[Updated With First Details] I'm Attending Lightning Official Launch Event

[F-150 Prius]

Ford invited me to attend the Official Launch Event taking place on Tuesday April 26 at 1:30pm at the factory in Dearborn.

I'm so honored and thankful for the opportunity to attend this historic event.

Up until this point, every Lightning we've ever seen has been considered a prototype, so other than President Biden, I've never seen anyone outside Ford that has been allowed to actually drive one. After Tuesday, they're not just prototypes, they're REAL production trucks, intended for real customers, and Ford will be doing exactly what they promised last May, shipping trucks in the spring of '22. Well done Ford. Well done.

Who knows? Maybe I'll get to drive one!

Would be a killer move to have a hundred vehicles there for everyone to drive.

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[TheVirtualTim]

So ford is lying? Gotcha....

They are not conservative. Especially with how most people consider "range", i.e., highway miles.

Unless Ford has an extra 10 to 20% of battery capacity it's going to unlock, range expectations are simple math problems...

Best case highway @ 70mph in ideal conditions:

131x2.33 = 305 miles.

That's using rivian's efficiency number, which ford won't get as it's a bit bigger. EPA suggets ford is around 4%ish less efficient than rivian. So around 290. Which is still good. Also assumes you're getting all that battery out of a charge.

Going faster than 70mph?

@ 75mph range around 270 (7% decrease)
@ 80mph range around 246 (15% decrease)

Those decreases are what Tesla's average. A truck would be worse than a Tesla at higher speeds (larger frontal area), so those are conservative.

Is ford talking about adding up all those Grocery store pick ups down the street? Then yes, the range is conservative. Could probably get close to 400 miles per charge.

The test isn't based on going 70 mph continuously ... they are required to perform specific tests To simulate a variety of conditions. You can read about them here:

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml

The idea being that if everyone's economy estimates are based on the SAME tests then it isn't so much that you know precisely what YOUR range will be (too many variables impact actual range) but what you WILL know is if one vehicle should be expected to do better or worse than another.

I should also mention that drivers that are NEW to EV's tend to put too much faith in the "guess-o-meter" range prediction and that can be wildly inaccurate. Instead, divide the kWh-per 100 miles (on your window sticker) to determine how many miles per kilowatt the vehicle gets in test conditions. There is an economy tile on the Sync4 display that will show you what you averaging. If you can average or exceed what the widow sticker estimated then you're doing well.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Joe,

How many guests were at the event?

 

[pstansel]

That's how I used to feel. But my '09 Escape Hybrid doesn't make any noise and I quickly learned that in parking lots ... people walk down the middle of an aisle and wont get out of the way because they can't hear the car ... at all.

So not only do I welcome the sound ... I wish it were louder.

This one ... could be useful.

I have a Model 3 from before the mandated sound and I love it

 

[gorwell]

The test isn't based on going 70 mph continuously ... they are required to perform specific tests To simulate a variety of conditions. You can read about them here:

I'm fully aware of EPA cycles.

The 70mph test is currently the "gold" standard for EV range tests.

https://insideevs.com/reviews/443791/ev-range-test-results/

The majority of people when they see a Range, think that range translates to highway miles. So, doing a 70mph test better simulates what to expect when actually driving on the freeway on a road trip.

 

[DrZoidberg]

Confirmed two-tone Lariat interior, nothing on ambient lighting.

 

[vandy1981]

I'm fully aware of EPA cycles.

The 70mph test is currently the "gold" standard for EV range tests.

https://insideevs.com/reviews/443791/ev-range-test-results/

The majority of people when they see a Range, think that range translates to highway miles. So, doing a 70mph test better simulates what to expect when actually driving on the freeway on a road trip.

The Mach-E fares well with the InsideEVs 70mph road tests and I'm optimistic that F150 will do the same.

 

[EVBill]

Here I am right after my test ride... Holding my stomach... from all the G-Force.

Looks like they were nice enough to video you inside the truck and play it before the start of the Launch.

 

[LightningShow]

@IdeaOfTheDayCom was in the livestream opening!

 

[Sam James]

While I'm not supposed to give specific details about certain parts of the driving experience, one thing I can say is that it's expected because it's an EV, but unexpected in something that big and heavy.

Before yesterday, every time I've experienced speed it was in a vehicle that's smaller, lighter, and lower to the ground. Having that kind of acceleration and handling in something that large feels entirely unique.

Your sense of what's possible makes a massive shift in another direction.

This is both exciting and scary.

Truth be told. I had to eventually ask the driver to slow down because I just had lunch and the entire ride blew my mind... and really did shake things up in my belly.

Glad you got to make the video! Congrats on holding it all in!

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

I shot a lot of 360 degree footage of the event that will be posted soon.
As I sit o n a plane, here’s something fun.

 

[BIGBIGSURGE]

Congratulations

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Congratulations

Hi Sergio… glad your on here too. Your interviews with Ford were awesome!

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

For those who are wondering, there were probably 25 or 30 customers there… and we all had a great time getting to know each other.

Some of us were lifelong Ford owners like me, others are first time buyers, and there were even a couple of people who still own the ORIGINAL ICE Lightning. What a great bunch of people.

 

[BIGBIGSURGE]

Hi Sergio… glad your on here too. Your interviews with Ford were awesome!

Thanks!

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