Wow, got the monthly reminder to charge to 100% and the GOM was generous this time.

[oldman_74]

I do t have it on message either. Maybe the 2014 Flash does not have it available.

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[K6CCC]

I don't remember ever seeing that on my 24 Flash ER. In my 16 months I have charged to 100% 25 times. Not all of those were a true equalization charge, but rather a barely reach 100%, and normally just before a long drive where I wanted to leave home fully charged.

 

[MountainAlive]

It's in the Ford app. It goes in the notifications area, like when a charge is completed, etc. Also, if the app is allowing notifications to your phone, it will show on your phone

Weird I’ve never seen this notification before even when going more than a month of less than 100% charging.

 

[Charge_Rob]

I do have a standard range premium, however, I do get notifications for both vehicles at different times of the month, as stated above.
I see the messages when switching to one vehicle or the other at the main page. They come twice a month at separate times, so I believe it is one for each, do you think I should not charge the Lightning Flash ER 100%, due to the chemical makeup of the ER battery vs the SR{LFP}?

The message inbox is for the account, not for the specific vehicle. The LFP message is sent that frequently if the vehicle is being driven and not charged to 100%.

Out of curiosity, why isn't it being charged to 100%?

 

[Charge_Rob]

Weird I’ve never seen this notification before even when going more than a month of less than 100% charging.

OP is receiving this message for their Mustang Mach-E. That's why no F-150 Lightning driver sees it.

 

[Discwizard70]

The message inbox is for the account, not for the specific vehicle. The LFP message is sent that frequently if the vehicle is being driven and not charged to 100%.

Out of curiosity, why isn't it being charged to 100%?

Interestingly enough, both vehicles are being charged to 100%. I usually do that the day following, or sometimes 2, when I receive the messages (whenever I feel like my vehicle is at the lowest state of charge during that span. Strange then, that it sends 2 every month at 2 separate days. Also strange that neither one for each month actually specifies which vehicle it goes to... And further more, it will usually pop up when I switch my vehicle in the main screen.
I guess Fords delivery system for this reminder has a few issues then?
Surely I am not the only on with 2 Fords that are both EVs.

 

[WaterboyNorCal]

Interestingly enough, both vehicles are being charged to 100%. I usually do that the day following, or sometimes 2, when I receive the messages (whenever I feel like my vehicle is at the lowest state of charge during that span. Strange then, that it sends 2 every month at 2 separate days. Also strange that neither one for each month actually specifies which vehicle it goes to... And further more, it will usually pop up when I switch my vehicle in the main screen.
I guess Fords delivery system for this reminder has a few issues then?
Surely I am not the only on with 2 Fords that are both EVs.

As Rick pointed out earlier, recommends that you charge only to 90% on your Lightning, as the battery pack is NMC, rather than the LFP pack in your Mach-E. Ultimately, it is better for pack longevity (any lithium-ion battery) to leave the pack sitting somewhere around 50%, but obviously that isn't ideal for many users. If you charge your Lightning to 100% occasionally (monthly, for example), it will have almost zero impact on the longevity of the pack, as long as you don't let it SIT for days at 100%, especially in hot temperatures.

This is why many people, myself included, charge to 90% in the winter and to 80-85% in the summer. Not only do I get better range in the summer temps, so I don't need 90% most days, but I figure that the pack appreciates a slightly lower voltage/SOC. My pack shows a SOH of 99.5% at 65k miles, so it seems pretty happy so far. I know it's just one data point, but there seems to be no debating that a pack carrying higher voltage at temps above 80 degrees F will increase stress to the cells, which can cause a number of problems, including capacity loss.

 

[chl]

Hey there @Discwizard70 - do you also happen to have a Standard Range Mustang Mach-E in your Ford app account? If so, that's who that message was targeted to. There are no LFP F-150 Lightings, so no F-150 Lightnings should get this message.

And just for everyone else - the LFP charge to 100% monthly guidance is for Mustang Mach-E Standard Range 2023.5+ - not for any F-150 Lightning. Of course, you can charge your F-150 Lightning to 100% if you need, but Ford recommends 90% for day-to-day charging when the full range isn't required.

Another Ford glitch perhaps sending the message to the OP for his Lightning, or is he a confused by Ford owner?

 

[PJnc284]

Another Ford glitch perhaps sending the message to the OP for his Lightning, or is he a confused by Ford owner?

yeah glitch with having an LFP Mach-E is my guess. Looking back, I haven't charged to 100% since January.

