Which came first, the charger or the truck?

[Gullwing]

This may be a dumb question but now that I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a Lightning, I'm curious if everybody had their charging setup and in place before purchase (maybe doesn't apply to those that ordered). Or did anybody need to add it after the fact? Since I've reached out to a couple of dealers and went to test drive one they're reaching out to try to work a deal with prices starting to come down. And with end of month coming up it's possible I could see a good deal before I can setup my charging system.

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[TaxmanHog]

99.999 % of us got the FCSP after delivery of ER models where it's a part of the purchase deal.

???% of SR buyers probably started the ball rolling as they would be looking at the retail charger market and preparing their home sooner.

I personally was not in a rush until I was certain the deal would be done, that I would own the truck, this was a year ago when some of us were facing ADM's of unreasonable values, if that had happened on my deal I would have walked out of the dealership.

 

[ryun]

Do you drive fewer than 30 miles a day round trip? If so, you might not have to work very hard to get your charging system setup. My wife and I both have EVs and we just use a regular wall outlet for level 1 charging.

There are downsides to this though: less efficient than level 2 charging, more time spent charging, the battery handles temperature conditioning, and (technically) you should use a dedicated circuit regardless.

That said, it's been working fine for us.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

This may be a dumb question but now that I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a Lightning, I'm curious if everybody had their charging setup and in place before purchase (maybe doesn't apply to those that ordered). Or did anybody need to add it after the fact? Since I've reached out to a couple of dealers and went to test drive one they're reaching out to try to work a deal with prices starting to come down. And with end of month coming up it's possible I could see a good deal before I can setup my charging system.

I installed mine before since I had other EVs. But even those, I had it installed before my car came.

Even if you’re getting a FCSP, I’d recommend getting a panel installed in the garage (if you don’t have one already) and putting in a 14-50 to future proof or act as an emergency outlet in case the FCSP or any other charger goes on the fritz. Once you have the panel in the garage, future electrical work is easier and cheaper, including putting in a 2nd charger or replacing one.

 

[Calvin H-C]

EVSE before EV - twice.

We ordered a 2017 Focus Electric in May 2017 and it was expected to be built sometime in September. The EVSE was ordered and received in July and installed and inspected shortly thereafter. Received the vehicle on November 10.

For the Lightning, we could share the existing EVSE if necessary, but it only delivers 32 A. We got a good deal on an Emporia EVSE that could provide up to 48 A (it would be hardwired) and ordered it March 29. I installed it and had it inspected a few weeks later and the Lightning arrived on May 25.

 

[DieselP]

My first EV, no charger at home. To make it even harder, the dealer gave it to me with 50 miles range (about 20% charge). I was 44 miles from my house, so I didnt have much cushion. I had already looked up public chargers on my route home so I knew where I could stop if I had to, but I was able to make it home with 10 miles range left (just took it slow).

I used the Ford mobile charger (purchased with the truck) and charged via 120v plug. It only added about 1 mile per hour, so I let it charge overnight and got back to around 30 miles range.

I then took it to a DC fast charger and charged it to 80% so we could use the truck. Wife drove it for a couple days while I worked out the 240v plug setup (her commute was 20 miles, so I knew we would be ok for a couple of days).

The 240v connection adds between 10 and 15 miles an hour. My commute is 105 miles round trip, so I can charge up what I drive pretty easily

If you have to use the mobile charger on 120v just be prepared for how slow it is. If you have a short commute (or dont drive that much per day), it can work just fine (see other comments in this thread).

 

[Gullwing]

I work from home most days so I can get by without using too many miles for a little while. I was planning to buy some type of mobile charger to keep in the truck for traveling so that might be an option to get by until I can find the time to install my outlet for an EVSE. I've already done most of the leg work to to do the install, just need to find the time.

Is there a feature in the Lightning to also add more hours to a day?

 

[Ffxdude]

I work from home most days so I can get by without using too many miles for a little while. I was planning to buy some type of mobile charger to keep in the truck for traveling so that might be an option to get by until I can find the time to install my outlet for an EVSE. I've already done most of the leg work to to do the install, just need to find the time.

Is there a feature in the Lightning to also add more hours to a day?

