Stuff I wished that I had known BEFORE I bought

[Ejunge]

Hi,

So new guy here, and I do love my 2025 Lightning Lariat. I bought mine on Nov 30, just days before Ford announced that they were canceling the Lightning EV. And there are a few things that I wished that I knew beforehand. Most of the data that I was looking at was from the 2022-2023 models, and Ford quietly made a few changes that took me by surprise. I wished I knew- not that it would have changed my decision, but because I wouldn’t have spent time researching how to do.

Here is what I wished that I knew beforehand:
1. Home power integration is only through one company, requires a special charger that you have to buy separately and that will cost $10k

2. The promised 80 amp- 17kWh fast charging is not available on the 2025 and that the charging on the 2025 is topped out at 48 amps or 11.2kWh. I was hoping for super fast charging- it ain’t gonna happen.

3. The charging station offered with the Ford Power Promise is not an OEM Power Pro station. It’s a third party branded charger, oh and it’s gonna take a month for it to arrive. I bought Nov 30, and my charge still hasn’t delivered on Jan 2. Until then I can charge at 120 v or 1.2 kWh or use a fast charger at 3 times what it costs to charge at home…

4. There is no garage door opener built into the car…. Really? This is about $8 worth of tech and has been available for 20 years… and this is a Lariat trim package, so it isn’t exactly cheap. Thank god they added in Alexa, because I have a smart home and can operate the garage through Alexa.

5. Scale mode is gone. I really spent an hour looking as to how to do this.

Okay, glad I got all of that said, I still love this truck. It’s the quietest most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned….

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[bmwhitetx]

You haven't lost much....

1. Home power integration is only through one company, requires a special charger that you have to buy separately and that will cost $10k
You're better off using the bed outlet with a generator cable into your panel-much cheaper and works well for many. Lots of posts on that method. EDIT: unfortunately I bet your Lariat did not come with 9.6 kW Pro Power so never mind.

2. The promised 80 amp- 17kWh fast charging is not available on the 2025 and that the charging on the 2025 is topped out at 48 amps or 11.2kWh. I was hoping for super fast charging- it ain’t gonna happen.
3. The charging station offered with the Ford Power Promise is not an OEM Power Pro station. It’s a third party branded charger, oh and it’s gonna take a month for it to arrive. I bought Nov 30, and my charge still hasn’t delivered on Jan 2. Until then I can charge at 120 v or 1.2 kWh or use a fast charger at 3 times what it costs to charge at home…
You don't want the Charge Station Pro. The cable is heavy, head is bulky and it's huge. 48A is plenty fast for 98% of users. Hopefully you get the Emporia - its much better than any Ford offering.

4. There is no garage door opener built into the car…. Really? This is about $8 worth of tech and has been available for 20 years… and this is a Lariat trim package, so it isn’t exactly cheap. Thank god they added in Alexa, because I have a smart home and can operate the garage through Alexa.
Yeah, stupid they removed that. Was only available on Lariat and above. Can add visor with Homelink back easily - there is a post.

5. Scale mode is gone. I really spent an hour looking as to how to do this.
Was never really useful, doesn't display actual weight, just a vague bar graph and doesn't tell you how much you're over.

You got the heat pump, charging kW on IPC, and other recent adds.

 

[Scorpio3d]

You haven't lost much....

1. Home power integration is only through one company, requires a special charger that you have to buy separately and that will cost $10k
You're better off using the bed outlet with a generator cable into your panel-much cheaper and works well for many. Lots of posts on that method. EDIT: unfortunately I bet your Lariat did not come with 9.6 kW Pro Power so never mind.

2. The promised 80 amp- 17kWh fast charging is not available on the 2025 and that the charging on the 2025 is topped out at 48 amps or 11.2kWh. I was hoping for super fast charging- it ain’t gonna happen.
3. The charging station offered with the Ford Power Promise is not an OEM Power Pro station. It’s a third party branded charger, oh and it’s gonna take a month for it to arrive. I bought Nov 30, and my charge still hasn’t delivered on Jan 2. Until then I can charge at 120 v or 1.2 kWh or use a fast charger at 3 times what it costs to charge at home…
You don't want the Charge Station Pro. The cable is heavy, head is bulky and it's huge. 48A is plenty fast for 98% of users. Hopefully you get the Emporia - its much better than any Ford offering.

4. There is no garage door opener built into the car…. Really? This is about $8 worth of tech and has been available for 20 years… and this is a Lariat trim package, so it isn’t exactly cheap. Thank god they added in Alexa, because I have a smart home and can operate the garage through Alexa.
Yeah, stupid they removed that. Was only available on Lariat and above. Can add visor with Homelink back easily - there is a post.

5. Scale mode is gone. I really spent an hour looking as to how to do this.
Was never really useful, doesn't display actual weight, just a vague bar graph and doesn't tell you how much you're over.

