[02Reaper]

Now that you mentioned it, the total usage in that pictured time frame says 16.9 kWh used but the two large bumps in the graphs add up to about 12-13 kWh used, so those small bumps along the way may be providing small bursts of electricity equaling the rest of the 3 to 4kWh.

In the app its showing when it cut off at 11:30 that night after finishing charging it had used 16 kwh to charge. So at its charging rate anywhere from 9.3 kw to 9.6 kw in a two hour session adds up. Researching this on the Mach E forum, One guy who was trying to track it said it had to be 10 degrees or less for the battery bms heating to come on for itself.

 

[R.I.P.]

In the app its showing when it cut off at 11:30 that night after finishing charging it had used 16 kwh to charge. So at its charging rate anywhere from 9.3 kw to 9.6 kw in a two hour session adds up. Researching this on the Mach E forum, One guy who was trying to track it said it had to be 10 degrees or less for the battery bms heating to come on for itself.

Yikes. that is all i have to say about that... 😕

 

[FM_Jack]

Researching this on the Mach E forum, One guy who was trying to track it said it had to be 10 degrees or less for the battery bms heating to come on for itself.

What had to be 10 degrees? The ambient temp or the battery? And is there a way in the Mach E to know that temp? The trucks readout isn't that helpful to me.

Do you have charging charts for when it is preconditioning vs remote starting?

 

[Henry Ford]

Open question from a newbie...

My truck lives outside in Michigan. I have my charger on an EV rate plan that doubles the cost to charge during peak hours so I've set the recommended charging times in the truck accordingly. If I leave the truck plugged in during non-recommended charging times is it smart enough to take the power needed to warm the battery?

 

[02Reaper]

What had to be 10 degrees? The ambient temp or the battery? And is there a way in the Mach E to know that temp? The trucks readout isn't that helpful to me.

Do you have charging charts for when it is preconditioning vs remote starting?

I have yet to see it pull any power to precondition the battery on its on. Not sure we will see below 30's again here in ga. I had a few days to test it out and that's all I have for now.

 

[Kawartha Lightning]

So, is it detrimental to the battery’s health and longevity if you don’t leave the truck plugged in continuously in the cold winter weather. For example, if you’re not using the truck for 3 days should you nonetheless leave it plugged in or is it ok to leave it unplugged until the night before you are going to use it for example (not sure if anyone much power it’s drawing to keep the battery warm when charging isn’t required and it probably also depends on the outside temperature)

 

[ChasingCoral]

So, is it detrimental to the battery’s health and longevity if you don’t leave the truck plugged in continuously in the cold winter weather. For example, if you’re not using the truck for 3 days should you nonetheless leave it plugged in or is it ok to leave it unplugged until the night before you are going to use it for example (not sure if anyone much power it’s drawing to keep the battery warm when charging isn’t required and it probably also depends on the outside temperature)

It shouldn't damage the lithium battery. You'll just want to warm it back up to use it.

If you can leave it plugged in it is probably better but I'm not really sure. That's what Darren Palmer implies in the interview with Tom Moloughney, but it might just be better to make sure the truck is ready to be used.

 

[Kawartha Lightning]

Thanks and I hope your trip is going well. I wonder if - leaving it unplugged when not in use - the BMS nonetheless kicks-in to use the battery’s reserve itself to warm itself if it gets (critically) cold.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Thanks and I hope your trip is going well. I wonder if - leaving it unplugged when not in use - the BMS nonetheless kicks-in to use the battery’s reserve itself to warm itself if it gets (critically) cold.

Based on Darren Palmer’s statements, that feature only operates when plugged in.

 

[Jon Love]

This is a great set of cold weather strategies posted by Mach-Lee on the Mach E Forum:

I’d like to make a couple important points and share some charging strategies based on my testing results. The advice here is centered around this mantra for cold climates:

Keep the Mach-E plugged in as much as possible when the temperature is below freezing so the battery stays warm.

Why? Range is proportional to battery temperature, so you can gain range by simply heating the battery. Charging speed at a DC fast charger is also much faster with a warmer battery. And third, you stay warmer. Heat is in short supply at colder temps, so you want to use power from the wall to get your battery and cabin warmed up as much as possible before leaving.

Goal: Keep the battery above 0ºC/32ºF at all times while it is in use (driving or charging).

This is the minimum temperature for acceptable performance of a lithium battery. It only take a few kilowatts to heat up the pack. The small increase in cost is usually worth the extra performance and increased comfort.

