MotorTrend's 2023 F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review - Speed vs Range Study for Road Trips

lightspeed · Jan 22, 2024

In case you haven't seen it. MT did a comprehensive study for speed vs range when road tripping.

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review: Road-Trip Range Strategies

We measure our Michigan Lightning’s MotorTrend Road-Trip Range at varying speeds and strategize how best to cover long distances quickly.

Ford F-150 Lightning MotorTrend's 2023 F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review - Speed vs Range Study for Road Trips 064-2023-Ford-F-150-Lightning-XLT-chargin

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I kinda disagree with their final results because they don't account for the extra time to get to chargers and the probability of chargers not working or delivering low rates.

What's more useful is their graph of speed vs range. It's interesting that their measured results are flatter than predicted. And also a good reference to see the massive hit that speed gives to range.

Ford F-150 Lightning MotorTrend's 2023 F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review - Speed vs Range Study for Road Trips 1705944156874

Ford F-150 Lightning MotorTrend's 2023 F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review - Speed vs Range Study for Road Trips 005-trip-time-vs-speed-2023-ford-f-150-lightning-XLT

Revenge · Jan 22, 2024

Would love to see this graph include low speed results for around town driving. I wonder if the same slope continues or if it flattens out. The average range loss for every 5MPH is about 25MI according to this data. Could the truck beat 400MI range for city driving?

Speed	Range
25	474
30	449
35	424
40	399
45	374
50	349
55	324
60	293
65	268
70	240
75	214
80	194

F150ROD · Jan 22, 2024

I want to see the comparison with ICE. Speed vs MPG (Range).

lightspeed · Jan 22, 2024

F150ROD said:
I want to see the comparison with ICE. Speed vs MPG (Range).

The percentage drops from speed alone are very close to the same for ICE from my experience (and I can't think of a reason why the physics would be significantly different).

Probably on the average, ICE is actually slightly worse because they tend to be a little less aerodynamic.

lightspeed · Jan 22, 2024

Revenge said:
Would love to see this graph include low speed results for around town driving. I wonder if the same slope continues or if it flattens out. The average range loss for every 5MPH is about 25MI according to this data. Could the truck beat 400MI range for city driving

In my experience, I can get a predicted 400+ miles when doing just 40mph-ish city driving. That's expressway driving and not too much stop light to stop light.

PreservedSwine · Jan 22, 2024

I’d rather see a speed vs mi/kWh than “range”

lightspeed · Jan 22, 2024

PreservedSwine said:
I’d rather see a speed vs mi/kWh than “range”

Just divide range by 131 to get mi/kWh.

PreservedSwine · Jan 22, 2024

lightspeed said:
Just divide range by 131 to get mi/kWh.

I don’t have an extended range battery.

I’m familiar with the math.
In my opinion, it would’ve been a more useful ratio

Heliian · Jan 22, 2024

They tried really hard to have a flat line for their graph.

lightspeed · Jan 22, 2024

PreservedSwine said:
I don’t have an extended range battery.

I’m familiar with the math.
In my opinion, it would’ve been a more useful ratio

Cool.

Just saying you can trivially convert to the SR battery range.

(er range / 131) * 98 = sr range

Maybe I'll add it to their graph for the heck of it...

Maxx · Jan 23, 2024

I do enjoy my summer time Max speed of 60-65 mph country road trips.

They mentioned the air density for drag but I am not sure which one of these measurements were in summer, which in winter, which with heat on, which without.

If DCFC rates are high and you are enjoying the scenery with a nice music or podcast in your comfy Lightning, slower drive may be the ticket.

On the other had, if you are stuck in the truck with grand parents that can't hear or smell their own farts, you may not mind longer charging times.

Gimme_my_MME · Jan 23, 2024

Maxx said:
On the other had, if you are stuck in the truck with grand parents that can't hear or smell their own farts, you may not mind longer charging times.

Speaking from experience?

Maxx · Jan 23, 2024

Gimme_my_MME said:
Speaking from experience?

I could write a book about it. I would share but I don’t want my membership revoked here.

GoodSam · Jan 24, 2024

Similar MT story from 2022:
2022-ford-f-150-lightning-platinum-range-max-charging-test-review

lightspeed · Jan 24, 2024

All of us who live with the Lightning know how speed kills range, but it's still kinda shocking to see it in a graph and see that every 5mph takes about 10% more off or range. Add some battery degradation as it ages, plus some cold weather, and we're talking less than 200 mile range at 75mph.

Here is the graph with calculated SR ranges:

MotorTrend's 2023 F-150 Lightning XLT Yearlong Review - Speed vs Range Study for Road Trips

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