HV battery pack replacement questions

[Texas Dan]

As our Lightnings age, we need to be thinking about what we are going to do when the high voltage battery packs need to be replaced. I am probably going to hit the 100k mile warranty limit in less than three years. With a statistical failure rate for all EVs requiring pack replacement of 1% per year, the chances are that my pack will out live me by decades but what if I’m one of the unlucky ones that has a premature pack failure?

Would I try to hang on to the Lightning and replace the battery or just junk the Lightning and try to find something else? These questions are nothing new but what is new is that companies like Green tec are now offering replacement battery packs for our Lightnings. And there are already a lot of different options available to us, from replacing entire battery packs, to only replacing individual battery modules, to salvaging battery packs from wrecks.

Of course I won’t know what I would do until I’m forced to make a decision and I evaluate the choice available to me at that time. I would say though that I really like my Lightning and plan to be prepared to pay for a replacement battery pack if that appears to be the best choice for me at the time. How do you feel, do you feel the Lightning are worth keeping on road for as long as you can get and afford parts for them or are you prepared to abandon your Lightning once the pack starts to fail or significantly degrade?

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[TwentyTwentyThree]

$29k plus labor. Most of our trucks will be worth less than that in a year. This is insane.

I’d consider it for at/about $10k installed. Otherwise these trucks become parts bins, no different than high end luxury cars.

 

[Texas Dan]

$29k plus labor. Most of our trucks will be worth less than that in a year. This is insane.

I guess you have made your opinion clear. To counter, I would refer to the analogy of used aircraft. The value of used aircraft is very much related to how many hours on the aircraft since the last major engine overhaul with the plane reaching maximum value right after the engine overhaul and the plane being almost valueless with many hours on the engines.

i’m sure that the value of EVs will mature to point where the value will be highly dependent on age and condition of the battery pack.

 

[The Weatherman]

I fully intend on keeping my 2022 on the road until I stop driving. I’m 70 this year so it could only a few more years or it could 20 years .

If a full on battery replacement is required so be it. (Very unlikely). Now module replacement is another thing.

As time passes and the technology continues to improve, the cost will go down and go down significantly.

 

[RickLightning]

I have zero anticipation of replacing the battery, ever. Unsure how long I will keep the truck, but probably only 3 or so more years.

 

[sysop1]

I'm at 50k miles and my battery health is 99%. I suspect most people will have the opposite experience, the truck wears out before the battery. When this happens, I'll just park it and use the battery for power arbitrage.

 

[RLXXI]

I'm almost sure there will be a better battery replacement technology the aftermarket will provide like anything else, the rest of the truck less the motors is cross fit with the ice edition of this truck so lots of parts for those things. I'm hoping with the new Ford truck ev's coming out to include the erev version of the Lightning will stabilize value for the long term.

 

[TwentyTwentyThree]

I'm almost sure there will be a better battery replacement technology the aftermarket will provide like anything else, the rest of the truck less the motors is cross fit with the ice edition of this truck so lots of parts for those things. I'm hoping with the new Ford truck ev's coming out to include the erev version of the Lightning will stabilize value for the long term.

Year was 2023, and I would say — I agree. Right now, it doesn’t appear likely in the near future.

 

[sysop1]

I'm almost sure there will be a better battery replacement technology the aftermarket will provide like anything else, the rest of the truck less the motors is cross fit with the ice edition of this truck so lots of parts for those things. I'm hoping with the new Ford truck ev's coming out to include the erev version of the Lightning will stabilize value for the long term.

Why would you want to replace a good battery? The truck will age out / fail before the battery. You have to think about the 2nd life of the truck, I mean 131kWh battery will have. ICE value goes to zero, but a broken truck with a working 131kWh battery, you still have value and application.

 

[RLXXI]

Why would you want to replace a good battery? The truck will age out / fail before the battery. You have to think about the 2nd life of the truck, I mean 131kWh battery will have. ICE value goes to zero, but a broken truck with a working 131kWh battery, you still have value and application.

Where did I say I would replace a good battery? RE read what I posted.

 

[Mach Turtle]

A question which comes to mind: Is the rate of totaled vehicles with salvageable batteries higher than the rate of failed batteries? From what I've read here and elsewhere, this seems likely, and if so, there should be a source of replacement batteries and modules for the next few years.

Looking farther info the future, the question is whether certain (unmentioned) interests will succeed in keeping improved EV batteries out of the US market. If not, problem solved.

In the meantime, does anyone sell extended EV battery warranties? Given the statistics, it might be quite a money maker; they'd seldom have to pay a claim.

As for how I feel, there's no good competition for the Lightning in how it meets my needs, and I'll do everything I can to keep it going until that changes.

 

[MountainAlive]

If and when the time comes, I plan to source a whole battery pack used from a salvaged Lightning. Then find a reputable EV shop that can swap it out for me. Right now you can find used extended range packs from $5-$10k. Probably another $500+ to have it installed. Ford made it extremely plug and play, so it’s basically like changing the battery in your TV remote, only this battery weighs about 1,800 lbs.

 

[hturnerfamily]

I see no need to worry, have any concern, or nary a thought about it....

I've never bought any vehicle where I started making 'plans' to exit it later just because it 'might' have a future issue, and certainly have never purchased a new vehicle and started making plans on 'when' to replace the engine, or battery, or, well anything. I doubt me, or most anyone, will keep a vehicle long enough to even have any concern about it, if it's any real concern in the first place.


Nope.

 

[ClevelandBeemer]

eBay is your friend here.

 

[Pacific.NW]

As time passes and the technology continues to improve, the cost will go down and go down significantly.

Exactly - given degradation data averages so far, by the time my Lightning is needing a replacement I expect the truck itself will be what’s falling! And should it get to that point (or there is some kind of incident which renders my truck non-drivable, but the battery were still fully functional), I will either sell the battery or have the cells converted into a power wall at home. These aren’t just like ICE vehicles at the end of their lives!

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