Biggest Misconception: “I don’t have a set schedule so I can’t use Departure Times.”

Yes you can! The battery stays warm for a long time after preconditioning, for 2-6 hours. Therefore you don’t need to worry about leaving exactly at a departure time if you don’t have a set schedule. Just set one sometime in the morning or afternoon. It’s okay to not leave at a departure time, you’re still benefiting yourself later on.

Tip: You can heat JUST THE BATTERY by setting a departure time in the FordPass app and setting the cabin temperature setting to OFF:

View attachment 5441

There are two levels of battery heating:

1. Staying on plug will keep the battery 0-5ºC (just above freezing), and will only heat during preferred charging times. The battery will periodically heat itself. Just plug in!
2. Setting a departure time will heat the battery to 15ºC before warming the cabin. This will keep the battery above freezing for several hours even if you don’t depart at the departure time.

Note: A 15 minute remote start is not long enough to fully heat the Mach-E cabin in very cold weather. It requires more like 30 minutes to warm up. You can extend the remote start (+15 min) or set a departure time to get a full cabin warm up.

Note: 120V charging will still heat the battery, but very SLOWLY. The heater power is limited to about 1 kW (equal to input power) while charging on 120V. This is 6x slower than L2. As a result, battery heating can take up to 2-3 hours if the battery is very cold. Likewise preconditioning is also very slow, so the battery and cabin may not be fully heated after a 120V preconditioning event. In very extreme cold, the battery may never be able to warm up fully on L1 charging even while drawing power 24/7. If you live in a cold climate, I strongly recommend you charge with 240V so you have the full 6 kW heater power available.

Mach-Lee Battery Warming/Charging Strategies:

[These all require to you be plugged in.]

-Strategy A - Just stay plugged in

This is the easiest way to keep the battery somewhat warm. It doesn’t require much thinking or any programming. When you get home (or to work) just plug in your car (do this everyday). The Mach-E will keep the battery above freezing. Works similar to a block heater on an ICE.

-Strategy B - Regular departure times

If you leave for work at a regular time, then set regular departure times. If you can charge at work, then set a second departure time for when you shift ends.

-Strategy C - Battery-only departure + Remote start ✱Mach-Lee Preferred 👍

This is best if you don’t have a set schedule. Imagine a 3-6 hour window around times you might usually leave, and pick the time at the beginning of that window. For example, if you usually leave in the afternoon, you might pick noon. Then the battery will be reasonably warm and ready throughout the day. Make a departure time in the FordPass app with that time and set the cabin heating to OFF. Then when you’re ready to leave, remote start the vehicle. The battery will still be somewhat warm from the departure time hours prior. If you don’t know what times, use 7AM and 2PM.

I strongly recommend the above combination of a recent battery-only departure time + remote start when you are ready to leave.

-Strategy D - Irregular departure times

If you don’t have a set schedule, but can plan ahead 20-60 minutes, then just set a departure time in the FordPass app about 30 minutes in advance. This is better than nothing. The battery will heat a little bit and the cabin will warm up the best it can in the available time.

-Strategy G - Park in a heated garage

If you have the luxury, you can do this and not have to plug in. In winter climates I recommend you keep your garage at about 5ºC/40ºF to save energy, and use remote start before leaving.

-Strategy I - Drop charge rate to prolong charging

If you have an adjustable rate L2 EVSE, you can drop the charge rate down (e.g. 16A) to prolong charging. The battery is kept warm while L2 charging, so charging can be used as a heating strategy. You can make the car charge all day, therefore it's ready to drive all day. Just bump the amps back up above 26A before remote starting so you can cover the heater demand.

-Strategy Z - Delay charging until before departure

This one is special because it involves the manipulation of charging times. It works best if you charge the about same amount each day and leave around the same time. Rather than having your car charge in the evening, push your preferred charge times back so the charging window will start in the early AM (4AM), but early enough that charging will usually finish by the time you normally leave. Make the charge window as narrow and late as possible. Charge and go will eliminate standby heating losses, so it's the most efficient of all the strategies if you are concerned about saving every possible kWh.

Notice Remote Start is not a warming strategy, because it doesn't warm the battery! (Just the cabin.)

The charging strategies (I+Z) are between strategy A and departure times in terms of effectiveness. Departure times can be added to them to increase effectiveness.

If you are taking a trip with DCFC stops, I strongly recommend you set a departure time at the beginning of each day so the battery is warmer when you get to the first DCFC stop. This will speed up your charging times. Stopping at a DCFC every hour or two will help keep the battery warm for the whole trip. Turning the HVAC completely off for DCFC does dramatically improve the battery heating if you can tolerate it. The battery cannot be heated very much while the HVAC is on.

