FCSP 80 amp issue. Max 46amp

[TaxmanHog]

Howdy all - Will the 2024 Lightning Flash accept more than 48A on a CCS public charger (Electrify America) or a NASC (Tesla Charger?)….. thanks for all of you in this forum its a great resource for all of us!!!!

Yes, substantially more DC amps not quite 10 fold

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[clemmcbee]

Thank you sir!!! that’s comforting - I just purchased the Flash - and have not really have a chance to charge to 80% when the charge is say 10% so I was concerned that the unit was limited to 48A in the wild on public charging - I’m taking a deep breath now and Thank You!!!

 

[Runaway Tractor]

DC fast charging (level 3) has nothing all to do with the level 2 AC charger.

 

[Firn]

Thank you sir!!! that’s comforting - I just purchased the Flash - and have not really have a chance to charge to 80% when the charge is say 10% so I was concerned that the unit was limited to 48A in the wild on public charging - I’m taking a deep breath now and Thank You!!!

Yep, DC Fast Charging is a different beast than AC home charging.

If anything we have seen the 24s charge a bit faster at DCFC than the 22-23 models. However at home they charge slower.

 

[RickLightning]

Maybe you don't need an 80A charger the way you use your truck. If I were stuck with 48A home charging I'd be DC charging twice for most trips in the winter instead of once - no thanks. Ford did nobody any favors by removing 80A charging capability from the ER trucks.

I’m genuinely curious about that, how does faster charging extend your range on a winter day?

It doesn't give you more range, as charging speed is irrelevant. It gives you faster charging, which matters if you can't refill in the time you're at home.

With a 131kWh battery, a 48amp charger is going to add about 8% an hour. You get home at 9PM, leave at 7AM, that's 10 hours, you've added back 80%.

An 80amp charger is going to add 13.5% per hour, so 80% takes 6 hours, not 10 hours.

I am sure Ford looked at the charging of owners (they have all the data) and saw that probably less than 1% needed 80amp charging, so it was wasted money.

Why they didn't allow it to be an upgrade for retail customers is another question.

 

[clemmcbee]

All - thank you so much for all the clarity - this is a really cool place you have here and all the information we can share. I am thankful for all the input an information!!!!

 

[chl]

I agree you kind of got screwed, but on the plus side.,,,

Limiting charging to 48A vs 80A will extend battery life.

Having the FCSP and the HIS (Home Integration System) would be nice, if it worked flawlessly anytime you need it, which from the many posts I've read it does not unfortunately...and it is rather pricey at present.

Having an 80A L2 EVSE like the FCSP might be good for a future vehicle with a big battery that can handle 80A, so if you can't return it for your money back, it may pay off in the long run.

However, you could have bought a brand new unused in the box FCSP EVSE on eBay for around $500-$600, I did.

I had an old 32A EVSE L2 (GE WattStation) at home that I bought in 2011 for my 2012 Nissan Leaf. Can you believe I paid about $1,000.00 for it in 2011.

It worked with the Lightning, but 32A was a bit slower than I wanted.
My 2023 Lightning Pro has a SR battery so already limited to 48A.
I never plan on charging past 80% to 90% but I want to get it done between 1AM and 6AM when my electric rates are lowest, so only have 5 hours to play with.

48A x 240V x 5 hrs = 57.6kWh which will get me from about 20% to about 80% of the 98kWh battery (19.6kWh to 78.4kWh is about 59kWh).

Also, I thought I might want an 80A EVSE in the future for a larger battery vehicle someday.

What a shame that Ford is selling Lightnings with 131kWh batteries that can't charge at home higher than 48A!!!
Charging at home is the cheapest way to go.
But for some owners it is probably woefully slow and inconvenient.
I suppose Ford saves a buck or two with only one on-board charger, seems it is usually/often about the money and not the engineering or customer experience.

If it forces people to Fast DC charge frequently Ford will be seeing early battery failures in those Lightnings I'd bet before the warranty runs out.

The hypothetical average driver in the U.S. drives 39.7 miles per day, according to the most recent Department of Transportation statistics.

So for average daily driving one doesn't need the ER battery or the 80A charging.

But maybe a lot of F-150 drivers are not the hypothetical average driver?

Like some one mentioned, Ford has the data on Lightning drivers, so maybe their bean counters found that the vast majority don't need the 80A charging?

Those that do maybe were the fleet drivers?

Still Ford should have given buyers of Lightnings with ER batteries of all stripes to add the second on-board charger as an option, not just fleet buyers.

Ya have to wonder who's making these decisions at Ford?

[Head-shaking]

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