I'm sure it's a feature you can find in the manual somewhere...

This was my first ev. So when I found out the truck was in transit, I had them come out and install an outlet and a 50a breaker to get by for a while. Then they came back out to install the FCSP after it showed up a few weeks later.

 

[Silenze]

I didn't have one for 2 weeks. I just parked it until I got a charger.

It was a shit show. 9 months from order to delivery. Didn't know if I would even buy it with not knowing how much it would cost. If I would get price protection or not.

Most electricians are booked a month out with people ordering Teslas

 

[Pioneer74]

I installed an Emporia EVSE before my Lightning was delivered. I knew I was also getting a Mach-E and I wanted it to have it's own unit. I hardwired the Emporia and installed a NEMA 14-50 outlet. When my FCSP was delivered, I hardwired it and put the plug whip back on the Emporia.

 

[KickingGas]

SR Pro. I had the Ford charger removed from my order. Once my Lightning was in transit and I confirmed with the dealer that I would be getting the price protection, I had an Emporia installed. I figured worst case, I'd be getting some kind of EV at some point... I was trading in my old car and had nightmares of spending hours at the local Walmart charging my new truck...

 

[RickLightning]

I didn't have one for 2 weeks. I just parked it until I got a charger.

It was a shit show. 9 months from order to delivery. Didn't know if I would even buy it with not knowing how much it would cost. If I would get price protection or not.

Most electricians are booked a month out with people ordering Teslas

Maybe where you live.

 

[xwing]

I wired up a 14-50 plug when I got my build date. I tried a ZEN 40 amp charger but could only get 32 amps out of it. I sent that back and ordered an AMPROAD charger. I have been using that for my charger. I also like the Emporia charger for a fixed wall charger. I would not order the Ford Portable charger since it its fixed at 30 amps.

 

[Larryumo]

I'm curious if everybody had their charging setup and in place before purchase

Hi,

I installed my charger after I got the truck.

I ordered my truck the day after I was told I could do so. At that time, the truck was to be 39,970 plus the usual dealer crap. I needed to determine if the dealer would honor the price I ordered the truck at (I know, I should not end a sentence with a preposition.) If they did not honor the price at the time I ordered, I could not afford the truck.

The dealer did honor the price and I bought it. It took a few days to get the charger from Amazon and then I installed the charger. I did the work myself.

 

[cdherman]

I think its wise to get cracking about the charger. These trucks take a sizeable amount of juice and even the portable needs 240v to be vaguely useful.

30A x 240v = 7.2 kw/hr. or about 14 miles. 10 hours overnight is still only 140 miles of range.

15A x 120 = 1.8 kw/hr or 18 kwh over 10 hours. About 36 miles of range.

I am putting out these figures to illustrate how impaired you will be if you try to charge with 120v. If you already have access to some kind of 240v outlet, then you might get by for a while after getting the truck. But if you are going to need 240v eventually, and if you don't have it, either start figuring out how to do it yourself, or if that is not an option, start looking for a electrician ASAP. They are hard to hire some places.

Finally, as for what charger. The Emporia is the most affordable 48A (60A circuit) out there now. Getting into the 64A (80A circuit) and 80A (100A circuits) is going to cost you a lot of $$ and rumor is that the Ford Charge Station pro, even when wired on a 100A, often needs to be derated to keep it working. Better quality is reputed to be ChargePoint or GrizzlE. I thought the guts of the Emporia looked very good, but the plastic case did not impress me.

In my case, I already have the 48A Emporia installed. I put in on an outside wall, where the truck can be parked easily. But I planned ahead. What if there is a vehicle inside the garage that also needs charging? In my case, we pulled heavy enough cable from the main panel to install a 125A sub panel in the garage. From there, we ran the 6 line to the Emporia. This way I have the option of a 32A (40A circuit) inside the garage down the road as well, without pulling more wires from the main panel (which was crowded.)

It my opinion that a sub-panel in the garage and running as big a line allowable from the main to the sub is the way to go, if you intend to be in your house very long at all. EVs are here to stay. I have two already parking my home garage.

The Lightning is headed to my family's farm in western KS. I see more BEV and/or PHEV there soon enough.

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