Much ado has been made about the shortcomings of all-electric vehicles in both towing and cold temperature situations, both of which tend to lead to large losses of range. In fact, The Blue Oval released a guide of sorts last November giving Ford F-150 Lightning owners some tips on how to conserve range in the winter months, noting that all EVs suffer range loss in temperatures below 40 degrees, at which point the electrolyte fluid in batteries to become sluggish, limiting how much power is available to discharge and how quickly the vehicle’s battery can charge. However, the automaker also recently released some data suggesting that most Ford F-150 Lightning owners tend to start their trips in more optimal conditions, anyway.
According to Ford, a whopping 89 percent of all trips taken by F-150 Lightning owners thus far have started out in ambient temperatures that are above freezing, which means that these range loss concerns are minimal, at least for those that don’t live in parts of the country where winter tends to linger for months. As Ford Authority reported last week, this is also true of Ford Mustang Mach-E owners, as 95 percent of their trips begin with temps above freezing as well.
This is certainly an interesting footnote, though it’s also part of a broader bit of info released by the automaker concerning Ford F-150 Lightning owners recently. A survey conducted by the automaker discovered that most owners actually use the beds of their pickups to haul things more than those that own ICE F-150 models, in fact.
In the meantime, standard range versions of both the Mach-E and Lightning are expected to gain lithium-iron phosphate battery packs in the coming months, as Ford Authority previously reported. Those batteries suffer less range loss in cold temperatures, and are also cheaper to produce, last longer, and present a lower fire risk, though they’re not quite as energy dense as traditional lithium-ion batteries.
We’ll have more on the F-150 Lightning soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, F-150 Lightning news, and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
The bigger question is how does Ford know that “89 percent of all trips taken by F-150 Lightning owners thus far have started out in ambient temperatures that are above freezing?”
Because Ford monitors everything you do in an EV. Big Brother on wheels.
They know where you stash your mags DD.
It’s promising to see that Ford is looking into newer and it could be said better battery technologies for future applications. Most know that moving EV technology further, is really reliant on battery technology which evolves very slowly.
Battery tech is evolving much faster than it ever did and that will only increase as it’s a competitive advantage in every industry touching batteries. Money is being poured into research by nations and companies.
“Much ado has been made about the shortcomings of all-electric vehicles in both towing and cold temperature situations, both of which tend to lead to large losses of range.”
Has everyone here forgotten that gasoline and Diésel engines also lose range in cold temperatures, too? And it is worse when starting as a very cold engine may not even turn over due to thickened oil. On top of this, the starter battery also has the same cold problem as a fully electric. So every vehicle will suffer badly in cold climates. The perfect and permanent solution is to move away to warmer temperatures and every problem disappears!
Agreed. I’m also old enough to remember that before turbos were ubiquitous, ICE engines would wheeze their way uphill.
Interested to know more about the statistics/numbers used to determine Ford’s statement. Have the majority of their electric vehicles been sold in warmer climate locations? I suppose that is obviously the case but it seems like an attempt to throw a statistic out without really saying much. There’s more to tell here.
Right now the EV is a warmer climate vehicle. I am sure in time the manufactures will develop cold weather EV’s but until then…. The ICE vehicle is here to stay and maybe the manufacturer may have to provide both ICE and EV
I live in Canada, Nova Scotia to be exact, I have had my Lightning since last summer. Yes it looses range in winter, not enough to worry about you adapt, not suffer. There are things to learn about driving electric. We have 4 electric in the family. Hyundai, Smarts, and a Lightning. The oldest is a 2013 Smart, always charged at home and no measurable degrading of the battery. A second smart bought used was fast charged and has lost a little of its capacity. Being 10 years old I expected that, the question is, is it still useable, yep everyday.
My Lightning works everyday towing and lugging. I don’t need a cap anymore as my tools are secure in the fronk. The bed is free to carry things that wouldn’t fit in the cap. As a result I don’t need to tow as often to carry those larger items.
Towing I tow my Skid Steer and Mini excavator all winter. Yes the battery goes down, but it’s 90% every morning. Instead of fueling twice a week I fuel every night as needed. No big deal when you get used to it.
The convenience of having power on board for my tools was an unanticipated. I carry extension cords under the back seat.
No electric is not for everyone, but it is for me.
No alternator, no starter, no exhaust to rip off, no converter to steal, no emergency brake cables to seize, no break wear, nothing to repair. And I am thinking that list will go on.
Don’t tell me I can’t tow, or drive in the cold, I because I do and did. Probably for less than 20% of what I spent on my ICE vehicles. Fuel is now irrelevant, is yours?
Great observations and comments, Reg, two thumbs up! 👍👍
Thanks again Reg for your real world feedback. I think it’s important for folks who are not knowledgeable enough about BEV and at risk of the bad faith anti BEV commentariat trying to dissuade them.
Greetings to your lovely province of NS! I have fine memories of visit, on the way out to NFLD, with my folks, to the A G Bell Museum and seeing a demonstration of clog dancing at some school nearby there.
I saw a video where the owner of an electric F150 was using his bed to haul a generator to charge his truck on the side of the road. Is that what this article was referring too?
I once saw a video of a man walking on the moon. Some fool might think it’s representative but I don’t think most reasonable folks think that means they will walk on the moon.
Reading an article on charging your EV battery it says to only charge it to 80% and discharge it to 20% this is to prolong the life of the battery. So then based upon this you only have 60% of battery use.
What do you think? Fully charge and discharge?
That strategy depends on the chemistry of the battery. It also seems that manufacturers are already baking battery fatigue compensation into the batteries such that 100% charge isn’t 100% full and as the batteries age, the unused portion of the battery is utilized to keep the same total power output from 100% charge level.