Charge every night?
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2021 Mustang Mach E First Edition, 2016 Nissan Leaf, 2003 Toyota Tacoma, F-150 Lightning Lariat ER
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There are lots of threads about this already. Basically, The Lithium Ion batteries used in the Lightning now are happiest at around 50%. You don’t want them to sit at 0% or 100%. If you don’t need to charge it, don’t. If you’ll stay above 20% tomorrow you don’t need to charge. However, as humans we don’t want to run out of battery. I normally charge at home only when below 40% and charge to 85%. In the winter I usually charge any time I’m below 50%.
What is I think I need more than 85%? I’ll charge it to 100%.
What is I think I need more than 85%? I’ll charge it to 100%.
2022 Lariat ER | Res: 4/19/21 | Order: 5/19/22 | Prod: 7/25 | Dlvrd: Soon? | FCSP: Soon?
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148 Posts
2022 Lariat ER | Res: 4/19/21 | Order: 5/19/22 | Prod: 7/25 | Dlvrd: Soon? | FCSP: Soon?
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148 Posts
I wouldn't because, much like the fear about the Prius batteries from twenty years ago, the reality is that our batteries will last much, much longer than ten years. The better we treat them, the longer they will last. So I guess it depends on how long you decide to have your truck, and if you that answer is less than five years, then how badly do you want to screw over the person you sell it to?
I agree with all the above comments, but I have one quick question (hypothetical as I don't employ this method):
Would Ford really sell a battery with an 8yr/100k warranty that couldn't charge to 100% daily and then discharge down to whatever % is consumed during that day of activity? While I agree the recommendations above by staying between 20-80% regularly and charge to 100% only when needed and try to store vehicle around 50% are sound, I think we are dealing with whether the batteries last 12 years or 13 years or 17 years or 18 years type of stuff.
I personally plug it in once or twice a week (as needed) and charge to 100% and then let it get down below 40% before plugging it in again which can be 3-4+ days as I don't drive too much around DFW regularly.
Would Ford really sell a battery with an 8yr/100k warranty that couldn't charge to 100% daily and then discharge down to whatever % is consumed during that day of activity? While I agree the recommendations above by staying between 20-80% regularly and charge to 100% only when needed and try to store vehicle around 50% are sound, I think we are dealing with whether the batteries last 12 years or 13 years or 17 years or 18 years type of stuff.
I personally plug it in once or twice a week (as needed) and charge to 100% and then let it get down below 40% before plugging it in again which can be 3-4+ days as I don't drive too much around DFW regularly.
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The warranty includes some allowable degredation. They say it can drop to 70% in that time frame and won't be covered, I'd like my battery to still have has much capacity as possible. Their testing has probably shown degredation up to that point. I'd like mine to stay up as much as possible so I'll try and follow recommended charging procedures.
I charge too 80 most days
2023 XLT SR Carbonized Grey, Nissan Leaf, Honda Clarity
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Agree! Even if we charge it everyday up to 100%, your battery should last the 100k or 8 years unless you had a bad module to start with. I would like to push the truck past that mark so treating it with a little love should easily push it to 200k/15 years without losing too much too battery degradation. If I have 80% I will be a pretty happy Ford customer. Higher even better. I know Teslas have reported higher (90%) at 200k but within a shorter time frame (about 5 years).
truth is NO ONE REALLY KNOWS!
2021 Mustang Mach E First Edition, 2016 Nissan Leaf, 2003 Toyota Tacoma, F-150 Lightning Lariat ER
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Ford promises to replace bad batteries. That means they don't expect them to go bad. I wouldn't bet against their engineers and actuaries.
2023 XLT SR Carbonized Grey, Nissan Leaf, Honda Clarity
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Lol, that was me. I was kind of being sarcastic but the only way I can see them degrading enough for ford to replace them is if you DC fast charge them all the time.
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If my truck is parked, it’s charging - for day to day driving I have it set to 70%…
This is important because my truck sits outside, and it gets really damn cold - so the truck is often sucking some power to make sure the battery stays at an acceptable temperature.
This is important because my truck sits outside, and it gets really damn cold - so the truck is often sucking some power to make sure the battery stays at an acceptable temperature.
Smaller charging cycles are better. The battery includes headroom and footroom on the battery capacity, so the 0-100% is the range that the Ford engineers have determined is not too harmful to the battery given expected customer use. I say not too harmful, but there is a reason every EV manufacturer recommends not charging to 100% every day. Staying between 20-80% is much better, to the point where it's hard to even measure degradation per cycle at that range. Folks on here are generally right. The battery is happiest in the middle of the range, at around 70-80 deg temperature. Slow charging is better than fast charging. I charge to 80% every night. I typically use 20% during the day. So I come home around 60%, charge to 80%, back to 60% next day, and so on. I'd rather have the smaller charging cycle and the peace of mind of 80% range at the start of my day than trying to run it down to 40% or less before charging. I don't think that's going to yield any actual benefit in longevity, and will take more mental effort and planning. Set it to 80%. Charge it every night. Charge it more when you need to.
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I charge nightly to 90%, then it is also plugged in for predeparture warming. That is what the manual recommends, but like everyone said, who knows best practice.
With that said, I want to be able to drive a long ways at a moments notice even though it does not happen much; just a piece of mind issue for me. DC fast charging 80-90% sucks, and any distances I'd be traveling a very long with next to no DC fast chargers.
With that said, I want to be able to drive a long ways at a moments notice even though it does not happen much; just a piece of mind issue for me. DC fast charging 80-90% sucks, and any distances I'd be traveling a very long with next to no DC fast chargers.
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I also plug in when parked at my home shop. Set to charge to 80% and have pre departure time set as well to keep the battery preconditioned. I live in Northwestern BC. Doesn't get much above 0 degrees Celsius till sometime in April. The truck pretty much always has a Keep vehicle plugged in as outside temp is cold. So that's what I've been doing.
Your peace of mind matters. For mine, I charge when it’s below 50% at home with my level 2 up to 100%. If I fast charge, I do 80% to optimize speed and charging cost. And sometimes, I charge it to 100% for no reason. Don’t worry, if you feel better, charge it whenever you feel like. The stress of managing the perfect charging pattern is not worth a potentially marginal battery life extension. Just make sure you regularly use the battery down to a low level 10-20% before charging, that’s all.
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