If Ford pull this off my Mav will be short lived and the Lightning will be in my yard.

[eRock92]

FYI you never have to plugin a PHEV. It can run indefinitely on gasoline. Just take advantage of the EV part when available otherwise it's a 40+ mpg vehicle works the same as any other gas or hybrid vehicle. I have a Volt and I love it. I go months without turning on the gas engine. Finally filled up today just to top up and it was a whopping $29 when gas is about $5 a gallon here! Gas engine is there if I ever go further than normal but I'm getting 65 miles on a charge even though it officially is raged at 58. It handles my Daly commute and leaves about 20 miles range afterwork for food or grocery run. I'd trade it for a PHEV Maverick if it can get 50 miles on a charge. Can't wait to get the Maverick though it's replacing the wife's CR-V

My issue right now is that I have an approx. 90 mile round-trip commute plus whatever miles I drive on the work site for crews. Sure, I could buy an adapter to plug-in while in the trailer, but I'm not sure how much that will benefit even on rain days when I'm inside all day.

I think I'll be in a better position for a hybrid in the next year or two as I just bought my Escape this past spring though I'm already quickly racking up mileage on it due to work. I really hope an AWD Hybrid Mav is available by then.

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[Garbone]

My issue right now is that I have an approx. 90 mile round-trip commute plus whatever miles I drive on the work site for crews. Sure, I could buy an adapter to plug-in while in the trailer, but I'm not sure how much that will benefit even on rain days when I'm inside all day.

I think I'll be in a better position for a hybrid in the next year or two as I just bought my Escape this past spring though I'm already quickly racking up mileage on it due to work. I really hope an AWD Hybrid Mav is available by then.

I drive 120 miles roundtrip to SeaWorld a couple of time a month. Usually have high 30s percentages when I get home and plug in. Full again in the morning. The local low speed driving uses very little power, it is highway that eats the juice on a BEV.

 

[eRock92]

...it is highway that eats the juice on a BEV.

That's my driving. My commute is 90% interstate/highway. My jobsite is a road widening on a major highway. And I drive 2-1/2 interstate hours every 4-6 weeks for personal visits. This is probably why I've had no issue with the turbo 3-cyl on the Escape (great mileage when full speed on the highway). I'm hoping my Escape lasts long enough to where I'll have a plethora of engine options for my next future vehicle (hopefully an AWD hybrid Maverick ).

 

[Red Ryder]

And how much life does charging like that take off of the battery?

Agreed. All vaporware at the moment. The technology is not mature enough to make this happen now. You need end-to-end capability to make it feasible technology.
Automotive companies are starting to act like tech companies regarding speculative releases to bolster market value. Sad.

 

[Woody_Finch]

I haven't posted on this forum for a while, but about a year ago I was dead-set on buying either a Maverick or a Santa Cruz...until I started seeing the MPG ratings of both trucks. That got me looking into EV options, and I ended up buying a Tesla Model 3 with the idea that I can drive the Model 3 until someone makes a small EV truck, and then my wife gets the Tesla when I buy the EV truck. And now that I've been driving an EV for about six months, I'll never go back to gasoline. The whole experience, from buying to driving to maintaining, has been so much better than anything I've ever owned before. I do hope Ford manages to bring a comparably good EV Maverick to market, because that would be tough to ignore. The F-150 Lightning is simply too big for me (though if I were looking for a full-sized truck it'd be number two on my list, after the Rivian R1T).

I have a fairly long daily commute (115 miles round trip), and range has never been even remotely an issue for me. Every morning when I get in my car the "tank" is as full as I want it to be. And the Tesla Supercharger network is extensive, fast, and growing quickly. Other networks, like Electrify America, are notoriously not as good as Tesla's, but they're getting better. But the truth is 99% of driving doesn't require stopping a those charging stations, because everyone's already got the infrastructure for charging built into their homes. I love the fact that I can just go home every day after work knowing that car will automatically get filled up overnight, for a fraction of the price of gasoline--I used to have to get off the interstate and stop at a gas station 2-3 times per week, and I never looked forward to it when I just wanted to get home.

Anyway, I thought I'd drop a note in case anyone has questions about what it's like to live with an EV in the real world with a long commute.

And just for the record, EVs catch fire far, far less than ICE vehicles--except the EV fires get covered by the news and then get passed around on social media by people who like gas stations, I guess.

 

[Bob The Builder]

When refillable batteries are perfected, I will own my first all electric vehicle. Not sure where this technology is at right now this link is two years old. We already have the infrastructure in place at gas stations to offer this.

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/scienc...could-fuel-electric-car-revolution-ncna974556

 

[mrjspence]

The Maverick hybrid gets more than twice the range as a standard Lighting and take only 5 Minutes to fill up.

Currently. OP is referring to the future, I believe.

