Mileage understanding

[Electric Messiah]

Though glad I own an extended range Lariat and something of a hyper miler, I'm not too concerned with the varying mileage I get that often does not add up to the EPA advertised. Instead, I focus on the great advantages of being free from petrol and related fossil fuels; and having my own home gas station, and saying "filler up" and it does (though it doesn't wash the windows and check the wipers). Among others, I focus on the joys of instant acceleration and one pedal driving that allow for deft maneuvering in traffic, and watching the say what?-ometer choke on its own spit as I coast down long hills.

I recognize that in winter the advertised range will be well down, and that in the warmer months if I stick to the back roads, I'll get more, even much more mileage than advertised. And no matter what, I've got that nice, compact Tesla charger Ford sent me, ready to plug in most anywhere, with whatever range I'm getting.

And then there's the liberating feeling of not having the dealer as an added appendage to maintain this, repair that, ad infinitum, This, thanks to there not being a thousand working parts with the potential at any given time, to "soil the bed" so to speak. In sum, fossil fuels and I have always had an uneasy relationship, and the freer I am of them, the lighter I feel--Lariat light for me.

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[TaxmanHog]

There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.

Then came the onslaught of whiners complaining of the GOM dropping like a rock after the first 10 miles of driving, see Hoovies Garage video as an explainer....

Ford revised the calculus adding back a measure of pragmatism, I'd rather be told the reality of a situation then have smoke & mirrors.

The 300 or 320 mile range is for comparison of vehicles, giving us an insight as to the differences in ability and efficiency of one vehicle over another, how it performs in my hands with my leadfoot is another story.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I used to have one of those! But mine was a '14. I swapped it out for a K-1600 a couple of years ago. Now my RH grip is no longer just a volume control.

Hahhhha, I run stock pipes, my ears can't take hours of droning exhaust, as the 'P' of a club I enjoy having all the noisemakers to the rear of me.

 

[Pioneer74]

There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.

Early to mid December, 2022. Here is the thread. You can see the reactions to the change in the DTE calculation around post #66.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...e-22-pu-1009-mil-dte-calculation.13449/page-5

 

[luebri]

Early to mid December, 2022. Here is the thread. You can see the reactions to the change in the DTE calculation around post #66.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...e-22-pu-1009-mil-dte-calculation.13449/page-5

This man speaks the truth. DTE used to much more accurate. Now when above 80% it’s simply false appeasement…. Or another way of stating it. Worthless.

 

[FirstF150InCasco]

You have a chart, great, I don't use a chart, I have a baseline of 240 miles on a 6 gallon tank. I developed the baseline from riding, I can get more I know that but I know when I fill my tank I am able to get 240 miles. Each time I fill my tank I have to assess do I have a trailer, 220 miles, do I have a co-rider, 240 miles, is it raining, am I in the mountains, etc. I understand variables when riding and you assess those on the ride. BUT my baseline is 240 miles on what I consider a normal day I will always get 240 miles on a tank.

But the computer on my truck doesn't have this, 299, 276, 246. etc. If I drive my truck for 1 block each day and at the end of the month it will say 100% fully charged your estimated drive will be 139 miles. Uh NO. thats a calculation based on my driving history, I don't care about that. I want a baseline so I know how far my charge will go. I thought my baseline would be 299 miles but I'm not sure.

I know about energy, fusion, kool-aid in your tank etc. I know about variables about driving in the city vs highway, rain, cold, trailer etc. But I am trying to get a baseline of what a 100% charge on a 131Kw battery pack should give me, EPA mileage says 300 and I KNOW thats not true but......

Why do you continue to ignore all the folks here who are taking their time to explain the situation? The baseline is not 300 miles. The baseline is 131 kWh. kWh, not miles. How many miles 131 kWh equates to is determined by the m/Kw you will get in that drive. And the m/Kwh on that drive will vary dramatically based on so many factors. I usually get well over 2.0 m/kWh. But today -- on a route from Boston to Maine that I've done dozens of times in the summer -- was only 1.2 because it was bloody cold (and because the truck was loadedup with tons of stuff.) It's unfortunate you didn't understand this before you bought an EV.

