Removable Range Extender Generator Possibly Spied in F150 Lightning Test Prototype

[Sdctcher]

https://insideevs.com/news/590878/ford-f-150-lightning-removable-range-extender/

Ford F-150 Lightning Spied With Removable Range Extender?
It could just be a tool box, but a patent filing by Ford from two years ago leads us to believe otherwise.

Source:: https://insideevs.com/news/590878/ford-f-150-lightning-removable-range-extender/

Ford F-150 Lightning Spied With Removable Range Extender?
It could just be a tool box, but a patent filing by Ford from two years ago leads us to believe otherwise.

Our spies just sent us these photos showing the Ford F-150 Lightnings still being tested by the manufacturer with a box in their bed. Now that could just be tool box, which is probably what they want us to believe if it’s actually the removable range extender that the manufacturer applied for a patent on two years ago.

And even back then, in the patent drawings, it still looked like a tool box, and it was located in the same place as on the test vehicles in the photos, which is why we think this may be Ford testing the range extender and not a mere box of tools. It does appear a bit bigger than in the patent, taking up around a third of the bed, although the box itself is from a third party (Weather Guard), so it won’t be the box the production range extender engine will come in.

The patent was titled “Electrified Vehicles With A Removable And Interchangeable Range-Extending Generators” and it

Details electrified vehicles that are equipped with removable generators for increasing the electric range of the vehicles. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a cargo space, such as a truck bed, and a generator removably positioned within the cargo space. The generator is adapted to selectively supply power for either charging a battery pack of the electrified vehicle or for propelling one or more vehicle drive wheels. In some embodiments, the generator is shaped like, and therefore disguised as, a toolbox.

 

[Lightning_Bob]

...Hoping that red button on the side of it is the emergency shut off or maybe manual on/off switch for the test/prototype unit, and not just a randomly double side taped accessory to throw the spy shots off...

Keeping my fingers crossed - though imagine if it comes out, it would at a minimum require the current F150 lighnings beds to be retrofitted/hole punched out for the connection - with the assumption that there is a connector/harness underneath ready to go... Hopefully it wont be an option only newer lightnings can offer, after Ford catches up with demand and enlarges it's base....

I've been second and third guessing my reservation for the Lightning - if they can release this and it could mostly sustain the battery at highway speeds (not towing), it would address my niche concern of hurricane evacuation needs...or for spur of the moment longer distance road trips...


// after looking up weather guard boxes....

Ugh... the weather guard box looks like it comes with red buttons from the factory as a default feature:
https://www.weatherguard.com/products/truck-tool-boxes-equipment/boxes/SaddleBox/127-52-03
...still keeping my fingers crossed....but makes you think more about it...where is the exhaust and intake...would assume the intake would be visible from the side/top, and exhaust pipe would not be shooting in the bed...

 

[gorwell]

It's just a box. Don't need to read into it.

It's pretty standard for a truck to have a workbox.

 

[Maquis]

I can’t wait to start getting scam emails for “EV range extenders”….they’ll go straight to spam just like the ones selling extenders for other things.

 

[Roy2001]

Thieves would be happy to take then away. So easy.

 

[hturnerfamily]

here's a FREE range extender:

start at the top of a big hill...

 

[REDHORSECA]

Oh, that 'range' extender.

 

[Peter P]

Source:: https://insideevs.com/news/590878/ford-f-150-lightning-removable-range-extender/

Ford F-150 Lightning Spied With Removable Range Extender?
It could just be a tool box, but a patent filing by Ford from two years ago leads us to believe otherwise.

Our spies just sent us these photos showing the Ford F-150 Lightnings still being tested by the manufacturer with a box in their bed. Now that could just be tool box, which is probably what they want us to believe if it’s actually the removable range extender that the manufacturer applied for a patent on two years ago.

And even back then, in the patent drawings, it still looked like a tool box, and it was located in the same place as on the test vehicles in the photos, which is why we think this may be Ford testing the range extender and not a mere box of tools. It does appear a bit bigger than in the patent, taking up around a third of the bed, although the box itself is from a third party (Weather Guard), so it won’t be the box the production range extender engine will come in.

The patent was titled “Electrified Vehicles With A Removable And Interchangeable Range-Extending Generators” and it

Details electrified vehicles that are equipped with removable generators for increasing the electric range of the vehicles. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a cargo space, such as a truck bed, and a generator removably positioned within the cargo space. The generator is adapted to selectively supply power for either charging a battery pack of the electrified vehicle or for propelling one or more vehicle drive wheels. In some embodiments, the generator is shaped like, and therefore disguised as, a toolbox.

