Ford F-150 Lightning gets 250 kWh of free charging
Two years ago, Ford partnered with Electrify America (EA) to give Mustang Mach-E buyers 250 kW of free charging at EA stations. With the F-150 Lightning having reached the milestone of deliveries in all 50 states, Ford’s done the same thing for its electric pickup. Retail buyers — that’s everyone but Pro buyers for the moment — can plug in to fill their “tanks” starting now. EA said, “For F-150 Lightning customers with the standard-range battery, the 250 kilowatt-hours of fast- charging energy is equal to nearly three ‘fill-ups,’ or near-full charging sessions, or up to 575 miles of electric driving.” Since the standard range battery contains 98 usable kilowatt-hours, the claim is about right for drivers judicious enough to plug in before the pack runs dry. Owners with the extended-range battery could get two fill-ups of the pack with 131 usable kilowatt-hours.
The range of free charging promotions among automakers show they’re still working out how customers will get more range away from home. Companies like Ford and Volvo pitch a straight-up 250 kWh owners can redeem at any time. Harley-Davidson offers a free 500 kWh at will for the LiveWire, enough to fill the 15.4-kWh battery about 32 times and stay in the saddle for nearly 3,200 miles of combined-cycle riding. Kia offers 1,000 kWh to be used at any time. Companies like Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar and Porsche offer free charging in 30-minute segments for two years, as do specific vehicles like the BMW i4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volkswagen ID.4. Luxury players like Audi, Cadillac and Lucid, and certain vehicles like the BMW i7 and Hyundai Ioniq Electric, offer an unlimited three years. Mass-market models like the Chevrolet Bolt, Nissan Leaf and Mazda MX-50 provide credits from $250 to $500.
F-150 Lightning owners will use the FordPass Rewards app to claim their prize. At peak transfer rates, the battery replenishes about 54 miles of range in 10 minutes, the extended-range battery able to get from 15% to 80% state-of-charge in about 41 minutes.
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