In terms of battery levels, I recommend keeping it in the usual 20-90% range year round. Remember 100% is only for trips, don't let it sit at 100%. Some people may want to bump up their charge levels in the winter to account for worse efficiency. Again, plug in as often as possible.


In summary, please install a 240V charger and adopt one of these warming strategies if you live in a winter climate. A lot of people don't recognize the importance of plugging in and the usefulness of departure times, and how they positively impact battery performance, range, and available heat. Last, a lot of people don't seem to understand that the battery stays warm for hours after a departure time, so setting one is still useful even if you don't leave at the prescribed time. The option to shut cabin heating off and just warm the battery with a strategic departure time is also underutilized.

Thank you. 2023 ER Lightning here & a garage that is 30F quite often - so the science is a Level 1 120v 3 miles/hour charge is okay to leave plugged in even though it creeps up to 100% given I drive it every 2 days or so?

 

[R.I.P.]

Thank you. 2023 ER Lightning here & a garage that is 30F quite often - so the science is a Level 1 120v 3 miles/hour charge is okay to leave plugged in even though it creeps up to 100% given I drive it every 2 days or so?

Do you need the 100% to get where you're going? If not, don't run it that high.

 

[KElkhorn]

Thank you. 2023 ER Lightning here & a garage that is 30F quite often - so the science is a Level 1 120v 3 miles/hour charge is okay to leave plugged in even though it creeps up to 100% given I drive it every 2 days or so?

You can set a charge limit and leave plugged in. Battery will stop charging, but will still use "shore power" to keep pack warm, and precondition if you have departure times set. Preconditioning makes a noticeable difference on range below around 30F

 

[Jon Love]

Do you need the 100% to get where you're going? If not, don't run it that high.

Incorrect - the Ford cold weather videos say plug it in during cold weather & like mentioned it can creep up to 100% via Level 1 super slow charge - do you have science that says otherwise?

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/11/23/tips-to-help-maximize-the-range-of-your-f-150-lightning-in-cold-.html

 

[R.I.P.]

Incorrect - the Ford cold weather videos say plug it in during cold weather & like mentioned it can creep up to 100% via Level 1 super slow charge - do you have science that says otherwise?

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/11/23/tips-to-help-maximize-the-range-of-your-f-150-lightning-in-cold-.html

No, it is not "incorrect". The type of Lithium battery used in the Lightning will last longer and wear less if you limit the charge to 90% when possible.

 

[Henry Ford]

Incorrect - the Ford cold weather videos say plug it in during cold weather & like mentioned it can creep up to 100% via Level 1 super slow charge - do you have science that says otherwise?

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/11/23/tips-to-help-maximize-the-range-of-your-f-150-lightning-in-cold-.html

The hyperlink doesn't say anything about 100% charge.

Ford recommends charging to 90% for daily driving.

Ford recommends that you charge to 90% for everyday driving and charge to 100% when you need the full range for a trip. Charging to 90% helps prolong the life of your battery.

 

[Jon Love]

The hyperlink doesn't say anything about 100% charge.

Ford recommends charging to 90% for daily driving.

Cold weather is the part you're missing though - everyone gets the 90% - "leave it plugged in for cold weather".

 

[Jon Love]

No, it is not "incorrect". The type of Lithium battery used in the Lightning will last longer and wear less if you limit the charge to 90% when possible.

Cold weather is the part you're missing though - everyone gets the 90% - "leave it plugged in for cold weather".

 

[Voltz]

Cold weather is the part you're missing though - everyone gets the 90% - "leave it plugged in for cold weather".

Do you have a charge limit set? You can set a charge limit and leave it plugged in without charging to 100%.

 

[Henry Ford]

Cold weather is the part you're missing though - everyone gets the 90% - "leave it plugged in for cold weather".

My truck is plugged in when I'm at home. It stops charging at 90% because Ford recommends charging to 90% when daily driving.

Two things: 1) it's always plugged in because it supposedly keeps the battery warm while plugged in, and 2) it stops charging at 90% because the company who warrentees the battery suggests charging to 90% for daily driving.

 

[R.I.P.]

Cold weather is the part you're missing though - everyone gets the 90% - "leave it plugged in for cold weather".

No, lol. I am not "missing" that. I am just telling you that "leave it plugged in" does not mean charge it to 100%. You don't know me, so don't take my word for it, consult your manual.