The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning marks a major change in Ford's brand. The EV faces new challenges with battery cell technology naturally holding on to less charge in the cold winter months. For one of the brand's best-selling models to swap to an electric drivetrain took many by surprise. However, it's been well received by the car-buying public and critics alike. As a pick-up truck, the car's usability comes before all else.
According to Ford, the F-150 Lightning, "endured months of real-world winter driving in Alaska and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula" Ford subjected the car to "temperatures as high as 140 °F to as low as minus 40 °F in Ford’s atmospheric test chambers". The manufacturer continues to establish that "Temperatures below 40 °F cause the electrolyte fluid to become sluggish, limiting how much power is available to discharge". This also slows down the car's charging rate.
For those who skipped physics class, essentially in colder conditions there's more resistance within the battery for the electrons to move against as they move from the negative to the positive end of the battery. Ford takes this as an opportunity to assure their customers as they enter their first winter with their EVs, that this is normal. However, there are eight ways to reduce this and avoid the dreaded range anxiety.
How Ford Recommends Improving The F-150 Lightning's Winter Range
According to Ford, the first way to improve your charge is to store your vehicle in a garage as much as possible. Left inside the battery of your car should sit at a slightly higher temperature and thus retain more of the energy stored in the batteries chemicals.
The second seems a little obvious. Ford advises leaving the F-150 lighting charging whenever possible. This means if you can charge your car at both work and home do so. Topping up the stored energy whenever possible should reduce your range anxiety. However, the long-term consequences of charging a battery as frequently as this go unknown for now. A driver would have to take faith in Ford's battery longevity.
When it comes to creature comforts there are a few things you can do differently when driving the F-150 Lightning to improve your range. If you have heated seats using these instead of heating will net less of a reduction in range. Furthermore, if you're charging and sitting in your vehicle turning the heater off or lowering it should help you receive a longer range.
In an interesting suggestion that only applies to Ford customers. The motoring giant suggests, "If planning a longer commute, precondition your vehicle using departure times to warm the battery while plugged in by using the FordPass app or your trucks center screen". In other words, warming the batteries should get the most out of them. Just like letting an internal combustion engine to temperature.
Ford Recommends Ways Of Maintaining Your F-150 To Increase The Truck's Range
Checking your tires are at the correct pressure will improve fuel economy. According to Tyresafe, a UK-based charity, tires can impact fuel economy by 3% if 6 PSI is lower than recommended. Perhaps this doesn't seem like much but with Ford's other recommendations range should see a major increase.
Continuing in the same hypermiling ethos as turning off the heating Ford makes a few more recommendations that improve the economy. Be that either an EV or an internal combustion car. Driving at high speeds will reduce range more than usual, going just under the speed limit and avoiding rapid acceleration or deceleration will produce the best result.
Lastly, Ford makes a recommendation that drivers actually remove snow from their vehicle before departing this is to "eliminate extra weight and drag". A more aerodynamic car achieves a better economy figure. Perhaps in California, this recommendation won't net much of an improvement. But for those rural communities that rely on the F-150, this should vastly improve their experience.
The Ford F-150 Lightning Faces New Challenges
Anyone not living under a rock will have seen the industry-wide shift in the car industry. For the past few years, the industry seemed reluctant to embrace the sustainable technologies that legislation and activists called for.
However, with a plethora of new EVs launching over the coming months and with exciting new EV-only models from the likes of Audi, BMW, and Chevrolet, alongside a bunch of new brands both from Asia and the United States. With this change in power source, there are a whole host of new issues to come to terms with.
Many would look to range anxiety, infrastructure issues, and charging times as problems to get to grips with. However, as we approach the winter months more issues present themselves. Using devices like laptops and mobile phones in the cold you'll surely notice the rapid decrease in charge on these devices. Well with batteries in cars it's exactly the same.
With Ford's new flagship pick-up truck the F150 Lightning, the Detroit-based automotive marque presents eight ways of improving your truck's charge in the winter.
Source: Ford