Ford's going to lose me with not showing me state of charge %

[Firn]

It's insane that Ford lets these trucks leave a dealer lot before all available updates are installed. They should do this until their OTA chaos is solved. Don't try to tell me this is an unreasonable ask either.

If they want to do what's best for the customer, they would do this but the cost isn't worth it to them.

It's not unreasonable to expect this as a customer, I agree with that.

However, as some of the modules take HOURS to update manually, and updating all modules on all vehicles sold, is a high demand on the dealer. This is especially true when the modules will automatically update themselves.

Updating while the vehicles sit on the lot makes the most sense. How do you sell a vehicle if half the cool tech features are missing. Heck, how do you even inform the salesman as to the changes. And what is he supposed to say "oh, yeah, so this feature is supposed to be here but isn't. I'm sure it will show up sometime in the next few months if you buy the truck".
Ultimately though I expect tens of thousands of trucks randomly enabling the high voltage system while sitting on a lot, in a warehouse, while on a shipping platform, etc would be a bad situation to have.

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[BeeKind]

I think it's reasonable to roll out updates over several days/weeks and many months/several years isn't acceptable. Some people like to raise software dev environment issues to which I'm wholly sympathetic to but I think it's also being disingenuous to something glaring.

Or just stop trying this? Just put the heated seats back on a button? I'm not sure anyone asked for everything to be on a screen.

 

[ktn]

I think it's reasonable to roll out updates over several days/weeks and many months/several years isn't acceptable. Some people like to raise software dev environment issues to which I'm wholly sympathetic to but I think it's also being disingenuous to something glaring.

Or just stop trying this? Just put the heated seats back on a button? I'm not sure anyone asked for everything to be on a screen.

Unfortunately they haven't learned, yet. Hopefully the T3 model they bring back some physical buttons, but it's a cost savings so I doubt it.

The 2025 Explorer with the new Digital Experience did not add more buttons but if they can at least make the touchscreen has responsive as a modern phone, I'd be much happier.

 

[ktn]

It's not unreasonable to expect this as a customer, I agree with that.

However, as some of the modules take HOURS to update manually, and updating all modules on all vehicles sold, is a high demand on the dealer. This is especially true when the modules will automatically update themselves.

Updating while the vehicles sit on the lot makes the most sense. How do you sell a vehicle if half the cool tech features are missing. Heck, how do you even inform the salesman as to the changes. And what is he supposed to say "oh, yeah, so this feature is supposed to be here but isn't. I'm sure it will show up sometime in the next few months if you buy the truck".
Ultimately though I expect tens of thousands of trucks randomly enabling the high voltage system while sitting on a lot, in a warehouse, while on a shipping platform, etc would be a bad situation to have.

I asked the sales people to update my Truck before I picked it up, all they did was check for software updates from the screen which said nothing was available. For a $80k vehicle I expect A LOT more.

The second I enabled Connected Services 3 recalls showed that required dealer intervention and the OTA team said I will not receive any updates until one of them was resolved, had to bring it back in for them to update it. Also had 16 updates in FDRS.

Now I have to wait for OTA's so well see how long it takes, I'm on Sync 4.0.22326 from 2022!

 

[hturnerfamily]

I think we are all very blessed to have these few slight annoyances in our lives...


it keep us grounded.







48,000 miles so far... love it. Maybe not 'perfect', but, none of the other many EVs I've owned, or still own, have been, either.




Keep it on the upside. We all have more than we deserve.

 

[Ltron]

Ta ta

 

[Cvh8601]

I think it’s worth keeping in mind that no vehicle in the history of vehicles until very recent EV’s provided a “% fuel remaining”. Its almost unreasonable to expect the 1st try from someone making cars showing gages only to the nearest 1/4 for 100 years to provide a live % remaining before hearing the request from the users…

Reaction time from software release to implementation across the fleet however, has lets say, room for improvement.

 

[ChrisCon]

@BeeKind . I live near you and will update your truck for free.

