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Mileage understanding

Rocket808

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If you drive mostly slow in rush hour traffic, you will likely get a lot more than 300
 
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SpaceEVDriver

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The estimate of remaining range is only as good as the data provided to the vehicle. If you just want the same range at a given remaining battery %, then take your favorite 100% range (320, 300, 270, whatever) and multiply be the % remaining.

If you want to know how far the truck calculates you can go with the energy remaining in the battery, then you'll need to understand why and how it uses the data it uses.

In this example of highway driving, I started at 100% battery and cold soaked at about 32 ā°F.

On one hand, after driving 217 miles, the truck estimated that I had another 102 miles of range, which would be 319 miles, almost spot on to the EPA estimate for my truck.

On the other hand, the miles/kWh efficiency calculated and shown on the screen (2.5 miles/kWh) suggested that I should have had a total range of 328 miles, so I should have a range of 111 more miles. Not a huge difference and nothing to worry about.

On the gripping hand, the remaining battery state of charge (37%) means I used 63% to go 217.3 miles, so that calculation would suggest I should have had a range of 345 miles at 100% (217.3Ć·0.63 = 345) and should have 345-217 = 128 miles of remaining range.

Which is correct? I'm my case it's the 100 miles or so distance to empty. Ford blends--via a weighted average--multiple long-term and short-term inputs to determine their best estimate of distance to empty. If my long-term behavior is to use a lot of HVAC, but I didn't use much in the last 50 miles, it might assume that I'll use more for the rest of my driving. If my long-term average speed is high, but I recently have only been driving at 45 mph (say because of construction), then the estimated distance to empty night be lower than the unusual 45 mph might suggest.

If you don't want that, I suppose you can reset your driving history every time you recharge so the vehicle starts over and uses the basic estimate instead of learning about your particular driving patterns.


Ford F-150 Lightning Mileage understanding PXL_20241116_203454660
 

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Electric Messiah

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Though glad I own an extended range Lariat and something of a hyper miler, I'm not too concerned with the varying mileage I get that often does not add up to the EPA advertised. Instead, I focus on the great advantages of being free from petrol and related fossil fuels; and having my own home gas station, and saying "filler up" and it does (though it doesn't wash the windows and check the wipers). Among others, I focus on the joys of instant acceleration and one pedal driving that allow for deft maneuvering in traffic, and watching the say what?-ometer choke on its own spit as I coast down long hills.

I recognize that in winter the advertised range will be well down, and that in the warmer months if I stick to the back roads, I'll get more, even much more mileage than advertised. And no matter what, I've got that nice, compact Tesla charger Ford sent me, ready to plug in most anywhere, with whatever range I'm getting.

And then there's the liberating feeling of not having the dealer as an added appendage to maintain this, repair that, ad infinitum, This, thanks to there not being a thousand working parts with the potential at any given time, to "soil the bed" so to speak. In sum, fossil fuels and I have always had an uneasy relationship, and the freer I am of them, the lighter I feel--Lariat light for me.
 

TaxmanHog

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There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.

Then came the onslaught of whiners complaining of the GOM dropping like a rock after the first 10 miles of driving, see Hoovies Garage video as an explainer....

Ford revised the calculus adding back a measure of pragmatism, I'd rather be told the reality of a situation then have smoke & mirrors.

The 300 or 320 mile range is for comparison of vehicles, giving us an insight as to the differences in ability and efficiency of one vehicle over another, how it performs in my hands with my leadfoot is another story.
 

TaxmanHog

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I used to have one of those! But mine was a '14. I swapped it out for a K-1600 a couple of years ago. Now my RH grip is no longer just a volume control. :)

Hahhhha, I run stock pipes, my ears can't take hours of droning exhaust, as the 'P' of a club I enjoy having all the noisemakers to the rear of me.
 

Pioneer74

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There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.
Early to mid December, 2022. Here is the thread. You can see the reactions to the change in the DTE calculation around post #66.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...e-22-pu-1009-mil-dte-calculation.13449/page-5
 

luebri

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FirstF150InCasco

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You have a chart, great, I don't use a chart, I have a baseline of 240 miles on a 6 gallon tank. I developed the baseline from riding, I can get more I know that but I know when I fill my tank I am able to get 240 miles. Each time I fill my tank I have to assess do I have a trailer, 220 miles, do I have a co-rider, 240 miles, is it raining, am I in the mountains, etc. I understand variables when riding and you assess those on the ride. BUT my baseline is 240 miles on what I consider a normal day I will always get 240 miles on a tank.

