8 ms·

Ford surprises F-150 Lightning owners with adapter for charging stranded Teslas

54 points by bound008 4y ago

bound008 4y ago
Had to edit the title to fit... original title: > Ford surprises F-150 Lightning owners with accessory that can recharge stranded Teslas
tims33 4y ago
It is great to see a 120 year old company have so much energy. At the same time, Tesla is still the best when it comes to range.
- GloriousKoji 4y ago
  After going on a number of long road trips in different electric vehicles, the bigger thing to beat is Tesla supercharger network. Electrify America locations just aren't as well spaced out and about every other charging station seems to have a broken charger. While it wasn't a problem for me, they also don't have enough chargers at each station.
  - Melting_Harps 4y ago
    > After going on a number of long road trips in different electric vehicles, the bigger thing to beat is Tesla supercharger network. Electrify America locations just aren't as well spaced out and about every other charging station seems to have a broken charger. While it wasn't a problem for me, they also don't have enough chargers at each station. I've only driven Teslas in CA where super chargers are rather common, my favorite being the one next the SpaceX factory in Hawthorne. And I keep telling people the same thing you said, this is why I think Tesla is more an energy company that makes cars to use it's network rather than the other way around. I'm glad they have competition, as EV was always going to be more than a one horse race if it were to succeed and while Nissan had 1st mover advantage they have fallen way behind with the Leaf project: luckily a post Ghosn era will see most of their lineup going EV and they're spending $18 Billion to offer more EV models in the next 5 years [0]. And Buick is re-branding as an EV only company [1], I'm actually interested in what they could deliver if they go for moonshots as classic Buicks were actually quite stunning in the 30-70s eras. They never got the same recognition as a Cadillac but they were on par style wise in my opinion. They could just emulate Lexus styles (that Wildcat screams of LC) with Electric motors and it would probably be a solid platform if they market themselves better and takes hints at why it works in China. Maybe if they stick with wagons as the Roadmaster still has a lot of cache and no one has offered a EV wagon yet? The issue, of course, is where will they charge? 0: https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22807700/nissan-electric-vehicle-investment-plan-concepts https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22807700/nissan-electric... 1: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/1/23148699/buick-ev-electric-rebrand-electra-wildcat-concept https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/1/23148699/buick-ev-electric...
  - maxerickson 4y ago
    The charging stations are likely not a durable advantage, they are cheap enough to build out that other companies will be able to catch up.
    - ok_dad 4y ago
      The hard part is probably being able to support something around 1 MW peaks when charging a few cars at once with fast charging on a small lot zoned for light commercial. I believe Tesla is storing energy on-site so they don't have to load the local grid with those kinds of peaks. That kind of grid energy storage is kinda expensive, if you don't build it yourself.
      - dijonman2 4y ago
        Doesn’t this shift the burden onto local utility grids and their customers instead of vehicle owners?
        ok_dad 4y ago
        That’s the point, Tesla has experience in not making it a local problem, by using their own technology. Other car makers don’t have an energy company to lean on.
        carlivar 4y ago
        Ah yes, the fabled solar powered superchargers. One of the oh-so-many failed promises. https://electrek.co/2017/06/09/tesla-superchargers-solar-battery-grid-elon-musk/ https://electrek.co/2017/06/09/tesla-superchargers-solar-bat...
      - maxerickson 4y ago
        I don't see how the costs would be any different for Tesla than for some other company that is also supported by an electric car maker. The fenced off area at my local Meijer is pretty small.
- deadmutex 4y ago
  > Tesla is still the best when it comes to range. I thought Lucid was offering much higher ranges? e.g.: Lucid Air Dream Range. TBH, I rather have more efficiency on a day to day bases + faster charging than range :).
yarg 4y ago
This reminded me of the fact that you can charge an electric vehicle by towing it. Apparently Ford's got a patent: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132920_ford-patents-charging-electric-cars-by-towing-them https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132920_ford-patents-cha... On what pretty much amounts to reversing the polarity.
- carlivar 4y ago
  I wonder what slope is necessary for downhill to work unassisted? Should publish in owners manual.