 

[dirtdiver]

I wonder what size generator you would need to put in the bed, plug into the charge port, fill with gas and maintain 65mph on the freeway? will our truck even allow charging while driving??

steve

 

[Lightning_Bob]

I wonder what size generator you would need to put in the bed, plug into the charge port, fill with gas and maintain 65mph on the freeway? will our truck even allow charging while driving??

steve

If we assume the truck gets 1.8 miles per kw at 65mph that would equate roughly to 36 kw per hour to sustain it....But you wouldn't necessarily want to run a generator/engine that has a max sustained capacity of 36kw since that would most likely be the least efficient fuel wise and probably pretty hard on the engine if having to use it all day multiple times a week ....so ideally would want something capable of putting out 70-100kw, but have it tuned to only put out 36-40kw...so roughly a 100-130hp motor would be needed....from there, depending on what motor was used (4 cyl, rotary, turbo, naturally aspirated, etc) you can figure the "mpg" at whatever rpm makes 36kw/27hp and figure how far X tank size would get you....

...as to whether the Lightning can charge while driving - assuming they designed the lighting to have this futre compatibility in mind so the hardware was mostly ready (save for having a cable route to the bed, connectors, etc), this would be mostly a software/firmware thing to enable....Examples of existing EVs with range extenders that soley charge the battery and not run power to the wheels are the BMW i3 REx (75hp scooter motor that was tuned down to output around 25-30kw) and Fisker Karma (think it used the engine from the Chevy volt and they added a turbo to?) ...but they came from the factory like this and was not an add on....

 

[Lightning_Bob]

How do you safely put on and remove 1k lbs of battery at home into the bed of a truck? Where do you store this?

...not 1K lbs of batteries - it would be a fuel powered generator - patent info:
https://electrek.co/2020/10/03/ford-electric-pickup-range-extender-design-f150/

I would imagine most folks would leave it in the back (the frunk would make up for most of the lost bed space)... assuming the full assembly weighed around 400-700lbs - would get something like this to remove/put it back in myself if needing the full length of the bed: https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-61858.html

discussed further here: https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/any-word-about-the-range-extender-patent.5926/

 

[dirtdiver]

If we assume the truck gets 1.8 miles per kw at 65mph that would equate roughly to 36 kw per hour to sustain it....But you wouldn't necessarily want to run a generator/engine that has a max sustained capacity of 36kw since that would most likely be the least efficient fuel wise and probably pretty hard on the engine if having to use it all day multiple times a week ....so ideally would want something capable of putting out 70-100kw, but have it tuned to only put out 36-40kw...so roughly a 100-130hp motor would be needed....from there, depending on what motor was used (4 cyl, rotary, turbo, naturally aspirated, etc) you can figure the "mpg" at whatever rpm makes 36kw/27hp and figure how far X tank size would get you....

...as to whether the Lightning can charge while driving - assuming they designed the lighting to have this futre compatibility in mind so the hardware was mostly ready (save for having a cable route to the bed, connectors, etc), this would be mostly a software/firmware thing to enable....Examples of existing EVs with range extenders that soley charge the battery and not run power to the wheels are the BMW i3 REx (75hp scooter motor that was tuned down to output around 25-30kw) and Fisker Karma (think it used the engine from the Chevy volt and they added a turbo to?) ...but they came from the factory like this and was not an add on....

Good analysis. Not going to buy one of those at Home Depot…

 

[Mr. Flibble]

I sure hope they are testing this. Still not sure how it would hook up - best guess is through the rear pro-power-on-board?

 

[Mr. Flibble]

So, am I reading this right? You should be able to use the rear 240v plug in the bed to return say, 2.4 kw (which is what it can output according to what I found on ford.com)

That would be enough to enable a whole bunch of range would it not? Would that be enough to cruise with the range extender's power alone?

I assume that towing a trailer consumes a lot more than that, so it would extend your range, but not stop a drain on your battery.

 

[Maquis]

So, am I reading this right? You should be able to use the rear 240v plug in the bed to return say, 2.4 kw (which is what it can output according to what I found on ford.com)

That would be enough to enable a whole bunch of range would it not? Would that be enough to cruise with the range extender's power alone?

I assume that towing a trailer consumes a lot more than that, so it would extend your range, but not stop a drain on your battery.

So we’re getting close to the holy grail - perpetual motion!

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