 

[scoobybri]

This is exactly the reason I used battery percentage on my Teslas rather than range. Tesla gives you the option of displaying either charge level or range. When you drive an ice vehicle, do fill up the tank based on your fuel gauge or what the "miles to empty" indicator says? How many Ice drivers even ever use their "miles to empty" screen? Very few. You drive and when the fuel gauge gets below what you are comfortable with, you fill the car with gas. By ignoring the GOM, and only seeing battery percentage, most range anxiety goes away. The charge gets low, you charge it. Simple as that. It sucks that Ford forces you to stare at that almost useless GOM all the time. I have put a piece of Post It note to block it on my dash. I see the charge level on the charge gauge. That's what I want to see.

 

[HOTAS]

This is exactly the reason I used battery percentage on my Teslas rather than range.

YES! THIS! Thanks for finally stating it.
As soon as EV owners go to %, all the range anxiety goes away.
Remember, the traditional gas guage we all looked at for years, was also a % meter. It was only recently, with precise fuel injection metering, that accurate range indications in a car was even possible.

Fortuneteller, the answer to your question is this;
an EV‘s range is not as predictable as in a gas car. It’s range is WAY more dramatically effected by the “variables“, than a gas car Is.
So a general range number, like you‘re used to in your Goldwing, just isn’t possible.
As you continue to drive your Lightning you will come up with a range baseline you’re comfortable with. And it likely will be better than what’s displayed. About 275 miles.

I would encourage you to come up with a real world 50%-charge baseline range. Then work from than number for additional range in 10% increments. Then you can easily predict how far the truck will go for any given charge level.

 

[HOTAS]

I had to do the same thing when I first started driving the Lightning.
My primary drive is 50 miles from home to the airport. It takes 20% battery. That’s predominately 70mph interstate driving.
That number has become very consistent both ways.
So, I’m comfortable my Lightning has a 250 mile range on the interstate.
Other driving scenarios are better than that. So I know it’s real range is somewhat further, and I can predict what range every 10% battery will get me.

Decades of gas car driving has conditioned out minds to
have difficulty with two aspects of EV’S.
“Rated range anxiety” and “how long does it take to charge“ anxiety.
Both become irrelevant as time with the EV is gained.

 

[HOTAS]

This subject has been a huge frustration for EV and hybrid Mfr’s for decades. The 2004 Toyota Prius was originally rated as a 60mpg car. That was true at 60mph or less and driven delicately.
But the average consumer didn’t drive like that, and complained like hell that Toyota was misleading. They later changed it to like 48mpg.
Sad, because I could consistently get 60mpg.

(If exploited with extreme driving techniques, hypermiling with outrageous speed fluctuations , it could get 100mpg. Yes 100mpg !)

It’s been the same struggle with consumers, conditioned by gas cars, ever since.
Bottom line, EV drivetrains are extremely efficient, but extremely affected by the “varaiables”…., which are many.

 

[VTbuckeye]

There was a time .... late 2022 or early 2023, IIRC when Ford adjusted the algorithm to show us the ideal range once the SOC was above 80%, many of us protested that was misleading when we could clearly see the projection was highly optimistic for extreme seasonal conditions.

Then came the onslaught of whiners complaining of the GOM dropping like a rock after the first 10 miles of driving, see Hoovies Garage video as an explainer....

Ford revised the calculus adding back a measure of pragmatism, I'd rather be told the reality of a situation then have smoke & mirrors.

The 300 or 320 mile range is for comparison of vehicles, giving us an insight as to the differences in ability and efficiency of one vehicle over another, how it performs in my hands with my leadfoot is another story.

December 2022...Just tell me how my vehicle is going to perform. You know it, I know it, lying to me is not going to change it. If it's 0F I am not going 300+ miles on a charge.

 

[Calvin H-C]

When you drive an ice vehicle, do fill up the tank based on your fuel gauge or what the "miles to empty" indicator says? How many Ice drivers even ever use their "miles to empty" screen?

