Ford Lightning one pedal drive

[Lightning Bronson]

I think it’s the reverse. In 1PD, if you never touch the break pedal, you get 100% regen (brake score). Without 1PD, it depends on how good you are at braking to get 100%.
Kudos to you for mastering the brake pedal! ?

This is exactly why I use it exclusively. That and because it's made my foot so very lazy.

I do heaps of driving with an ICE vehicle for work so I'm used to both, but having to lift my foot to the brake pedal just to slow down is too much for me nowadays ?

If at any point I *have* to use the brake pedal with my Lightning, 100% of the time it's the person in front of me who stopped 3 cars length away from the car for absolutely zero reason, 90% of the time.


That said, I hope T3 and beyond has customizable paddles for the steering wheel. Would be nice to have a paddle control to say "more aggressive regen" while slowing down in Normal Mode. Because sometimes, especially going downhill, Normal regen isn't enough to slow down on time.

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[swajames]

I use one pedal. It takes some time to develop the fine skills so that it's smooth and not sudden slow downs. Some here claim it makes no difference and can't be convinced otherwise. Fine for them, but it has not been my experience. No question a significant improvement in efficiency in my use case. You might want to look up a YouTube channel "Lightning Mike".. He did a video using different modes on a loop. He prefers sport mode for efficiency.

The reason you are getting better mileage in 1PD is because you are adapting your driving style to accomodate 1PD. You would get the same mileage if you drove the same way in 2PD. It's not that we "can't be convinced", there's nothing to be convinced about. 1PD does nothing to improve efficiency, and and you can get the same results in either driving mode.

 

[TRCarr]

Hey, just curious how many of you use the one pedal drive. And how much mileage you find it actually adds.

75,000 miles on my ‘23 Lariat ER pulling a bunch of trailers.
All my driving is one pedal. Love it.
I think I’m smarter than the truck when it comes to anticipating what’s ahead. Otherwise I think it’s tuning is perfect for me.

 

[TonyCO]

Efficiency has nothing to do with my one pedal choice. I just love the drive. Also, the brake lights don’t just illuminate as soon as you lift. You can absolutely get off the gas in a smooth and controlled manner to almost “coast” as some two pedalers call it. If you feather the gas pedal you can actually slow a bit (sort of coast) without the brake lights slamming on.

 

[Pacific.NW]

I hated it at first, but now use 1PD around town. The worst is getting accustomed to it then getting in another vehicle and forgetting how it coasts (even other EVs without 1PD)! “Brakes!” ?

 

[Firn]

Also, the brake lights don’t just illuminate as soon as you lift. You can absolutely get off the gas in a smooth and controlled manner to almost “coast” as some two pedalers call it. If you feather the gas pedal you can actually slow a bit (sort of coast) without the brake lights slamming on.

Yep, Ford has implemented the EU regulations that illuminate the brake lights once a certain amount of deceleration is achieved.

 

[electricpig]

The reason you are getting better mileage in 1PD is because you are adapting your driving style to accomodate 1PD. You would get the same mileage if you drove the same way in 2PD. It's not that we "can't be convinced", there's nothing to be convinced about. 1PD does nothing to improve efficiency, and and you can get the same results in either driving mode.

You have no real evidence and neither do I. Ford possibly has detailed studies, but they don't seem to be talking . You have only your opinion that you state as fact, when we do not know the actual facts. I do not state my option as my experience, not unequivocal fact as many that don't like 1PD so. You prefer 2PD, fine by me. I prefer otherwise and have seen consistent results that vary fromy use of 2PD driving no matter how carefully I used 2PD. I will stay with 1PD and continue to state my experience asy experience and results. You do however you like.

 

[Ted23Lightning]

If anyone here has any experience with diesel trucks, it’s just like having the exhaust brake on/ Jake brake.

 

[Henry Ford]

You have no real evidence and neither do I. Ford possibly has detailed studies, but they don't seem to be talking . You have only your opinion that you state as fact, when we do not know the actual facts. I do not state my option as my experience, not unequivocal fact as many that don't like 1PD so. You prefer 2PD, fine by me. I prefer otherwise and have seen consistent results that vary fromy use of 2PD driving no matter how carefully I used 2PD. I will stay with 1PD and continue to state my experience asy experience and results. You do however you like.

