[THEsocalledfan]

As a long time reader/poster, but only actual owner for this last week, been trying to figure out what I should charge to.

Ford appears to say "no higher" than 90%.....thus many have said 90%

Many experts on this forum say 80%.

So, what are folks actually doing? I think any knowledgeable EV owner knows you don't go to 100% unless you need the range, but what are folks actually charging to?

 

[Malimited]

Ford manual did recommend 90%

 

[3rdgenfan]

I have mine at 95% but I guess I should knock it down another 5%.

 

[xwing]

I checked with my utility company and they prefer charging between 10pm and 6am. I have set that charge time for home in the Fordpass app. I have heard 80% and 90% as charge limits, so I split the difference to 85% charge. This gives me plenty of range. I have a regular departure time on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, so I make sure I plug in the night before on those days. I usually don't plug in outside of that unless I'm under 50%.

 

[Leaf-clarity]

If you want the most life out of a lithium ion battery you should keep it around 50 percent. That’s why 50ish percent is recommended amount for long term storage.

That’s not ideal for anyone on a daily basis so 80 percent became the recommendation for Tesla and I guess the ford manual 90% (sorry I didn’t read it digital cover to cover yet). Going to 100 percent is not good for the battery but doing so on few trips won’t hurt it too much. Same can be said about DC fast charging. If you must then you must, but if you can avoid it and go with AC.

I would recommend 80% if you can get around daily without dropping below 20% (+\- 30 from 50%). If you are getting down to 5% at the end of the day, then you are at the other extreme of the ideal 50%. If that’s you, then charging to 90% would be better on a daily basis.

 

[GDN]

You'll find the references- Tesla I was 80 to 90% depending on my needs - note Tesla does not hide any battery capacity from the owner. Ford is different, they already hide the top 8 to 9% that you can't get to, - so I charge to 90% - effectively closer to 80% overall.

 

[Jon Love]

I use Level 1 to charge it 100% in the winter - 30F garage temp - level 1 is just 3m/hour so keeps the battery warm with almost no electrical use - that's what my dealer okays as a procedure - anyone adverse to that?

 

[THEsocalledfan]

I use Level 1 to charge it 100% in the winter - 30F garage temp - level 1 is just 3m/hour so keeps the battery warm with almost no electrical use - that's what my dealer okays as a procedure - anyone adverse to that?

You never charge to 100% routinely. Ford does not advise this.

 

[rkwagner15]

i do 85 and plug in once a week or so

 

[greatbreweh]

I am going 80 for most days and when I have anticipated high usage that day I hit charge to 100 on phone in the early morning and by the time I actually leave its about 90 seems to be best balance for me. Always plugged in at home this time year Toronto area

 

[Jon Love]

You never charge to 100% routinely. Ford does not advise this.

Wrong - call Ford EV technology - even a 75 IQ can follow the nuance.

 

[Fryballin]

Wrong - call Ford EV technology - even a 75 IQ can follow the nuance.

This is FORD’s warranty on the Lightning Battery:
Electric Vehicle Component Coverage: Eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever occurs first), with retention of 70% or more of the original High Voltage Battery capacity over that period

In an interview, Darren Palmer (one of the FORD EV higher up guys) said that the warranty is designed to cover owners even if they charge daily to 100%. FORD doesn’t recommend this, but they expect to have few or no warranty claims over 8 years or 100,000 miles even if you charge to 100% daily. I think that would be a pretty significant reduction in capacity over an 8 year period, but Darren said if Lightning owners would only charge to 90% daily, then FORD could open up that “unuseable battery capacity” which would give drivers more range in their daily drive. Essentially, FORD is really conservative with their EV batteries from what I gather, and being a little more conservative than FORD is not a bad thing at all. If you need the range daily that 100% provides, then you don’t have much of a choice unless you Have access to chargers throughout the day, but if you don’t need the range (which I expect 90% of EV drives, don’t need 275-320 miles daily), then its only detrimental to battery capacity to keep the truck constantly charged to 100%.

 

[jimfigler]

Here we go again. Just charge it to what you need. If you plan on keeping the truck for over 10 years, then maybe baby the battery. One DC fast charge does more harm than multiple 100% level 2 charges.

 

[Voltz]

Wrong - call Ford EV technology - even a 75 IQ can follow the nuance.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say about nuance nor what the reference to a 75 IQ is. I'm also not sure what the attraction is to charging to 100% every day is if you don't need the range. It's kind of like topping off your tank at a gas station in an ICE every day with a 10-mile commute.

 

[quikag]

Okay, had my '23 Lightning Lariat ER for a little over two weeks now. It default charges to 100% every time I plug in. I'll normally only plug in when it's below 40-50% or if I know I'll be driving a lot yesterday.

So, question, how do I make the default setting 90%? Or do I need to set the charge to 90% manually every time I plug it in?

 

[KElkhorn]

You would set a charge location. To do this, you have to have charged and unplugged at that location. You can either do it in truck via charging menu, or fordpass app. You can then set times, max charge, etc.

 

[Voltz]

how do I make the default setting 90%? Or do I need to set the charge to 90% manually every time I plug it in?

Set up a charging location for your home when you're there plugged in. There is a slider for the default maximum charge level. You can do it in the app or the truck.

 

[cwstnsko]

I currently charge to 85%, but that‘s mostly because it’s power outage season.
In the spring, I’ll likely drop it to 70 or 75% based on the type of driving I typically do.
My habit is that if the truck is home, it is plugged in. I figure they wouldn’t put a message on the screen telling you to keep it plugged in, if it wasn’t good for the truck.

 

[quikag]

Thanks all, I'll set a charging location through the app next time I plug it at my house.

 

[Jon Love]

This is FORD’s warranty on the Lightning Battery:
Electric Vehicle Component Coverage: Eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever occurs first), with retention of 70% or more of the original High Voltage Battery capacity over that period

In an interview, Darren Palmer (one of the FORD EV higher up guys) said that the warranty is designed to cover owners even if they charge daily to 100%. FORD doesn’t recommend this, but they expect to have few or no warranty claims over 8 years or 100,000 miles even if you charge to 100% daily. I think that would be a pretty significant reduction in capacity over an 8 year period, but Darren said if Lightning owners would only charge to 90% daily, then FORD could open up that “unuseable battery capacity” which would give drivers more range in their daily drive. Essentially, FORD is really conservative with their EV batteries from what I gather, and being a little more conservative than FORD is not a bad thing at all. If you need the range daily that 100% provides, then you don’t have much of a choice unless you Have access to chargers throughout the day, but if you don’t need the range (which I expect 90% of EV drives, don’t need 275-320 miles daily), then its only detrimental to battery capacity to keep the truck constantly charged to 100%.

Thank you. The nuance though is Cold Weather '23 Lightning Technology. Normally I go slow to an 85% with a Level 1 3 miles/hour charge. However Ford Technology encourages leaving it plugged in Level 1 if the weather is cold outside or in a cold garage. Apparently cold weather with it plugged in is healthier for the battery - but I'm open to science that confirms otherwise. And a 100% charge is not the cold weather or any weather goal for this driver - while plugged in it tends to creep up to 100% given I may not drive for 2-3 days since I have an E-bike and have a home career.