It's quite natural for an electric vehicle, including a Ford, to manage a shorter range than usual due to the cold temperatures. In order for you to be prepared for prolonged commutes during winters, it's important preconditioning lets customers pre-heat their EV battery and cabin with the help of electricity from the charger, which is a better alternative to using the vehicle's battery.
If you do happen to own an EV and live in a cold country, it makes total sense to follow Ford's guide to keeping your car running well in the winter. Cold temperatures are never alright for electric vehicles because it's bound to hamper range, further reducing power supply and charging speed performance.
According to the Norwegian Automobile Federation, a study found that EVs charged at a relatively slower pace during such conditions and lose close to 20% of their range on average - and it so happens that some of the latest EVs lose about 10%.
Ford Has Important Advice For Electric Car Owners
America is a place that starts freezing during the winter. It could be any EV - an affordable one, or a high-performance model, cold temperatures are bound to limit battery power - and if you need to keep your cabin warm, power does it for you. It also ensures the windows are defrosted during the cold months.
Preconditioning your 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E or 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning pick truck preheats the high-voltage battery to an optimal temperature. Making use of the charger for power, and saving your battery power for when it becomes necessary on the road, maximizes your range.
Setting the departure time is the first step you take to precondition your vehicle. It can be done via the FordPass app or the sync screen in your EV. Once you've sat yourself down in the driver's seat, dab the 'Home' button on the sync screen.
After that, select 'Charging', followed by a press on the departure and comfort buttons. Then adjust the days of the week, the time, and the cabin temperature that best suits you. More importantly, don't forget to save your settings.
This can also be done through the FordPass app. First, open the app, find the vehicle tab at the bottom of your smartphone's screen and tap on departure time. Then select 'Add Departure', after which you can adjust the time, days of the week, and cabin temperature.
FordPass App Is Hugely Beneficial
With the help of the Ford Pass app, you get to set your charge level. Open it, and then go back to the vehicle tab that can be seen at the bottom of the screen. Then click on 'charging', followed by selecting the charge settings dropdown. Then click on 'preferred charge times'.
Click on the location you intend to manage, and with the help of the sliding bar, adjust the charge level. You can also change your charge times from the screen - and then again, save your settings.
After your charge times are set, plug in your EV. With the FordPass app, you will get a notification that lets you know if your vehicle has reached its preset temperature. This lets you drive away without any concern and moreover, without having used unnecessary battery power.
Tips On How To Keep Your Ford EV Running In Winter
It's important that all-electric cars are either parked in a garage or a sunny area in order to preheat the batteries. EV batteries are configured to maintain a specific temperature, and they use electricity to warm up if the temperature drops.
Before you set off driving, ensure the battery has a minimum of 20% of its maximum capacity because the reserve may be needed at a later point to reheat the battery. Also, let the heater remain on at a low level instead of turning it on and off; this will help save energy.
A fall in temperature can result in a decrease in tire pressure as air enters the contracts, further resulting in more rolling resistance and a shorter driving range. Using the brakes early on and slowly will let you pick up and save energy from the EV's motion as electricity. A majority of electric vehicles let you adjust the level of regenerative braking, which happens to be another way of saving energy.
Even if you don't decelerate the car, the transmission can be set to neutral, and you can make use of the vehicle's inertia to take you far away without the use of energy. You'll have to do your homework before buying an EV, including its benefits and challenges. Do follow what we've listed out because it's certain to help maximize the range and charging time.
Source: Ford