The Lightning Can Oversteer (drift); Who Knew?

[VAF84]

Drift may be a bit strong of a word, but I was surprised to find myself scrambling to reign in my back end while pulling out onto the access road the other day. I'd gotten pretty used to the incredible traction control for an AWD EV.

Basically, the roads were a little slick from continued rain this week. I pull out and give it about 7.5/10 acceleration (FYI no cars around), back end starts to swing out unexpectedly, I do a little fish tailing as grip returns. Would have been a lot more fun if I'd expected it, but relied on my sports car driving instincts/reflexes to get it back in control. This falls under "I didn't know I could do that" with an EV.

I don't mind it, but anyone else experience this? Fully expected EV's to be more prone to understeer.

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[sotek2345]

Had that happen a few times, but not as extreme as what you describe.

I did find an empty parking lot over the winter after a snowstorm. If you turn off traction control, you can do some nice donuts!

 

[LazyLightningATX]

Happened to me a bit pulling out of the dealer when I bought it! Dealer is right on the interstate and about 100 yards from the on ramp, so obviously I had to get on it it pretty good pulling onto the road. Was surprised a bit too, especially since the tesla 3LR i had just traded in was more or less impossible to break traction in.

 

[DrOctane]

Drift may be a bit strong of a word, but I was surprised to find myself scrambling to reign in my back end while pulling out onto the access road the other day. I'd gotten pretty used to the incredible traction control for an AWD EV.

Basically, the roads were a little slick from continued rain this week. I pull out and give it about 7.5/10 acceleration (FYI no cars around), back end starts to swing out unexpectedly, I do a little fish tailing as grip returns. Would have been a lot more fun if I'd expected it, but relied on my sports car driving instincts/reflexes to get it back in control. This falls under "I didn't know I could do that" with an EV.

I don't mind it, but anyone else experience this? Fully expected EV's to be more prone to understeer.

Sport Mode gives it a Mustang feel in the wet with 7.5/10. Well, a quiet Mustang feel.

 

[Adventureboy]

I've had it happen. It is a balance between giving us the giddy-up we want balancing with traction control. When we step on it, we want all 4 wheels pulling to the max and going around a corner will test the traction control when we ask for the giddy-up at the same time.
They'll probably tweak it for T3 but it may be at the expense of the fun factor. I like it as is.

 

[VAF84]

Sport Mode gives it a Mustang feel in the wet with 7.5/10. Well, a quiet Mustang feel.

Come to think about it, I may have been in sport mode. I’ve started to use it more often. I guess I just tapped into a new side of the lightning that I haven’t explored yet!

 

[BhamDCam]

Even in a straight line on dry pavement I’ve felt the back swerve a little when I’ve gunned it from a stop in sport mode.

 

[Tradewind]

I've noticed it will do it in either sport mode or standard. If you watch the power distribution screen on the dash you'll notice that there is always a tiny bit more power going to the rear axel then the front. That's got to be how they managed to still make it feel like a rear wheel drive truck.

 

[LightningLover]

Motor Trend does list a slight difference in front/rear gearing (https://www.motortrend.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-2023-truck-of-the-year/):

AXLE RATIO, F/R

9.72:1/9.61:1

 

[tdowens]

The oversteer was the singular gripe I had with my '22 Lightning (other than the two-pin cover on the charge port) but I have found that keeping it in sport mode greatly reduces the oversteer. Now my gripe is that I can't keep it in sport mode perpetually and need to reconfirm keeping it in sport mode upon each start up. Until reading this post I didn't know whether it was oversteer or understeer!

 

[Formerly]

The oversteer was the singular gripe I had with my '22 Lightning (other than the two-pin cover on the charge port) but I have found that keeping it in sport mode greatly reduces the oversteer. Now my gripe is that I can't keep it in sport mode perpetually and need to reconfirm keeping it in sport mode upon each start up. Until reading this post I didn't know whether it was oversteer or understeer!

What do you mean two pin cover?

 

[tdowens]

...from a previous post of mine -
Purpose of the bottom cover of the CCS1 receiver
The Ford Charge Station Pro utilizes a CCS1 Charge Cord connector but the bottom part of the receiver on the truck has a separate cover. as pictured below. My routine in the morning is to be carrying my briefcase and a cup of coffee, making it a challenge to close the bottom cover before closing the charge port door. My question is, why does the bottom portion need a separate cover.

 

[lancersrock]

I've slid mine around a few times and was caught off guard the first time by how much Ford let's you get away with before the correction begins. On my 3.5 I would have to turn off traction control to get remotely sideways, the lighting let's me play more but when you ease off the throttle it corrects you pretty quick.

Also I believe anyone who lives in a snowy/icy climate should absolutely "play" in an empty parking lot with snow. Understanding how your vehicle is going to react is possibly the most important piece of avoiding an accident on bad conditions. Had a car spin in front of me once and when I hit the brakes to hard I almost spun myself, now I test the brakes dry and wet on any vehicle I purchase, I guess I don't panic like a 17 year old teenager now either lol.

 

[Heliian]

I guess this would be surprising to someone who has never driven a truck. The back end is lighter and is usually the first to break free. The lightning has better balance than an ice version but still lighter.

 

[VAF84]

I guess this would be surprising to someone who has never driven a truck. The back end is lighter and is usually the first to break free. The lightning has better balance than an ice version but still lighter.

It's surprising because the weight distribution is pretty even due to the battery's spread across the frame of the truck. Furthermore, it's got a bit of an AWD aspect to it being an EV with the electric motors. Additionally ,the EV motors tend to better regulate traction. I have gunned it while pulling out of a parking lot and felt torque steer at the front end, but no signs of fish tail action in the rear.

I guess a regular truck can fish tail, but more often than not I had the rear hop than slide because of the lighter rear end.

All this to say that I don't compare the Lightning to a regular truck. For the record I've owned everything ranging from a dually to a TRX pickup.

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