 

[mrjspence]

I haven't posted on this forum for a while, but about a year ago I was dead-set on buying either a Maverick or a Santa Cruz...until I started seeing the MPG ratings of both trucks. That got me looking into EV options, and I ended up buying a Tesla Model 3 with the idea that I can drive the Model 3 until someone makes a small EV truck, and then my wife gets the Tesla when I buy the EV truck. And now that I've been driving an EV for about six months, I'll never go back to gasoline. The whole experience, from buying to driving to maintaining, has been so much better than anything I've ever owned before. I do hope Ford manages to bring a comparably good EV Maverick to market, because that would be tough to ignore. The F-150 Lightning is simply too big for me (though if I were looking for a full-sized truck it'd be number two on my list, after the Rivian R1T).

I have a fairly long daily commute (115 miles round trip), and range has never been even remotely an issue for me. Every morning when I get in my car the "tank" is as full as I want it to be. And the Tesla Supercharger network is extensive, fast, and growing quickly. Other networks, like Electrify America, are notoriously not as good as Tesla's, but they're getting better. But the truth is 99% of driving doesn't require stopping a those charging stations, because everyone's already got the infrastructure for charging built into their homes. I love the fact that I can just go home every day after work knowing that car will automatically get filled up overnight, for a fraction of the price of gasoline--I used to have to get off the interstate and stop at a gas station 2-3 times per week, and I never looked forward to it when I just wanted to get home.

Anyway, I thought I'd drop a note in case anyone has questions about what it's like to live with an EV in the real world with a long commute.

And just for the record, EVs catch fire far, far less than ICE vehicles--except the EV fires get covered by the news and then get passed around on social media by people who like gas stations, I guess.

There is no comparison. I’ve had a Model 3 and then a Model Y currently. Between those shortly we had a 2020 AWD Hybrid Escape. People can talk and pull up bullet points all they want but until you truly live with and try an EV you just can’t possibly understand the benefits. Like everything there are pros and cons, too. Just saying you don’t know, until you know. Our Maverick is an EcoBoost FX4 - our secondary car replacing an older F150. It’s something we can beat up a bit here in the hills of CO and not feel too bad about. Our recreation vehicle. Trucks are wonderful tools to have and come in handy. Super practical. Ford’s Lightening will change the game though. By the time they are on lots and in our driveways, I’d put money on 400mi range with the leaping battery tech coming out. Unlike you though my maverick will stay in my driveway and the Lightening will be replacing our Tesla. I love cruising the county and mountain roads in our F150 (roll the 90s country music lol) but the EV wins in nearly every category. People should see EVs as a viable option and not a threat. That’s what they are. Always will be a place for many many years to come for gas engines, especially with trucks/towing/hauling/etc. but for the millions who take kids to school and go get groceries in their 1:4 ton truck and maybe go camping 3 times in the summer… lol the EV Lightening will be just fine and save lots of $$$

 

[Woody_Finch]

When refillable batteries are perfected, I will own my first all electric vehicle. Not sure where this technology is at right now this link is two years old. We already have the infrastructure in place at gas stations to offer this.

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/scienc...could-fuel-electric-car-revolution-ncna974556

That's an interesting technology, I hadn't heard of that before so thanks for sharing it. A battery technology that's probably more realistic in the near-term is "solid state," which should allow for a much greater energy density than current batteries. There are a lot of manufacturers working on making it a reality.

That being said, I think the thing most folks overlook (including me before I hesitantly bought an EV) is that the times we need to refill a battery away from home are exceedingly low. And we effectively have refillable batteries already--except we recharge them instead of pumping a fluid into them. Modern EVs using a 250kw charger can add around 1000 miles of range per hour, or about 17 miles of range per minute. So after several hours of driving, you stop, plug in, take a leak, grab a soda or a snack, stretch your legs for a couple minutes, and by then you're about ready to unplug and start the next leg of your journey. It does take a little longer than just pumping gas, but if you weight the overall time you spend at a gas pump (which for me was multiple times per week) versus the overall time you spend at a charger (which for me is a couple times per year), it's a no-brainer in favor of electricity.

But I did have to overcome the range anxiety early on What helped me at first just driving my old gas Ford to some of the charging stations in my area--that showed me that if I ever did run low on battery for some reason, there were backups so I wouldn't get stranded. This takes away a lot of the anxiety in the same way knowing there are gas stations around you makes takes away anxiety in a ICE car. The next thing that eliminated my range anxiety has been just getting 7,000 miles on my car I trust it and know what to expect from it. There aren't surprises when it comes to the range at this point.

I do think Ford is smart enough to offer a full EV Maverick at some point. If they can offer about 300 miles of range for under $45,000, I believe it would be impossible for them to make enough to keep up with demand.

 

[STARCOMMTREY1]

Currently. OP is referring to the future, I believe.

This is true.

