BATTLING THE HEAT ON AN 800+ MILE DAY! CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD TRIP IN MY F150 LIGHTNING - PART 4

EV Channels Review

This video documents an ambitious 800+ mile, one-day road trip in a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range from Duluth, Minnesota to Charlotte, North Carolina. The reviewer, Branden Flasch, highlights the challenges of extreme summer heat on charging performance, noting significant thermal derating issues with both Tesla Superchargers and other DC fast chargers. Despite these hurdles, the Lightning managed to complete the journey, albeit with multiple charging stops and strategic adapter swaps to mitigate heat-related power reductions. The reviewer found the charging experience with non-Tesla networks (Mercedes HPC, ChargePoint) to be less seamless than Tesla's, often requiring manual activation and experiencing slower speeds. While the F-150 Lightning proved capable of long-distance travel, the extreme heat significantly impacted its charging efficiency and speed, leading to longer-than-ideal charging sessions. The reviewer also contrasts this experience with previous Tesla road trips, noting that while the Lightning's charging stops were longer, the greater distances covered between them made the overall journey more efficient than some Tesla trips. Key takeaways include the effectiveness of the A2Z adapter for thermal management, the importance of charging to 80% for optimal speed, and the impact of ambient temperature on EV charging performance. The reviewer expresses satisfaction with the truck's comfort and overall road trip capability, but emphasizes that cooler temperatures would likely yield a much better charging experience.