But the computer on my truck doesn't have this, 299, 276, 246. etc. If I drive my truck for 1 block each day and at the end of the month it will say 100% fully charged your estimated drive will be 139 miles. Uh NO. thats a calculation based on my driving history, I don't care about that. I want a baseline so I know how far my charge will go. I thought my baseline would be 299 miles but I'm not sure.

I know about energy, fusion, kool-aid in your tank etc. I know about variables about driving in the city vs highway, rain, cold, trailer etc. But I am trying to get a baseline of what a 100% charge on a 131Kw battery pack should give me, EPA mileage says 300 and I KNOW thats not true but......
Why do you continue to ignore all the folks here who are taking their time to explain the situation? The baseline is not 300 miles. The baseline is 131 kWh. kWh, not miles. How many miles 131 kWh equates to is determined by the m/Kw you will get in that drive. And the m/Kwh on that drive will vary dramatically based on so many factors. I usually get well over 2.0 m/kWh. But today -- on a route from Boston to Maine that I've done dozens of times in the summer -- was only 1.2 because it was bloody cold (and because the truck was loadedup with tons of stuff.) It's unfortunate you didn't understand this before you bought an EV.
 

Firn

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There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.

Then came the onslaught of whiners complaining of the GOM dropping like a rock after the first 10 miles of driving, see Hoovies Garage video as an explainer....

Ford revised the calculus adding back a measure of pragmatism, I'd rather be told the reality of a situation then have smoke & mirrors.

The 300 or 320 mile range is for comparison of vehicles, giving us an insight as to the differences in ability and efficiency of one vehicle over another, how it performs in my hands with my leadfoot is another story.
(Sigh)

And this thread is a perfect example of why Ford made such changes.
 

scoobybri

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This is exactly the reason I used battery percentage on my Teslas rather than range. Tesla gives you the option of displaying either charge level or range. When you drive an ice vehicle, do fill up the tank based on your fuel gauge or what the "miles to empty" indicator says? How many Ice drivers even ever use their "miles to empty" screen? Very few. You drive and when the fuel gauge gets below what you are comfortable with, you fill the car with gas. By ignoring the GOM, and only seeing battery percentage, most range anxiety goes away. The charge gets low, you charge it. Simple as that. It sucks that Ford forces you to stare at that almost useless GOM all the time. I have put a piece of Post It note to block it on my dash. I see the charge level on the charge gauge. That's what I want to see.
 

HOTAS

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This is exactly the reason I used battery percentage on my Teslas rather than range.
YES! THIS! Thanks for finally stating it.
As soon as EV owners go to %, all the range anxiety goes away.
Remember, the traditional gas guage we all looked at for years, was also a % meter. It was only recently, with precise fuel injection metering, that accurate range indications in a car was even possible.

Fortuneteller, the answer to your question is this;
an EVā€˜s range is not as predictable as in a gas car. Itā€™s range is WAY more dramatically effected by the ā€œvariablesā€œ, than a gas car Is.
So a general range number, like youā€˜re used to in your Goldwing, just isnā€™t possible.
As you continue to drive your Lightning you will come up with a range baseline youā€™re comfortable with. And it likely will be better than whatā€™s displayed. About 275 miles.

I would encourage you to come up with a real world 50%-charge baseline range. Then work from than number for additional range in 10% increments. Then you can easily predict how far the truck will go for any given charge level.
 
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HOTAS

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I had to do the same thing when I first started driving the Lightning.
My primary drive is 50 miles from home to the airport. It takes 20% battery. Thatā€™s predominately 70mph interstate driving.
That number has become very consistent both ways.
So, Iā€™m comfortable my Lightning has a 250 mile range on the interstate.
Other driving scenarios are better than that. So I know itā€™s real range is somewhat further, and I can predict what range every 10% battery will get me.

Decades of gas car driving has conditioned out minds to
have difficulty with two aspects of EVā€™S.
ā€œRated range anxietyā€ and ā€œhow long does it take to chargeā€œ anxiety.
Both become irrelevant as time with the EV is gained.
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