 

[derm]

trivial shit. I got the update 2 weeks ago, and so what? A gas tank doesn't tell you you have 13.8 gallons in the tank, and I could estimate between the hash marks what my SoC is
.. I got no complaints - love the truck with 19k after 14 months

 

[BeeKind]

trivial shit. I got the update 2 weeks ago, and so what? A gas tank doesn't tell you you have 13.8 gallons in the tank, and I could estimate between the hash marks what my SoC is
.. I got no complaints - love the truck with 19k after 14 months

I'm guessing this whole % on the IPC thing is going to break much like the phone arguments of 10 years ago. There were some people who cared, some who didn't and no complaints if it's there and toggleable from anyone.

This isn't rocket science nor do I think it's crazy many of us want a numerical % for quick glance of information.

If our cars charged in 5 minutes and there were just as many charging consoles as there are gas stations you could make your argument but that's not what we have so it's not fair to say "you didn't need it for gas."

Perhaps your app is telling you you'll arrive with 14% and you want to see how you're tracking against that. You, personally, might be fine with what you have but I don't think it's fair to say those of us (majority?) who find it infuriating for the sake of psychological manipulation to be denied this information.

The reason I drop "6 EVs" is again, this was truly an old way of doing things. You have no idea the arguments that used to get made, "we have no idea what actual percent is because blah blah blah" and it's like - why is anyone getting to choose the data that's displayed to the driver other than the driver? All those arguments lost, no one ever asked for accuracy down to the micro amp hour, we asked for best guess and that best guess is probably more accurate than a dang float in a gas tank anyways. (LFP quirks aside since that wasn't relevant until recent years)

How about if we had a group of consumers who decided how to display information we'd display 0-100% in where it's healthy for the truck. Perhaps we'd make it what we currently have as 10-90%. Then we'd have bars in reserve and bars in "over charge" to 110% and the "reserve" that goes to -10%. Why would we decide this? Because that appropriately sets up the consumer for healthy charging habits.

Some version of the "ideal" I laid out would be the solution every time. So why don't we do it that way? Oh because OEMs don't want to say up to 320 miles of range with 256 miles daily availible. Just doesn't market as well.

So here we are, stupidville, because "up to 320 miles of range with 256 miles daily" was too much of a word salad for branding and marketing.

You're really going to call us out as being unreasonable for getting upset for not showing us % state of charge given the above? I don't want engineers deciding how I feel emotionally about numbers, I can decide.

 

[derm]

Sorry if I offended. Like I said, I got the update, and see very little use in it. I more upset how people bash the EV movement. My 3rd F150 and hoping for 10+ years with no issues. 19k and had my tires rotated twice. My 20 Sport would of burned 1000gal of gas, 4 oil changes, 2 tire rotation, plus dealer would probably trying to sell coolant flush or brake fluid....

That said hope you get the s/w update soon.

 

[BeeKind]

Sorry if I offended. Like I said, I got the update, and see very little use in it. I more upset how people bash the EV movement. My 3rd F150 and hoping for 10+ years with no issues. 19k and had my tires rotated twice. My 20 Sport would of burned 1000gal of gas, 4 oil changes, 2 tire rotation, plus dealer would probably trying to sell coolant flush or brake fluid....

That said hope you get the s/w update soon.

Don't remember what you said and not gonna go back and check. Strong opinions are great and being able to see the other side at the end is the entire point even if you still disagree.

This is the low point on EVs, trust me. The fundamentals you're stating are factual and obvious and the feeling you're feeling, "man why can't people just see how this is better" will be validated in the end. It's not the first time we've been here with EVs. I picked up a 2021 Kona Electric, no money down lease for $168 / mo. and I was talking to a sales guy at the dealership who said he had some go out as low as $39 / mo. back then. Using price as a metric, we're not even at our lowest point of volatility in discounted BEVs (which I'm inferring to be a direct measure of demand).

We rarely talk about the elephant in the room and that is Tesla. They hold a monopoly share on the BEV market and they're loved by no demographic atm. That will dissipate over time. Interest rates will come down. Truck drivers who are driving fleet Lightnings at work will understand. The early adopter "real truck" people, of which there are many, will continue to say the things about their Lightning that you are.

