create a "trailer profile" by inputting the width, length, height, and weight of their trailer for an even more accurate prediction. Dimensions matter because, in addition to weight, a trailer's aerodynamics can have a major impact on range.

We need Ford to set up a website that lets us do this, now, and plug in our starting point and destination and spits out a range/charge plan/etc.

 

[Ecoboostmike75]

As a F150 owner for many years and towing boats to the Florida Keys. Electric trucks are just not there yet and the charging infrastructure is not even close. A 4 hour trip in my 2016 would take me almost double that in an Electric truck. Not to mention try finding a charging station that you can pull a truck and 30' boat trailer up to. They are mostly set up for small cars in a single parking spot. For daily commuting 10 miles to work and mall crawling, you might as well stick with a soccer mom suv.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

4 hr trip = 240 miles
One charge stop halfway
Pulling up to a charge station is an issue

How do you come up with double the trip time?
Do you feel better saying it's a 10 mile daily driver and mall crawler? Why don't you move closer to your boat launch? 4 hrs to go boating is silly. From your picture, it appears that you might keep your boat in storage so just put it in storage at the Keys.

 

[BigTex22]

I applaud Ford for moving a real truck into EV territory, but I wouldn’t touch this model for 5+ years. There are so many kinks and new learnings they will find, it will be years before it’s truly ready. Saw the same thing happen with Tesla.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

Same technology and design as the Mustang E. It was the test mule for their EV design. I haven’t heard negative news about the Mustang drive train yet.

 

[astricklin]

I applaud Ford for moving a real truck into EV territory, but I wouldn’t touch this model for 5+ years. There are so many kinks and new learnings they will find, it will be years before it’s truly ready. Saw the same thing happen with Tesla.

I for one am willing to put up with the issues to get a vehicle that is what I have been wishing for. The mach-e was an entirely new vehicle, this is just a modified F-150. Tesla doesn't have 100+ years experience building vehicles.

 

[Ecoboostmike75]

Pulling almost 7K lbs you will not make 240 miles... It will take 2-3 hours to charge to make it

4 hr trip = 240 miles
One charge stop halfway
Pulling up to a charge station is an issue

How do you come up with double the trip time?
Do you feel better saying it's a 10 mile daily driver and mall crawler? Why don't you move closer to your boat launch? 4 hrs to go boating is silly. From your picture, it appears that you might keep your boat in storage so just put it in storage at the Keys.

Pulling almost 7,000 lbs will make shorten that battery life by more than half for sure. Stopping and charging for any longer than 15 mins let alone 3 hours is stupid (if you can find a spot) when I can make it on a full tank of fuel now.

The pic is of my new boat located in TX coming next week. Attached is a view from my back yard in SWFL 30 mins to the gulf. We go to the keys for the diving and Atlantic yellowtail and hogfish spearfishing that you cant do in the gulf. And like I said in my original post.... its a long way from being there to make dollars and sense and longevity is yet TBD.....

 

[F150ROD]

Pulling almost 7K lbs you will not make 240 miles... It will take 2-3 hours to charge to make it


Pulling almost 7,000 lbs will make shorten that battery life by more than half for sure. Stopping and charging for any longer than 15 mins let alone 3 hours is stupid (if you can find a spot) when I can make it on a full tank of fuel now.

The pic is of my new boat located in TX coming next week. Attached is a view from my back yard in SWFL 30 mins to the gulf. We go to the keys for the diving and Atlantic yellowtail and hogfish spearfishing that you cant do in the gulf. And like I said in my original post.... its a long way from being there to make dollars and sense and longevity is yet TBD.....

Very nice! The Lightning is definitely not for you will as much hauling as you do. Going non-stop to a destination makes the 2-3 hour wait for an oil change at the dealership worth it if they have time to work on it in those 2-3 hours.

 

[Nikos]

Ford's head of EVs explains how the new F-150 Lightning conquers range anxiety

Seeing as the F-150 is already America's best-selling truck, Ford has a distinct leg up as it looks to sell an all-electric version: the F-150 Lightning. But the Michigan automaker still has its work cut out for it when it comes to convincing buyers to ditch their gas-fueled pickups for zero-emission ones.

Electric vehicles still only make up less than 2% of new car sales in the US. And study after study cites range anxiety — the worry of running out of battery without a charging station nearby — as one of the top hurdles to widespread adoption of EVs. That concern may even be heightened in pickups like the F-150 Lightning, since people depend on them to tow heavy trailers and haul hefty loads — both activities that can suck up energy and deal a blow to range.

For Darren Palmer, Ford's head of EVs, the key to winning over electric skeptics isn't just promising them loads of range — it's providing super-accurate, real-time range estimates that reassure drivers they won't run out of juice unexpectedly. The idea is to give buyers the confidence to use up most of their range and still trust that they'll get to a charger in time.

"Whatever you ask it to do, it's going to tell you if it can do it. That's what really matters because every situation is different," Palmer told Insider in an interview.

That all starts with factoring in a huge amount of variables beyond just battery level since range can vary widely depending on how a driver uses their truck.

Ford's Intelligent Range system creates a profile for each driver and assesses how far they can expect to travel between charges based on their driving habits. It also factors in the topography on a given route to account for any battery-draining climbs or energy-saving descents, Palmer said. Wind speed, weather conditions, and traffic are downloaded from the cloud and added to the calculation, too.