- rightbyte 4y ago
  I did that like in 2018 when we had no charger close by during EV development... there is no way there is no 'prior art' for this patent?
klondike_ 4y ago
Part of the reason for the Ford Model T's success was its versatility. It was popular among farmers and third parties sold numerous conversion kits to make it into a tractor, snowmobile, plow, generator, etc. In many ways the Lightning seems destined to fill this role today by acting as a mobile power station for jobsites and remote areas
- grepfru_it 4y ago
  Not sold on this vehicle. A cursory google search brings up a 9.6kW battery system for $4260. Just seems overpriced for its capabilities
  - fy20 4y ago
    You can connect a 1000W inverter to a Prius and it'll happily run for days until the tank is empty. You probably aren't going to see those at a job site though. https://invertersrus.com/prius-power-inverter/ https://invertersrus.com/prius-power-inverter/
  - manofmanysmiles 4y ago
    The highest level trim has 130 kWh of energy storage. It can output 9.6kW of power. It looks like the battery alone would be about $30-$40K, plus you’d need an inverter and.. it’s not a truck. https://sunwatts.com/amp/100-kwh-solar-battery/ https://sunwatts.com/amp/100-kwh-solar-battery/
    - grepfru_it 4y ago
      ** Based on manufacturer calculation using computer engineering simulations. Your results may vary. but i get what you are saying
hndamien 4y ago
This reads like a press release... I would be less skeptical if I had ever actually seen or heard about a "stranded Tesla". https://insideevs.com/news/590336/ford-f150-lightning-includ https://insideevs.com/news/590336/ford-f150-lightning-includ... https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-threw-in-a-tesla-charging https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-threw-in-a-tesla-charging... https://au.pcmag.com/cars-auto/94457/fords-electric-f-150-li https://au.pcmag.com/cars-auto/94457/fords-electric-f-150-li... https://www.powernationtv.com/post/ford-gifts-f-150-lightnin https://www.powernationtv.com/post/ford-gifts-f-150-lightnin... https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/ford-f-150-lightning-comes https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/ford-f-150-lightning-comes... https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/447890-the-ford-f-15 https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/447890-the-ford-f-15... https://gearjunkie.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-tesla-charg https://gearjunkie.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-tesla-charg... https://electrek.co/2022/06/06/ford-adapter-charge-stranded- https://electrek.co/2022/06/06/ford-adapter-charge-stranded-... https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/fords-electric-f https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/fords-electric-f... https://koolplaz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owners-w https://koolplaz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owners-w... https://hitechglitz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owner https://hitechglitz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owner... https://www.techradar.com/au/news/is-ford-trolling-tesla-wit https://www.techradar.com/au/news/is-ford-trolling-tesla-wit...
grepfru_it 4y ago
Food for thought: towing a 10,000lb load will shorten the range to well under 100 miles. Then you need to recharge it. This doesn’t sound useful in the slightest. Maybe very specific missions will benefit but far from the norm of a f150. Personally I will not spend $75k (fully loaded at $90k) just for the possibility to charge my house if the power goes out or to use power tools at a work site, there are lower cost options for both. Def wouldn’t tow a boat 300mi to the beach so this model really seems like a toy but maybe I’m missing something? Anyone else seriously consider this truck?
- riverdroid 4y ago
  Current Ford F-150 towing capacity is 5,000 to 11,300 lbs depending on the package. Most people probably don't need long range peak towing capacity. Seems like the feature set could be useful to a lot of people, probably most, maybe not for you though.
  - grepfru_it 4y ago
    >most Who’s the target demographic of the f150? Although it is under the lightening moniker so practicality is not a defining feature :D
    - google234123 4y ago
      A contractor or construction worker working a city wouldn't need to travel long distances between job sites.
      - grepfru_it 4y ago
        My point was that a contractor or construction worker probably wouldn’t be driving an f150 lightning as it’s not really practical but it sure is fun (see the F150 SVT with its single digit city mileage as a previous example)
        thrashh 4y ago
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
bergenty 4y ago
Is there any way to use some combination of adapters to charge the F-150 at Tesla superchargers?

