Read before you order! Expect 50% range loss in winter in Northern states.

[lightspeed]

Here's a crazy idea, Ford should add a propane heating system option for those in very cold temps because that is one place where burning fuel is the perfect application -- to generate heat it's something like 95% efficient. A 20lb propane tank is equivalent to 120kWh of electric power!

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[metroshot]

Yes you can, by setting a departure time, and it makes a big difference. Cut the range loss from almost 50% to ~25% in our Mach-e and I would expect the same for the Lightning.

In addition to preconditioning, will insulating the garage and heating it like the house temps - would that help reduce range when re-charging during cold months ??

 

[Theo1000]

Out of curiousity, which EV were you driving in 2002. I thought I was a pretty early adopter back in 2012 when there wasn't almost any L2 public charging in Canada, let alone Chademo.

Rav4 EV from 2001 to 2009. Shame really about Toyota, despite the NMC it was a good EV. loved it.

Tried so hard to get a EV1 . Came within a whisker too, flights booked, cash in hand, etc. Essentially stealing on from a seller going out of country but it fell thru...

 

[sotek2345]

In addition to preconditioning, will insulating the garage and heating it like the house temps - would that help reduce range when re-charging during cold months ??

Yes, but that takes more energy/cost than just preconditioning the truck.

 

[WoodduckMN]

I haven’t been able to figure out how to have the battery charge to be complete at 6:30 am when I leave home. This is how my Bolt works. You tell it what time you want the charge to complete and the car starts the charger to be completed. Then the battery is warm for my drive. Maybe I’m missing it in the setup. Now it starts the charge at 10pm during my cheap charge period and is done in a couple hours.

 

[RickLightning]

Yes, but that takes more energy/cost than just preconditioning the truck.

Yes. Really bad idea.

 

[RickLightning]

I haven’t been able to figure out how to have the battery charge to be complete at 6:30 am when I leave home. This is how my Bolt works. You tell it what time you want the charge to complete and the car starts the charger to be completed. Then the battery is warm for my drive. Maybe I’m missing it in the setup. Now it starts the charge at 10pm during my cheap charge period and is done in a couple hours.

You cannot do that with the F-150L or the Mach-E. You tell it when to start charging. You set a departure time to warm/cool the battery and prep the cabin.

But, unlike my Android phone, which when I plug it in sees my 7AM alarm and pulls power to be at 100% at 7AM, you cannot do this with these vehicles at this time.

 

[jimfigler]

I am very curious to see this with the Lightning in person. I had a Kona EV I drove last winter here in Buffalo, NY. It was parked in a garage, I never preconditioned. i don’t recall any subzero days but there were single digit days. My range dropped 20% - 25% on those days. My commute is 50 miles round trip so I’m not overly concerned.

 

[LightningShow]

I am very curious to see this with the Lightning in person. I had a Kona EV I drove last winter here in Buffalo, NY. It was parked in a garage, I never preconditioned. i don’t recall any subzero days but there were single digit days. My range dropped 20% - 25% on those days. My commute is 50 miles round trip so I’m not overly concerned.

On average, i was down 20%-25% in my Bolt last winter. Essentially dropping from ~4.2 mpk to 3.2-3.5 mpk. I’ve been at 2.3 mpk in the Lightning so the equivalent drop would be 1.7-1.9 mpk. I’m curious if the less aerodynamic shape will make it more susceptible to winter range loss.

 

[sotek2345]

On average, i was down 20%-25% in my Bolt last winter. Essentially dropping from ~4.2 mpk to 3.2-3.5 mpk. I’ve been at 2.3 mpk in the Lightning so the equivalent drop would be 1.7-1.9 mpk. I’m curious if the less aerodynamic shape will make it more susceptible to winter range loss.

Just hopping to to say that this is the first I have seen the "mpk" abbreviation and I love it. Much nicer than mi/kWh!

 

[LightningShow]

Just hopping to to say that this is the first I have seen the "mpk" abbreviation and I love it. Much nicer than mi/kWh!

i’m really sick of typing mi/kwh ?. I’ve been going back and forth. I think i’m just going to stick with mpk from now on.

 

[Roy2001]

50% range at 0F is expected.

 

[ivan256]

Here's a crazy idea, Ford should add a propane heating system option for those in very cold temps because that is one place where burning fuel is the perfect application -- to generate heat it's something like 95% efficient. A 20lb propane tank is equivalent to 120kWh of electric power!

Or white gas, so you could still go through tunnels.

You'd lose all the "must never burn fuel!" crowd though, so it'd be a marketing disaster.

 

[ivan256]

Or white gas, so you could still go through tunnels.

You'd lose all the "must never burn fuel!" crowd though, so it'd be a marketing disaster.

Turns out this is a less-crazy idea than it seemed. In fact it has been done and is a commercial product that is commonly installed in electric Nissans:

https://www.eberspaecher-climate.com/products/fuel-operated-heaters

 

[HaroldCal]

Here's a crazy idea, Ford should add a propane heating system option for those in very cold temps because that is one place where burning fuel is the perfect application -- to generate heat it's something like 95% efficient. A 20lb propane tank is equivalent to 120kWh of electric power!

A heat pump is greater than 100% efficiency when temps are above like 11degF. I'm honestly astounded that Ford went with only a resistive heater instead of a heat pump. Resistive heaters are 100% efficient, but in a world where heat pumps exist, resistive heating should only be the backup for when temps are too low for the heat pump to work effectively.

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