You got the heat pump, charging kW on IPC, and other recent adds.

Only thing I would add is on number two:
Correct you don’t have 80 amp charging but it doesn’t really matter for DCFC. It should be plenty to charge overnight unless you’re driving close to 300 miles every day.

 

[RickLightning]

1) Been this way since 2022. Your research should have shown a class action suit for a system that rarely works. And you have the total cost right. Truck has to at home, charged, and plugged in. A whole house generator is always there, ready to go, and similar cost.
2) Been this way since 2024.
3) Ran out many months ago. Irrelevant unless you install HIS. See #1.
4) Buy module on Ebay for $40 or less and install in visor if you have lighted vanity mirrors.
5) Scales were removed in 2023, then added back in 2024, then removed permanently.

 

[EV Engineer]

11 kWh is so fast for level 2 honestly. Unless you're using this for very specific cases as a fleet vehicle I almost can't imagine a scenario where 11kWh isn't enough but 17kWH is enough.

You're just struggling on 1.2kWH right now --once you get level 2 setup you'll realize 11kWH is plenty.

I still use the cheap-o mobile charger Ford gave me. Caps at 6kwH but my house could get up to 11, I just don't see the need.



The one point I will agree with you is the HIS- Ford advertised this and didn't deliver. I think if the Lightning would've sold 100k units / year they would've fixed this but they were already losing so much money I think they just abandoned it very eary on.


I actually think it's a USA problem just as much as it is a Ford problem. If you look into Batteries / Solar inverters / home back-up systems the majority of the products are Chinese. The technology "is there" but it is not "here". As in, I don't think Ford would have an easy time finding a reliable partner in this endeavor.


V2H is coming, It's just a little more nuanced than I think ford anticipated.

To be early in business is to be wrong, and regarding HIS - Ford was too early.

 

[Ejunge]

Hi BM White,
So I DID add the 9.6 kw Pro power. And yes I know that I can add a generator plug and get most of the way there.

Again, it’s just stuff that I wished that I knew beforehand, really. At home I have BASE power, which being from Texas you should look into. I have 52kWh of battery backup at home, it’s been flawless…. Again, I wished that I had waited a bit as the newest version of the Base Power Batteries can support generator based recharging whereas older batteries can only support grid based recharging. So adding a generator port will let you run your home either off of a generator OR off of the BASE batteries, but they won’t work together.

I have the Emporia classics charger coming. Installer is coming today to rough it in, the unit hasn’t delivered yet.

Again, I am still really happy with the truck, just what I thought was supposed to happen didn’t quite line up with reality…

 

[Maquis]

Hi BM White,
So I DID add the 9.6 kw Pro power. And yes I know that I can add a generator plug and get most of the way there.

Again, it’s just stuff that I wished that I knew beforehand, really. At home I have BASE power, which being from Texas you should look into. I have 52kWh of battery backup at home, it’s been flawless…. Again, I wished that I had waited a bit as the newest version of the Base Power Batteries can support generator based recharging whereas older batteries can only support grid based recharging. So adding a generator port will let you run your home either off of a generator OR off of the BASE batteries, but they won’t work together.

I have the Emporia classics charger coming. Installer is coming today to rough it in, the unit hasn’t delivered yet.

Again, I am still really happy with the truck, just what I thought was supposed to happen didn’t quite line up with reality…

Take comfort in the fact that Emporia makes some of the best EVSEs available.

 

[tearitupsports]

For the whole home backup, there are 3rd party solutions on the market like Sigenergy, and several more to come soon.
There are a few people now with Sigenergy V2X recently installed, and more (like mine) soon. I will provide a lot more info once mine is installed and operational.
Enphase hopefully will release this year (but they said that for 4 years now).

As others mentioned with the 9.6 pro power, you do have some low cost options for critical loads only.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Do NOT have any regret that you didn't buy the Home Integration System, it's been a cluster for many members who did.

 

[WXman]

Hi,

So new guy here, and I do love my 2025 Lightning Lariat. I bought mine on Nov 30, just days before Ford announced that they were canceling the Lightning EV. And there are a few things that I wished that I knew beforehand. Most of the data that I was looking at was from the 2022-2023 models, and Ford quietly made a few changes that took me by surprise. I wished I knew- not that it would have changed my decision, but because I wouldn’t have spent time researching how to do.

Here is what I wished that I knew beforehand:
1. Home power integration is only through one company, requires a special charger that you have to buy separately and that will cost $10k

2. The promised 80 amp- 17kWh fast charging is not available on the 2025 and that the charging on the 2025 is topped out at 48 amps or 11.2kWh. I was hoping for super fast charging- it ain’t gonna happen.