54 points by bound008 4y ago

Had to edit the title to fit... original title: > Ford surprises F-150 Lightning owners with accessory that can recharge stranded Teslas

tims33 4y ago

It is great to see a 120 year old company have so much energy. At the same time, Tesla is still the best when it comes to range.

GloriousKoji 4y ago
After going on a number of long road trips in different electric vehicles, the bigger thing to beat is Tesla supercharger network. Electrify America locations just aren't as well spaced out and about every other charging station seems to have a broken charger. While it wasn't a problem for me, they also don't have enough chargers at each station.
- Melting_Harps 4y ago
  > After going on a number of long road trips in different electric vehicles, the bigger thing to beat is Tesla supercharger network. Electrify America locations just aren't as well spaced out and about every other charging station seems to have a broken charger. While it wasn't a problem for me, they also don't have enough chargers at each station. I've only driven Teslas in CA where super chargers are rather common, my favorite being the one next the SpaceX factory in Hawthorne. And I keep telling people the same thing you said, this is why I think Tesla is more an energy company that makes cars to use it's network rather than the other way around. I'm glad they have competition, as EV was always going to be more than a one horse race if it were to succeed and while Nissan had 1st mover advantage they have fallen way behind with the Leaf project: luckily a post Ghosn era will see most of their lineup going EV and they're spending $18 Billion to offer more EV models in the next 5 years [0]. And Buick is re-branding as an EV only company [1], I'm actually interested in what they could deliver if they go for moonshots as classic Buicks were actually quite stunning in the 30-70s eras. They never got the same recognition as a Cadillac but they were on par style wise in my opinion. They could just emulate Lexus styles (that Wildcat screams of LC) with Electric motors and it would probably be a solid platform if they market themselves better and takes hints at why it works in China. Maybe if they stick with wagons as the Roadmaster still has a lot of cache and no one has offered a EV wagon yet? The issue, of course, is where will they charge? 0: https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22807700/nissan-electric-vehicle-investment-plan-concepts https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/29/22807700/nissan-electric... 1: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/1/23148699/buick-ev-electric-rebrand-electra-wildcat-concept https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/1/23148699/buick-ev-electric...
- maxerickson 4y ago
  The charging stations are likely not a durable advantage, they are cheap enough to build out that other companies will be able to catch up.
  - ok_dad 4y ago
    The hard part is probably being able to support something around 1 MW peaks when charging a few cars at once with fast charging on a small lot zoned for light commercial. I believe Tesla is storing energy on-site so they don't have to load the local grid with those kinds of peaks. That kind of grid energy storage is kinda expensive, if you don't build it yourself.
    - dijonman2 4y ago
      Doesn’t this shift the burden onto local utility grids and their customers instead of vehicle owners?
      - ok_dad 4y ago
        That’s the point, Tesla has experience in not making it a local problem, by using their own technology. Other car makers don’t have an energy company to lean on.
        carlivar 4y ago
        Ah yes, the fabled solar powered superchargers. One of the oh-so-many failed promises. https://electrek.co/2017/06/09/tesla-superchargers-solar-battery-grid-elon-musk/ https://electrek.co/2017/06/09/tesla-superchargers-solar-bat...
    - maxerickson 4y ago
      I don't see how the costs would be any different for Tesla than for some other company that is also supported by an electric car maker. The fenced off area at my local Meijer is pretty small.
deadmutex 4y ago
> Tesla is still the best when it comes to range. I thought Lucid was offering much higher ranges? e.g.: Lucid Air Dream Range. TBH, I rather have more efficiency on a day to day bases + faster charging than range :).

yarg 4y ago

This reminded me of the fact that you can charge an electric vehicle by towing it. Apparently Ford's got a patent: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132920_ford-patents-charging-electric-cars-by-towing-them https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132920_ford-patents-cha... On what pretty much amounts to reversing the polarity.

carlivar 4y ago
I wonder what slope is necessary for downhill to work unassisted? Should publish in owners manual.
rightbyte 4y ago
I did that like in 2018 when we had no charger close by during EV development... there is no way there is no 'prior art' for this patent?