I did this with the last three ICE vehicles I owned, but I realize I'm more of an exception rather than the norm. Even though the GOM is an educated guess, for me the numbers it provides is more real-world appropriate than a percentage, especially the VERY rough percentage that ICE vehicles provide...

Remember, the traditional gas guage we all looked at for years, was also a % meter.

A very rough percent meter, with a resolution of 12.5% (if you had eighth tank graduations) or perhaps only 25% (quarter tank marks that some cars have). You never REALLY knew what the actual percentage was in the tank, but nobody ever complained. Not to mention that completely filling the tank would usually put the needle above "F" and give you about 30+ miles of driving to get it down to "full". ?

Now that we have actual percentage readings, everyone holds it as the holy grail. Sort of like a couple who were perfectly comfortable in their home with an analog thermostat that start to lget into arguments over the setting once a digital one is installed. One is freezing at 70 while the other is sweating bullets at 72. (Shout out to Corner Gas fans!)

I never think of my distance from home (or wherever charging is to take place) as an SOW percentage, but I do know if I'm 10 miles from home, I better have a GOM saying I have a few extra to feel comfortable about making it.

My FFE has a feature that has it display "surplus" range when you enter a destination on the nav system as a charge point. It's just the GOM range minus the distance to the charging location, but it's really helpful. Start a trip with a surplus about 10% above the actual distance, and you'll rarely have range anxiety, even with the FFE's 100 mile range in mild weather.

 

[rembrant]

Lets use your analogy, and I'll use real world. I have a goldwing as my primary vehicle. It has a 6 gallon tank and I know I can get 40-45 miles to the gallon, I know because I have driven it to 240+ miles. This is my starting point. SO, I know I can always get 240 miles on a full tank.

So every time I top my tank off I will get 240 miles. Now that is effected by rain, wind, co-rider, trailer, etc. (within that 240 miles), But lets assume I am by myself, when I top my tank off again, I know I can get 240 miles.

This is my point, everytime I top my tank off my starting point is always 240 miles.

But for some reason the computer in my truck is telling me everytime I top my battery off to 100% I will NOT get 300 miles I will get a different value each time and each time it is always lower. I want to know if 300 miles like Ford and the EPA is my 100% starting point

When I got my truck in September I got 299 miles to a 100% charge and now I get 249 miles to a charge, I don't want a average of my driving habits, I want to know what estimated mileage will be on a 100% charge each time I top off the battery. That is my point.

I noticed the same thing in my truck. I found out on this forum that the truck does way better when you set the leave time on the ford pass app to precondition the battery. I also learned that you should pay attention to the kWh rate. I had not preconditioned the battery before and was getting 1.8kWh and after I started conditioning the battery I was able to get 2.4kWh Which is a huge improvement. Also I learned here that charging every day to 80-90% is better than charging to 100%. Research this here on the forum. Tons of great info from guys who know a lot about this topic! Happy travels

 

[hturnerfamily]

EV really stands for 'Efficiency Vehicle', and not for those with heavy foots, or otherwised just determined to drive the speed limit, plus 10, EVERYWHERE they go... Always.

having said that, even Gas vehicle EPA numbers don't hold up to certain driving styles and habits, either... oh well.

When you believe advertising, on it's face value, you are subject to 'learn' the hard way...

EPA numbers are advertising, just like everything else...

if you are not convicted to drive conservatively, and cautiously, and slowly, especially for long trips - then an EV is not for you. My LIGHTNING can go faster than anything else on the road, especially in the first 1/2 mile, but I don't drive like that 'just because' it can.

 

[Rocket808]

I noticed the same thing in my truck. I found out on this forum that the truck does way better when you set the leave time on the ford pass app to precondition the battery. I also learned that you should pay attention to the kWh rate. I had not preconditioned the battery before and was getting 2.4kWh and after I started conditioning the battery I was able to get 1.8kWh Which is a huge improvement. Also I learned here that charging every day to 80-90% is better than charging to 100%. Research this here on the forum. Tons of great info from guys who know a lot about this topic! Happy travels

Huh? 2.4 to 1.8?

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