3. The charging station offered with the Ford Power Promise is not an OEM Power Pro station. It’s a third party branded charger, oh and it’s gonna take a month for it to arrive. I bought Nov 30, and my charge still hasn’t delivered on Jan 2. Until then I can charge at 120 v or 1.2 kWh or use a fast charger at 3 times what it costs to charge at home…

4. There is no garage door opener built into the car…. Really? This is about $8 worth of tech and has been available for 20 years… and this is a Lariat trim package, so it isn’t exactly cheap. Thank god they added in Alexa, because I have a smart home and can operate the garage through Alexa.

5. Scale mode is gone. I really spent an hour looking as to how to do this.

Okay, glad I got all of that said, I still love this truck. It’s the quietest most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned….

1. I don't understand the draw to this. It didn't cost much at all to have an electrician wire my fuse panel to an outlet that I can plug a generator (or my new truck) into and power my house.

2. Major bummer. I agree. However, the electricians who installed my 48 amp system told me that a LOT of people who have the 80 amp system have problems with it. They said I should be glad to have the 48 amp reliable system.

3. They sent me an Emporia branded charge station. It lasted 4 months and died. Emporia did send a new one under warranty last week and I installed it myself. Wasn't all that hard to swap out.

4. I know right? I couldn't believe it when I noticed that. $72k truck and it doesn't even have Homelink buttons??

5. There was a LOT of stuff that Ford took away after January '25. They decontented these trucks a lot, but kept the price the same. It was frustrating. I would have used the e-locker, wireless charge pad, door entry keypad, and tailgate step...all things that were standard until Job 2 production. But nope, they were all missing by the time I got mine. Packaged elsewhere at more cost. Sigh....

 

[PJnc284]

They'd have to pry the door entry keypad from my cold dead heads. Works great when PAAK is being stupid.

 

[tearitupsports]

1. I don't understand the draw to this. It didn't cost much at all to have an electrician wire my fuse panel to an outlet that I can plug a generator (or my new truck) into and power my house.

2. Major bummer. I agree. However, the electricians who installed my 48 amp system told me that a LOT of people who have the 80 amp system have problems with it. They said I should be glad to have the 48 amp reliable system.

There is quite a large performance/usability/function difference between what the Ford HIS is "supposed to do" and what a manual transfer switch with some critical loads does. The issue is that the Ford system couldn't even do what it was supposed to. I have that system, but also have the Sigenergy system which DOES do what it is intended to do. In a power outage, my lights don't even blink on the transfer and none of my computers or wifi reset. And I certainly don't have to walk out and flip switches or have any other sort of disruption. I can plug in the truck through a bi-directional charger or a generator input with ease. It also works with other EV's as well besides the lightning even if they don't have any onboard inverter or power outlets. Now certainly not all people care about this, and they find the generator inlet sufficient, but they are apples and oranges solutions.
Go to this Enphase link and click overview video if you want to see what this type of system is like.
https://enphase.com/ev-chargers/bidirectional

I have the Ford Charge Station Pro and it has been flawless. I will say that I have never had it set higher than 64A, and now have it at 40A due to some breaker switching to accommodate my Sigenergy system (my choice as I was too cheap to buy a second 100A breaker when I felt I never need to charge at that rate).

I like your channel btw and subscribe.

 

[Oafy44]

Hi BM White,
So I DID add the 9.6 kw Pro power. And yes I know that I can add a generator plug and get most of the way there.

Again, it’s just stuff that I wished that I knew beforehand, really. At home I have BASE power, which being from Texas you should look into. I have 52kWh of battery backup at home, it’s been flawless…. Again, I wished that I had waited a bit as the newest version of the Base Power Batteries can support generator based recharging whereas older batteries can only support grid based recharging. So adding a generator port will let you run your home either off of a generator OR off of the BASE batteries, but they won’t work together.

I have the Emporia classics charger coming. Installer is coming today to rough it in, the unit hasn’t delivered yet.

Again, I am still really happy with the truck, just what I thought was supposed to happen didn’t quite line up with reality…

This is /was my #1 gripe with ford. Was one of the first to get a lightning. Took over 2 months to get my charger. Had to finally call up my dealership and they called their regional rep and surprise ! Got it 48 hours later. Ford sends the OEM winch for super duties on a pallet and ships it in the back bed with the truck. The charger should be shipped with the truck.

 

[K6CCC]

I took the $2K credit in place of the charger and ordered the FCSP and installed it myself. I had it within a week of ordering it. Had I known what I know now, I would not have bought the FCSP as the 24 Lighting is limited to 48 amps and I have no intention of using HIS. Could have spent far less on any one of several other EVSEs.

 

[Pitbull2o08]

Do NOT have any regret that you didn't buy the Home Integration System, it's been a cluster for many members who did.

Yes… we have been waiting on Brian @Ford Motor Company to bring us some news on the HIS. He usually doesn’t respond or comment on it for some reason.

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