What software updates should Ford add to the lightning?

[Mr. Flibble]

Ok, I have a new one to add. After watching the Out of Spec Review - the charging menu on the Lightning needs more work. It just shows a percentage. It needs to show how many KW/h the vehicle is charging at. This is important because different chargers have different speeds, and it is not immediately apparent when you plug in. It would suck to plug into a slow charger at a lot, and think you were plugged into a fast one. That could ruin your road trip real fast.

Ford, add lots of charging details to the menus. Just a percentage charge on the screen is not enough.

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[Labs4Lightning]

Heavy Petting Mode Perhaps?

Isn’t that already included? isnt that why shift handle goes down?

 

[gorwell]

It would suck to plug into a slow charger at a lot, and think you were plugged into a fast one. That could ruin your road trip real fast.

I agree, they need the kwh reading.

But, you do get some understanding of speed since it did have a time until complete based on the percent the car is allowed to charge too.

So if car confirmed to 80% , then if your on a good charger that number should be under 40 minutes.

 

[VTbuckeye]

I agree, they need the kwh reading.

But, you do get some understanding of speed since it did have a time until complete based on the percent the car is allowed to charge too.

So if car confirmed to 80% , then if your on a good charger that number should be under 40 minutes.

I think the problem if not having the kw reading on the truck is that you may be plugged into a charge station that is working suboptimally. You know your charge curve, but the charge station is only delivering 40 or 50kw when it should be delivering 140. If your vehicle tells you right away you can move to another plug.

 

[beatle]

I think the problem if not having the kw reading on the truck is that you may be plugged into a charge station that is working suboptimally. You know your charge curve, but the charge station is only delivering 40 or 50kw when it should be delivering 140. If your vehicle tells you right away you can move to another plug.

Bingo. With all the variables of the 3rd party charging networks, this is really important. Having this info via the app is also important in case the truck suddenly stops charging or drops to a low rate early on while eating. It happens with Tesla as well. I plugged in and walked away to get food. When I came back I found that my car hadn't charged at all because that stall had gone offline.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

I think the problem if not having the kw reading on the truck is that you may be plugged into a charge station that is working suboptimally. You know your charge curve, but the charge station is only delivering 40 or 50kw when it should be delivering 140. If your vehicle tells you right away you can move to another plug.

Is it me or are the comments missing the fact that wattage can be read at charging station.

but agreed convenient to have on dash or center screen. Cold, rainy, snowy otherwise crappy, yes it would helpful

 

[gorwell]

I think the problem if not having the kw reading on the truck is that you may be plugged into a charge station that is working suboptimally. You know your charge curve, but the charge station is only delivering 40 or 50kw when it should be delivering 140. If your vehicle tells you right away you can move to another plug.

100%, but...

The time to charge is similar information.

If the truck should do 15-80% in 40-45 minutes...

You plug in @ 30% with the charge set @ 80% and see it's going to take over an hour, somethings wrong... try the next charger.

 

[VTbuckeye]

100%, but...

The time to charge is similar information.

If the truck should do 15-80% in 40-45 minutes...

You plug in @ 30% with the charge set @ 80% and see it's going to take over an hour, somethings wrong... try the next charger.

I don't mind doing a little math. I don't expect others to, especially when the truck had to do the math in reverse to get the time to charge number. Please Ford don't design this for the lowest common denominator. Some of us want all the data in real time and will ignore what doesn't matter to us. For some people, numbers = bad and they completely freeze/give up (my mother in law is one of these people. She is a retired English teacher). Please design it the interface so that she does not get overwhelmed, but give the rest of us all of the information possible. Example: tell me how fast it is charging in kW and tell her when it will be done. I have never DCFC our Volvo, but on level 2 it tells me the amp draw and miles per hour. I don't need the mph, particularly when the outside temp makes a huge difference in consumption, though it did show me when cold the first 15 to 20 minutes were only warming the battery (30 amp, 0mph, then all of a sudden 30 amp 15 mph).

 

[Mr. Flibble]

Is it me or are the comments missing the fact that wattage can be read at charging station.

but agreed convenient to have on dash or center screen. Cold, rainy, snowy otherwise crappy, yes it would helpful

The watts can be read. But they take time to show up. No one wants to stand outside and wait for 3 min while it is raining or -20 and stare at an EA screen. Most people would want to plug in; have the charger start with “plug and charge” and hop back in the cab.

Alternatively, you want to get food/leave and not wait the 3 min for the extremely slow EA screen to update. In most EVs you can see the charge rate on the dashboard in KW/h long before the EA chargers update and show the KW/h.

Most EVs do this - but not the Mustang or F150. That’s a flaw.

I wonder if the Ford Pass app shows this....

 

[sotek2345]

The watts can be read. But they take time to show up. No one wants to stand outside and wait for 3 min while it is raining or -20 and stare at an EA screen. Most people would want to plug in; have the charger start with “plug and charge” and hop back in the cab.

Alternatively, you want to get food/leave and not wait the 3 min for the extremely slow EA screen to update. In most EVs you can see the charge rate on the dashboard in KW/h long before the EA chargers update and show the KW/h.

Most EVs do this - but not the Mustang or F150. That’s a flaw.

I wonder if the Ford Pass app shows this....

The Fordpass App does not show this - just current state of charge and time to complete

 

[greenne]

More drive modes--specifically:

1. Eco mode: maximum range
2. Touring or comfort mode: highway comfort maximized
3. snow/ice mode: limts throttle response for better performance in slippery conditions
4. More terrain modes-- sand, mud/rut, etc.

Other idea:

-- pet mode
-- I would really like the matrix headlight function for nighttime driving

 

[GDN]

Items like this are where I continue to monitor to see if Ford is going to listen and respond to the consumer. Every tiny detail about that charging session is known in the truck. If we make requests for more info, will Ford simply update a GUI and add that information for us? I hope so.

Tesla honestly just started to shine in this area about a year ago. The car always displayed all of the info, but now it is available in the app too - you can control the charge session from anywhere and know what the charge session is doing.

It's just info to the consumer where the consumer needs it - on the dash and in the app. They could have interns make these kind of updates.

 

[greenne]

Based on Kyle's initial charging analysis..it would be helpful if the 120KW speed curve could be extended to 85 or 90% before the "cliff".

I understand Ford is balancing battery life, but being able to realistically charge that extra little but at 125KW would help on road trips.

If I could get 5 or 10% to 90% within the period of a lunch "stop" that would be helpful.

I do think more charging info on the app would be helpful. I can imagine stepping away from the DCFC to do lunch only to come back and discover the Lighting has not charged as fast as you thought in 30min, 45min, etc

 

[sotek2345]

More drive modes--specifically:

1. Eco mode: maximum range
2. Touring or comfort mode: highway comfort maximized
3. snow/ice mode: limts throttle response for better performance in slippery conditions
4. More terrain modes-- sand, mud/rut, etc.

Other idea:

-- pet mode
-- I would really like the matrix headlight function for nighttime driving

I am not sure what #1 and #2 would actually do. Is your #1 just the same as #3 (reduced throttle response?). It doesn't have adjustable suspenstion, so for #2, would that just be a lighter steering effort?

 

[PV2EV]

Please upgrade MY22 to Google Android based OS

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