Honestly, I don't care about any of that noise anymore. I'm hoping (with plausible reality) that within a few years people will realize the Lightning is the only "real truck" on the market that is also BEV and that is a thing of tremendous value. Silverado EVs, R1Ts, Cybertrucks, whatever they may be great for taking the boat to the lake but Ford has decided that it's "truck first, powertrain second."

I know Ford is going to reveal some unibody monstrosity some day. Fine, there's a place for that, I do like the R1T, for instance, great truck. Just keep going with the F150 as-is. Jam a BEV powetrain in there and I don't care if it "only" gets 320 miles. I'm saving $20,000 over 100,000 miles. That's a lot of money. I have no questions about where I'm getting parts from. These are priceless qualities at the end of the day for "real truck" people.

My prediction is not only will you be "emotionally validated" (jfc this is a truck, what is wrong with humans) but you will be vindicated financially as well if you hold on through the dip so to speak. Prices may not go up on our used Lightnings but not going down is going up to... I think that's a real possibility. Your $42k trade values you're getting back now being like $40k 3 years from now is an actual win.

I work in marketing with heavy consumer research focus and between clients and actually liking cars/trucks is the reason I'm so hyper obsessed observing the "emotional" part of this. The only thing that actually gets me angry are the people "in the industry" who are dumping their Lightnings and saying, "I don't want it forced on me" - that infuriates me. They know no ones is forcing this, they know there's no mandates. They're taking the easy way out because truck people currently are very apprehensive. Screw that. A lot of people are losing a lot of money beyond just their personal vehicles and these assholes are feeding into the illusion. (I'm talking vague for a reason, really not looking to single any entity out)

I think we're finally starting to transition to seeing the Lightning as an F150 option instead of a separate thing. Ford needs to solidify this in their web portals, sales portals, sales teams, etc. They want to go off and have fun in CAD making new confangled body configurations, great, but make the actual F150 happen more naturally. Fork it. Don't do the "Ultium thing" only.

Not only are the above fundamentals true but the election is soon. One side bashing EVs and harping on mandates that don't exist is already being moderated by prominent spokespeople for that side needing EVs to succeed (jfc, the eggshells!) means this component - which is huge for the F150, will change even quicker than interest rates.

It's always darkest before it's light...

 

[Toby57]

No mandates?
Can you or anyone please show me news or articles that state California and the other states that followed have reversed the no more ICE sales after a certain date?
It is mine and many others opinion that the biggest by far damage to EV sales was, mandates.

 

[rm5565]

No mandates?
Can you or anyone please show me news or articles that state California and the other states that followed have reversed the no more ICE sales after a certain date?
It is mine and many others opinion that the biggest by far damage to EV sales was, mandates.

California's 2035 target is a long time off. By then any "mandate" won't matter - the rate of advance of EV technology is very rapid now. Everyone will be demanding EVs because the advantages will be overwhelming. Lots of smart people all over the world are working on range, infrastructure and cost. That's all that's left. EVs are already closing in on cost parity, they are way ahead on maintenance costs, quality of life (no going to gas stations any more) and of course air quality. Anywho, I wouldn't get worked up over "mandates" - this is already a weak discussion point, and 50 years from now our kids will wonder what the heck people were getting themselves worked up about.

 

[BeeKind]

No mandates?
Can you or anyone please show me news or articles that state California and the other states that followed have reversed the no more ICE sales after a certain date?
It is mine and many others opinion that the biggest by far damage to EV sales was, mandates.

What one state does is not what the nation does and the forces that be that are railing against EVs aren't saying "I'm going to reign in California state law for Californians because of their EV mandates" (which does get complicated in terms of emissions overall, but digressions)

Mandates were stupid for many reasons and were taken on by many countries. Not in the US, not at the Federal level.

I'm from NY, I don't care what California does unless my lawmakers are threatening to do the same. Our mandates (which are dumb) don't have full switchover until 2045. That's not a real date imho but political grandstanding. Not a concern for me or President Trump or VP Harris.

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