klondike_ 4y ago

Part of the reason for the Ford Model T's success was its versatility. It was popular among farmers and third parties sold numerous conversion kits to make it into a tractor, snowmobile, plow, generator, etc. In many ways the Lightning seems destined to fill this role today by acting as a mobile power station for jobsites and remote areas

grepfru_it 4y ago
Not sold on this vehicle. A cursory google search brings up a 9.6kW battery system for $4260. Just seems overpriced for its capabilities
- fy20 4y ago
  You can connect a 1000W inverter to a Prius and it'll happily run for days until the tank is empty. You probably aren't going to see those at a job site though. https://invertersrus.com/prius-power-inverter/ https://invertersrus.com/prius-power-inverter/
- manofmanysmiles 4y ago
  The highest level trim has 130 kWh of energy storage. It can output 9.6kW of power. It looks like the battery alone would be about $30-$40K, plus you’d need an inverter and.. it’s not a truck. https://sunwatts.com/amp/100-kwh-solar-battery/ https://sunwatts.com/amp/100-kwh-solar-battery/
  - grepfru_it 4y ago
    ** Based on manufacturer calculation using computer engineering simulations. Your results may vary. but i get what you are saying

hndamien 4y ago

This reads like a press release... I would be less skeptical if I had ever actually seen or heard about a "stranded Tesla". https://insideevs.com/news/590336/ford-f150-lightning-includ https://insideevs.com/news/590336/ford-f150-lightning-includ... https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-threw-in-a-tesla-charging https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-threw-in-a-tesla-charging... https://au.pcmag.com/cars-auto/94457/fords-electric-f-150-li https://au.pcmag.com/cars-auto/94457/fords-electric-f-150-li... https://www.powernationtv.com/post/ford-gifts-f-150-lightnin https://www.powernationtv.com/post/ford-gifts-f-150-lightnin... https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/ford-f-150-lightning-comes https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/ford-f-150-lightning-comes... https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/447890-the-ford-f-15 https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/447890-the-ford-f-15... https://gearjunkie.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-tesla-charg https://gearjunkie.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-tesla-charg... https://electrek.co/2022/06/06/ford-adapter-charge-stranded- https://electrek.co/2022/06/06/ford-adapter-charge-stranded-... https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/fords-electric-f https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/fords-electric-f... https://koolplaz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owners-w https://koolplaz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owners-w... https://hitechglitz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owner https://hitechglitz.com/ford-surprises-f-150-lightning-owner... https://www.techradar.com/au/news/is-ford-trolling-tesla-wit https://www.techradar.com/au/news/is-ford-trolling-tesla-wit...

grepfru_it 4y ago

Food for thought: towing a 10,000lb load will shorten the range to well under 100 miles. Then you need to recharge it. This doesn’t sound useful in the slightest. Maybe very specific missions will benefit but far from the norm of a f150. Personally I will not spend $75k (fully loaded at $90k) just for the possibility to charge my house if the power goes out or to use power tools at a work site, there are lower cost options for both. Def wouldn’t tow a boat 300mi to the beach so this model really seems like a toy but maybe I’m missing something? Anyone else seriously consider this truck?

riverdroid 4y ago
Current Ford F-150 towing capacity is 5,000 to 11,300 lbs depending on the package. Most people probably don't need long range peak towing capacity. Seems like the feature set could be useful to a lot of people, probably most, maybe not for you though.
- grepfru_it 4y ago
  >most Who’s the target demographic of the f150? Although it is under the lightening moniker so practicality is not a defining feature :D
  - google234123 4y ago
    A contractor or construction worker working a city wouldn't need to travel long distances between job sites.
    - grepfru_it 4y ago
      My point was that a contractor or construction worker probably wouldn’t be driving an f150 lightning as it’s not really practical but it sure is fun (see the F150 SVT with its single digit city mileage as a previous example)
      - thrashh 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

bergenty 4y ago

Is there any way to use some combination of adapters to charge the F-150 at Tesla superchargers?