 

[WesM]

So to get something like this to work, where it delivers that much electricity over such a short time. For one a home install is going to require a power service upgrade of 200%-400%, depending on how new the house is. Talking a cool $10k-$15k outlay for the service upgrade.

Thats not including the cost of the actual fast charger and fancy new cable. Based on some quick googling level 3 chargers (which is slower than what this cable could potentially allow) cost up to $50k?

This is cool tech for sure, but has a long ways to go before it sees widespread adoption unless the gov... ahem, we all pay for it.

So lets say these end up being what gas stations install, which the gas stations have to pay off by charging the customer. Then the Gov figures out a way to tax "car electricity" and we are all back to paying $50 for a charge up.

 

[Leoman]

The issue here is size - this concept absolutely makes sense for E-bikes and scooters, even electric motorcycles where you could scale and have the batteries be modular (an e-bike takes 1 pack, a scooter might house 3 and a motorcycle 5-6, though the voltage requirements will be different - lots of considerations). How do you scale that to the power requirement of a full size vehicle.

That isn't to say it couldn't be overcome - but just like charging stations we currently have, it ends up becoming a question of critical mass adoption.

To me I think the near-term medium is the PHEV - you get the best of both worlds, and a battery size that can cover most daily trips under 50-60 miles. Heck, go this route and make batteries that are hot-swappable for the PHEV - 2-4 40lb batteries could be managed by most people without having to create a system to manage a battery that weighs hundreds of pounds

I currently have a Ford C-Max Energi - a PHEV and love it for short trips. We have a IC Subaru for long trips. Over the past four years, the "MPG" reading on the C-Max is 82...went up a lot since I have stopped commuting. We need the function of a pick-up and the smaller footprint of the Maverick combined with the hybrid option is the reason we are making the move to the Maverick. If given the choice, I would opt for a PHEV version of the Maverick for the reasons cited above. But, I'm OK moving from 82 MPG to 40 MPG for the utility of what the Maverick should be able to offer.

 

[JASmith]

Skipping ahead here, but for those that don't know, you aren't just charged for how much electricity you use, but the peak of how much electricity you pulled at once.

If they actually made this work, you'd be pulling the electricity usage of a hundred houses within a matter of minutes, and for obvious reasons this is really hard on the electrical grid.

Electrical plants want customers that draw power at consistent and predictable rates, even if its a lot, that's OK as long as its always a lot. You get charged extra when you draw unusually large amounts in a short period of time compared to normal, because it puts an extra burden on how to meet that extreme fluctuating demand.

If this tech became common, California in particular would have more rolling brownouts than it already does, and just like with phones that can now charge at 30 watts, they do warn you that such express charging should be used sparingly as it does shorten battery life.

 

[Woody_Finch]

So to get something like this to work, where it delivers that much electricity over such a short time. For one a home install is going to require a power service upgrade of 200%-400%, depending on how new the house is. Talking a cool $10k-$15k outlay for the service upgrade.

Thats not including the cost of the actual fast charger and fancy new cable. Based on some quick googling level 3 chargers (which is slower than what this cable could potentially allow) cost up to $50k?

This is cool tech for sure, but has a long ways to go before it sees widespread adoption unless the gov... ahem, we all pay for it.

So lets say these end up being what gas stations install, which the gas stations have to pay off by charging the customer. Then the Gov figures out a way to tax "car electricity" and we are all back to paying $50 for a charge up.

Yeah, Wes, that would definitely be cost-prohibitive. I've never heard of anyone installing a Level 3 charger at their home. Tesla and other companies are building out Level 3 charging networks, which are expensive as you point out. But they're cheaper than gas stations and take up a much smaller footprint. Level 2 chargers are the way to go since we've already got the 240v service in our homes. Mine, including professional installation, cost me about $500 to buy and install. I could've done it cheaper, but I wanted a charger that was built in North America.

And states are already taxing EV owners since they can't get us at the pumps. In Missouri we have to pay for an "alternative fuels sticker" each year to fund road maintenance.

 

[WesM]

Yeah, Wes, that would definitely be cost-prohibitive. I've never heard of anyone installing a Level 3 charger at their home. Tesla and other companies are building out Level 3 charging networks, which are expensive as you point out. But they're cheaper than gas stations and take up a much smaller footprint. Level 2 chargers are the way to go since we've already got the 240v service in our homes. Mine, including professional installation, cost me about $500 to buy and install. I could've done it cheaper, but I wanted a charger that was built in North America.

And states are already taxing EV owners since they can't get us at the pumps. In Missouri we have to pay for an "alternative fuels sticker" each year to fund road maintenance.

Good points, and yea the slow charge at home is going to be the cheapest option for most. Still if they could fully charge an electric vehicle in say 10 minutes with the new tech in say a "level 4" charger, that makes EV a lot more practical for folks doing longer trips.

Also not surprised on the taxes. Although its kind of comical for the gov to give big rebates on EV purchases and then tax it all back.

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