 

[Calvin H-C]

If you charge your Lightning to 100% occasionally (monthly, for example), it will have almost zero impact on the longevity of the pack, as long as you don't let it SIT for days at 100%, especially in hot temperatures.

Correct, charging to 100% has very little impact on battery longevity, and I say that from my experience with eight and a half years with a Focus Electric that can only charge to 100%. As long as you don't leave it sitting at that level for too long.

An analogy I heard is that of a rubber band. They can be stretched to their maximum over and over again and will release energy and return to their normal state for a very long time. However, if you stretch it to its full amount and hold it there for an extended amount of time, especially repeatedly, it may no longer return to its normal state nor be able to release it's previously full stored energy.

Additionally, I strongly suspect that an important factor to battery longevity is to have it get its cells balanced at least every month or two. That is only done when it is charged to 100%.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Maybe @Ford Motor Company will improve the accuracy of Ford App by version 7.x.x ?!? LOL

 

[chl]

Correct, charging to 100% has very little impact on battery longevity, and I say that from my experience with eight and a half years with a Focus Electric that can only charge to 100%. As long as you don't leave it sitting at that level for too long.

An analogy I heard is that of a rubber band. They can be stretched to their maximum over and over again and will release energy and return to their normal state for a very long time. However, if you stretch it to its full amount and hold it there for an extended amount of time, especially repeatedly, it may no longer return to its normal state nor be able to release it's previously full stored energy.

Additionally, I strongly suspect that an important factor to battery longevity is to have it get its cells balanced at least every month or two. That is only done when it is charged to 100%.

Lots of tech articles about why charging to 100% is hard on our type of Li battery and why you should follow Ford's recommendations, but to summarize:
1) heat stress is the biggest factor when charging to 100% (and DC charging)
2) chemical "stress" - Li gets 'consumed' through increased chemical reactions at 100%
3) sitting at 100% extends the period of stress
4) balancing occurs during charging and depends a lot of the how the BMS is designed/programmed - if Ford tells you charge to 90% for daily use and to 100% only when needed, then that is the way they designed the BMS. (For LFP type it's different)
5) Ford has skin in the game, they are on the hook if your vehicle battery needs warranty repair of replacement so they are not likely to give you bad advice about charging it.

BTW, your Focus is really only charged to 90% when it says 100% or "full" and Ford did that to protect the battery for all of the above reasons.., so you never really charge to 100% actually from what I have read anyway.

 

[Calvin H-C]

...so you never really charge to 100% actually from what I have read anyway.

That's basically true for ALL EVs. Just the actual buffer, at the full and empty end, varies from one to the next.

Ford has skin in the game

Which is why they will make recommendations that err noticably in the side of caution.

 

[chl]

That's basically true for ALL EVs. Just the actual buffer, at the full and empty end, varies from one to the next.


Which is why they will make recommendations that err noticably in the side of caution.

Yes, but from what I read the OP say, the Focus can only charge to 100% - when it displays 100% it is really 95% or maybe lower.

But maybe the OP has the Focus with LFP batteries?
----
Why does Ford consider it OK to charge the Focus to 100% every day and does not recommend that for the Lightning?
They don't unless it has LFP batteries!
BTW the LFP buffer is a lot smaller than the NMC buffer, somewhere around 2% I read.
----
How the capacity is advertised varies - Ford uses the usable capacity as their advertised battery number, but Nissan used the total capacity including the unusable buffers for my 2012 Leaf.

Using the Lightning numbers:

The SR battery in my truck is 107.6kWh with 98kWh usable or about a 9% buffer.

The Lightning buffer is split between the top and bottom, evenly I have read, so 4.5% of max voltage and 4.5% of min voltage is used.

So when you get to "100%" you really do not go beyond 95.5% of the max voltage/total battery capacity, if I understand it correctly.

It gets confusing between manufacturers though.

For my 2012 Leaf, Nissan advertises a 24kWh capacity but that includes the buffer of about 10% so the usable is about 21.5kWh. The buffer is split between the bottom and the top so going to 100% or 0% is not possible just like the Lightning.

Ford advertises the usable capacity as the number, which is more honest, imho.

Anyway, best not to sit at 100% (which is really about 95%) for too long, unless you have LFP batteries.

 

[Free Charging]

Strangely when I accidentally charged to 100% at home the other day my range was only listed as 178 miles (Lariat ER)

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