Winter is approaching and owners with electric cars fear that the range of their vehicles will be reduced. This caused Ford post some tips for help maximize the autonomy of your F-150 Lightning in cold climates.
Range remains the Achilles heel of electric cars, and the weather can affect it significantly.
The North American firm indicates that the truck has been tested in extreme cold conditions, including pipelines in Alaska and the Michigan peninsula, as well as atmospheric test chambers.
This helped to learn that in cold temperatures, batteries can offer limited energy and power.
“…fully electric vehicles experience power declines in cold temperatures due to battery cell chemistry. Temperatures below 40°F (4°C) cause electrolytic fluid to sluggish, limiting the amount of energy available to discharge and how quickly it discharges. the vehicle battery can be charged«.
It is worth mentioning that the active thermal management system of the battery pack partially solves the problem, but the firm wants to make sure it helps its customers by offering tips.
These start with parking in a garage, plugging in to charge as much as possible, having some power for the thermal management system, and pre-conditioning.
- Park your F-150 Lightning in a garage whenever possible.
- Keep your F-150 Lightning plugged in when parked.
- In case of a long trip, condition the vehicle using the hours of output to heat the battery via the FordPass app or the center display of the van.
The following is related to energy saving, limiting the use of heating.
Ford recommends using heated seats and steering wheels, as the most direct way, or consider turning it off while you’re at a fast-charging station.
- If equipped, use heated seats and the flywheel as primary heating to reduce energy consumption by HVAC.
- When charging, turn off the heater if possible, or turn the temperature down just enough to stay comfortable.
Read More: 3 things you know to know before buying the Ford Maverick
Other tips are more general, such as:
- If the truck is covered with snow, try to remove it before starting to drive, since this would mean a extra weight.
- keep up moderate speed in cold temperaturessince high speeds consume more energy.
- Make sure the tire pressure is correct.
There are three factors that affect range in electric vehicles during the winter: potentially lower available energy from the battery, higher energy losses and additional heating costs.
Time will tell how the first batch of Ford F-150 Lightnings fared in the coming winter. About 40,000 electric vans will be the first large-scale test.
Writing New Electric Autos Source: InsideEvs