Anecdotal evidence and logic support what @swajames is saying.

What would make one driving method more or less efficient than the other? If they are different there has to be a reason. What's the reason?

 

[electricpig]

Anecdotal evidence and logic support what @swajames is saying.

What would make one driving method more or less efficient than the other? If they are different there has to be a reason. What's the reason?

That is part of the point. The tuning of of each mode is likely not the same, but we don't have that data, therefore it is not logical to assume they are exactly the same. 100% could easily mean 100% of possible recovery for that driving mode or that tuning. As for anecdotal data, that is exact what it is, and exactly my data as well. My anecdotal data says 1PD is clearly more efficient for my circumstances. With that said, for all we know use case seems likely has some effect. But anecdotal data is very limited in usefulness. Regardless, 1PD simplifies using regenerative braking. It takes some practice on feathering the accelerator so you don't get sudden changes in braking, but once mastered is much easier IMHO. FWIW, I think it's probably that sudden shifting in braking is what bothers most people. I can understand people going back and forth between 1PD and gas vehicle that doesn't have it being bothered by shifting between driving modes.

Edit: One more point I have failed to make previously. The amount of deceleration. Full pedal release with 1PD results in a strong deceleration/braking/regen. However while applying brakes in 2PD mode, the point where you exceed "100,%" braking/deceleration/Regen feels much less intense. If 2PD is not slowing the truck down as quickly as "100%", then it seems very unlikely to be harvesting as much energy. This could be improved with a longer period, but inherent loses would still be troublesome.

 

[Firn]

Anecdotal evidence and logic support what @swajames is saying.

What would make one driving method more or less efficient than the other? If they are different there has to be a reason. What's the reason?

It has been explained to him multiple times, he refuses to accept it

 

[electricpig]

It has been explained to him multiple times, he refuses to accept it

Hahahaha, like you are all knowing, can't be wrong. Seems you were describing yourself. You have ZERO real data. Just ancestral, which is suspect.

It has been explained to him multiple times, he refuses to accept it

Hahahaha, like you are all knowing, can't be wrong. Seems you were describing yourself. You have ZERO real data. Just ancestral, which is suspect. And to show just how good your observations are, I barely participate here, so your "explained several times" nicely demonstrates the reliability of your anecdotal data.

 

[Henry Ford]

Edit: One more point I have failed to make previously. The amount of deceleration. Full pedal release with 1PD results in a strong deceleration/braking/regen. However while applying brakes in 2PD mode, the point where you exceed "100,%" braking/deceleration/Regen feels much less intense. If 2PD is not slowing the truck down as quickly as "100%", then it seems very unlikely to be harvesting as much energy. This could be improved with a longer period, but inherent loses would still be troublesome.

If the exact same truck slows from the same speed on the same stretch of road at the same temperature but uses a different amount of energy depending on whether it's in one pedal or two pedal mode, where has the extra energy gone?

The law of conservation of energy says the energy has to go somewhere (paraphrasing and simplifying) so where did it go? Why would Ford engineer a system that needlessly uses energy?

 

[swajames]

I think a lot of the confusion on this comes from experiences in the Tesla world where 1PD potentially could deliver better efficiency because in most cases if you pressed the physical brake pedal you were always getting friction braking whereas 1PD used regen to facilitate braking.

The Juniper Model Y has blended braking similar to the Lightning where braking via 1PD pedal modulation or in 2PD where regen will deliver as much deceleration as it can before switching to the friction brakes. The Lightning is set up to be just as efficient in either mode assuming the vehicle is being similarly driven.

 

[Zprime29]

@electricpig The bottom line is that the truck is capable of the same amount of regen regardless of which drive mode you are in. It is strictly driving behavior (holding other outside influences like weather constant) that determines efficiency. I drive 2 pd exclusively and average 2.7mpk on my commute, 2.5 lifetime (lower due to road trip efficiency knocking it down).

While you claim you drive the same, I would be willing to bet there are subconscious biases in your driving. A more fair test would be to have a different driver who prefers 2pd driving take it on the same route and see if they can match your efficiency.

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