Ford introduced Intelligent Range in the Mustang Mach-E crossover, and Palmer claims he drives his Mach-E down to 20 miles before looking to charge because he's learned to trust the vehicle's estimates.

"It says what it does and it does what it says," according to Palmer.

But Ford added some key capabilities to Intelligent Range for its debut electric pickup. Onboard scales measure the weight of what's in the bed, cab, and frunk, though Palmer says bed payloads don't tend to affect range all that much. Similarly, when customers want to tow something, the truck can estimate how heavy the trailer it's hitched to is and fold that into range calculations.

Moreover, Palmer says, drivers can create a "trailer profile" by inputting the width, length, height, and weight of their trailer for an even more accurate prediction. Dimensions matter because, in addition to weight, a trailer's aerodynamics can have a major impact on range.

All in all, Ford takes in much more data than its rivals when generating range estimates, which it says are some of the most precise in the industry. And by virtue of over-the-air software updates — a function that Tesla pioneered and other automakers are starting to adopt — range calculations will improve over time, Palmer says. His team will continually assess how actual range stacks up against pre-trip estimates and correct the system to make it increasingly accurate.

Another strategy Ford employed to assuage the range-anxious is to underpromise and overdeliver. The company is targeting an EPA-estimated range of 300 miles for its extended-range model, and, according to Palmer, it achieved that with 1,000 pounds in the bed and without a bed cover. So drivers may end up surprised by how much range they're getting rather than disappointed by it, especially if they add a drag-reducing tonneau cover and don't haul very much. In the end, though, Palmer says consumers will simply need to get over their mental hangups with range anxiety and charging.

"The only thing you have to do with electric is charge on a long journey. And that just means pull up, plug in, get coffee, go to the restroom, come back, and go," Palmer said. "It's effortless."

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-f150-lightning-ev-range-darren-palmer-2021-5

Pay attention to what Mr Palmer is saying.
I am an owner of a Mach E also.
I am pleasantly surprised every time I take my Mach E on long trips. Plug......get something to eat........use the bathroom and you are done. 20 to 25 min the most for me.
Not enough time to enjoy your lunch break.
I don't even think about range. The vehicle helps you along.
I tow a camper with my Explorer. I know what goes on with my Explorer and the 5000lbs behind it. F 150 Lightning is the replacement. I reserved mine as quickly as I could touch my screen keyboard info.
My Mach E has shown me that this F 150 will deliver. Ford has done an excellent job with the Mach E. I'm ready for the Lightning.!!!!

 

[ChasingCoral]

I for one am willing to put up with the issues to get a vehicle that is what I have been wishing for. The mach-e was an entirely new vehicle, this is just a modified F-150. Tesla doesn't have 100+ years experience building vehicles.

?

 

[Horse-E]

We need Ford to set up a website that lets us do this, now, and plug in our starting point and destination and spits out a range/charge plan/etc.

Ford Pass app does this, and can then send the trip plan to the car, although it’s kinda iffy in terms of the UI.

 

[Blainestang]

Ford Pass app does this, and can then send the trip plan to the car, although it’s kinda iffy in terms of the UI.

It lets you put in trailer info and calculates for the F-150? Or you mean it presumably will in the future?

I was hoping they would make one *now* so we could see what assumptions that have as far as range when towing, etc.

 

[Blainestang]

As a F150 owner for many years and towing boats to the Florida Keys. Electric trucks are just not there yet and the charging infrastructure is not even close. A 4 hour trip in my 2016 would take me almost double that in an Electric truck. Not to mention try finding a charging station that you can pull a truck and 30' boat trailer up to. They are mostly set up for small cars in a single parking spot. For daily commuting 10 miles to work and mall crawling, you might as well stick with a soccer mom suv.

There's a huge gap between towing 7,000 lb hundreds of miles and "might as well stick with a soccer mom SUV."

The Lightning won't be for everyone, but it doesn't make sense to pretend like just because it's not great for long-distance, near-max rating towing that it's only good for "daily commuting 10 miles to work and mall crawling."

There are a huge number of half-ton truck use cases that the Lightning can work for, and for many of those, a truck like the Standard Range Pro will make a lot more "dollars and sense" since it's ~$16,000 cheaper than a comparable XL Powerboost 4x4 Supercrew.

Also, I'm not buying your "almost double" the time to go 240 miles estimate.

Start with full charge, and assume 40% of EPA efficiency:

-Drive 100 miles (100 mins)
-Charge back to 80% (40 mins)
-Drive 80 miles (80 mins)
-Charge back to 80% (40 mins)
-Drive 60 miles (60 mins)

Total Charging time: 80 mins
Total Time : 5hr 20min... add a little extra for dropping the trailer and exiting/entering the highway if you have to, but it's still nowhere near "almost double", which would be 8 hours.

There are a lot of variables, but if the infrastructure is there along your path, which is going to depend on the person/route, then it doesn't have to take almost twice as long as a gas truck.

And again, there are a ton of other truck use cases that will work great with the Lightning. Many better than gas. Some worse. So, it doesn't make sense to act like it can't do anything useful because it can't do what *you* want it to do quite as fast as the gas version. It would be like saying, "Oh, Shaq can't shoot three pointers very well. He would be a terrible choice for your NBA team."

Consider me unconvinced.

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