Caring for the life of your Lightning Battery

[colonel K]

I haven't read anything specific for the lightning battery, but general EV battery life management seems to be:

- Keep the battery between 20% and 80% whenever possible.

- Constant use of high current DC charging will reduce battery life.

- Operating when it is too cold or too hot effects life and reduces efficiency.

This raises questions specifically related to the Lightning:

I live in the Midwest with temperature extremes throughout the year. I will also be keeping the truck in an uninsulated garage.
What temperature is "too hot". and "too cold"?
Some EVs have the ability to heat or cool the batteries. Does the Lightning?
Do these conditioning systems have to work all the time while the truck is parked (would take a lot of energy), or just when you start driving?
If you plug in your Lightning, set it to 80% and leave it plugged in, will it keep the batteries conditioned when "too hot" or "too cold"? Again, this would use lots of energy.
Can you use your ford pass app to start conditioning the batteries remotely prior to leaving?
What other practices can you think of that will help extend battery life?

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[jefro]

I might limit charge a bit lower.

Keep it plugged into a L2 charger so that it will keep battery at OK temps.

Before you leave on bad days remote start the truck to allow both cabin and battery to get to correct temp.

I'd prevent jack rabbit starts too.

My two EV's haven't use "a lot" of energy while stationary.

 

[beatle]

What temperature is "too hot". and "too cold"?

Batteries perform best when they're around 90-100F. The temperatures you store the truck aren't really going to matter for the batteries' health though.

Some EVs have the ability to heat or cool the batteries. Does the Lightning?

Yes, both.

Do these conditioning systems have to work all the time while the truck is parked (would take a lot of energy), or just when you start driving?

Just when driving, unless preconditioning (heating) or charging (cooling).

If you plug in your Lightning, set it to 80% and leave it plugged in, will it keep the batteries conditioned when "too hot" or "too cold"? Again, this would use lots of energy.

It'll let them get cold unless you're preconditioning. I don't think it will actively cool a battery that's not under any load or is actively being charged.

Can you use your ford pass app to start conditioning the batteries remotely prior to leaving?

I think the battery heater only works when you schedule a departure, not when you decide to activate the climate control. This would really only be a concern if you have some kind of unscheduled long trip where you need the range. For day to day driving, it's not harmful to have high energy consumption since the truck has plenty of range for even most day trips without charging, even if it has to heat the battery.

What other practices can you think of that will help extend battery life?

Nothing really. They pretty much take care of themselves. I charge my car to 90% all the time and to 100% whenever I'm going on a trip that would necessitate DCFC which makes up about 10% of all of my charging. No unusual degradation.

 

[rlbussard]

If it's anything like the Mach E, use scheduled departure times in the Ford Pass app. It's supposed to precondition the battery before you leave it each day.

 

[FlasherZ]

My advice: don't obsess over it.

350,000 miles on several different Tesla vehicles here. We generally follow the guidelines for nickel chemistry - only charge to 90% unless you need it. But unlike a lot of others who obsess over it, we don't worry about some things. For example, some people will tell you it's very important you leave the moment the battery hits 100%. Unless you feel a compelling need to feed an OCD condition on battery health, no need to worry.

There have been occasions when we've left our Model X topped off at 100% every night while on a trip. We've forgotten to set it back to 90% until the car says "hey, umm, you want to lower it?" We don't fret over how much DC charging we do.

Ford will handle much of the charging parameters with software just like Tesla does. For example, with Teslas in cold weather, you won't hit higher charge currents at superchargers until the battery has sufficient warmth (this also means if you're staying overnight, visit the DCFC before retiring for the night, not in the morning). If the car sits baking in the 120 degree sun, it'll run the compressor now and then to keep the battery cool enough.

Our 2016 Model X has 150k+ miles on it and still charges within 23 miles of its original "full" charge after 6 years (8% degradation).

My advice: enjoy the vehicle, don't fret. Generally follow the guidelines. You'll be just fine.

 

[RavenYZF-R6]

Will fords warranty cover the battery if you charge to 100% all the time? If so might as well! If it degrades faster than stated you get a new one anyway theoretically.

 

[beatle]

You have to have 30% battery degradation within the warranty period before they'll replace the battery under warranty (unless it fails outright). 30% is huge and not a target I'd be shooting for. If they're like Tesla, your warranty will get you a remanufactured pack with the same or slightly better range than before. Ford discourages excessive DCFC and charging to 100% for daily use but they don't say either of those actions will void your warranty.

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...hat-is-my-electric-vehicles-battery-warranty/

 

[RavenYZF-R6]

As a battery researcher, I have several posts on this forum on how to baby the battery and make it last almost forever...none of which I will follow since I plan on having fun and trade-in on my normal 3-year schedule.

That’s what I do with my Kia Niro. 100% all day every day.

 

[sotek2345]

For ours, I plan to do the same as our Mach-e, 90 percent for everyday usage, charge to 100 before a road trip and DC fast charge as needed on longer trips. Leave it plugged in whenever it is parked at home.

Would be nice to know how much buffer Ford put in it though.

 

[GDN]

@colonel K - Seems you truly have the info you need. One of the most famous sayings around Tesla is "A plugged in Tesla is a happy Tesla". So keep the charge level between 80 to 90, whatever fits your needs and when you are home parked, keep it plugged in, at least during super cold and hot weather. The BMS - Battery Management System will do what it needs to take care of the battery.

 

[Ford Senior Master]

The engineers in my current division are already calling me 'selfish' for not allowing instrumentation to my personal vehicle

I give it 2 weeks and you'll have that truck wired for everything...lol

 

[Ford Senior Master]

I told them nothing that will void the warranty (which the way we wire up a vehicle will do)...they are free to sniff the CAN from the OBDII port and remove the rock plates to take photos, but nothing else

I'll also stipulate that I can have the slope and offset from everything they decode on the CAN and be able to publish it to this group.

There is no telling what the Tech in me will try when I get mine. Warranty be damned!!

 

[Ford Senior Master]

We remove all HV components and install voltage sense and current sensors...a lot of times we have to modify the inputs to the components. Then we remove all coolant lines and install flow sensors. Finally, we drop the traction battery, open it up, and add sensors there. Warranty is usually voided within the hour but the Mach E warranty was voided within 10 minutes as we stripped out the back seat and trunk to build the DAQ platform...can't wait for all the driving data to be completed on the Mach E so I can start tearing down the battery to the cell level!

Sounds fun....

 

[Ford Senior Master]

It was really funny having to call in a Tesla Ranger to have a fix action and tell them to ignore all the thermocouple wires coming into the Frunk

Yeah.. its sort of like owners of heavily modified Super Duty's bringing them in for emission recalls which we cant usually perform. Sometimes you have to just SMILE.

 

[rdr854]

I told them nothing that will void the warranty (which the way we wire up a vehicle will do)...they are free to sniff the CAN from the OBDII port and remove the rock plates to take photos, but nothing else

I'll also stipulate that I can have the slope and offset from everything they decode on the CAN and be able to publish it to this group.

You are much nicer than me. I would say you can look, but keeps ya mitts off!!!

I have folks from the fire department who want to look at it.

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