Get Your EV’s Battery Ready to Travel This Winter

How Do You Precondition a Ford EV Battery?

Right now, Ford offers two pure-electric vehicles, the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning, with more surely to be added to the lineup in the coming years. As this technology becomes more common, it’s critical that EV owners understand how to get the most from their electric platforms. A key element of that preparedness strategy is preconditioning the battery system to operate as efficiently as possible in winter weather. So, how do you precondition a Ford EV battery? A few Fairley & Stevens Ford product experts put together this handy guide.

READ MORE: Reserve Your New Ford Mustang Mach-E

What Does EV Battery Preconditioning Mean?

Electric vehicle technology has come a long way since it became available. Increased EV popularity has led to an explosion of development progress. Extreme weather conditions can lead to a drop in driving range and overall efficiency. Preconditioning the battery heats or cools an EV battery system to its optimal operating temperature. A properly preconditioned battery improves charging speed, overall efficiency and maintains long-term battery health.

Preconditioning For Scheduled Departure

Getting your Ford EV ready to drive in extreme heat or cold needs to begin before hitting the road. Using an at-home charging unit and the FordPass app is where the process starts. Utilizing an external charging unit prevents the onboard battery from being drained prematurely. Check out the simple steps below:

• Using FordPass app: Tap the vehicle tab, then “Departure Time” and “Add Departure.” Set the day of the week, time of day and desired cabin temperature.
• Using in-vehicle touchscreen: Select “Charging,” then “Departure and Comfort.” Set the days of the week, time of day and desired temperatures for the passenger cabin.
• Varying Schedules: Multiple departure schedules can be set for each day to accommodate specific schedules.

Immediate Preconditioning Procedure

Vehicle owners or other drivers can begin the preconditioning process immediately, but the process uses power stored in the vehicle’s battery system.

• Using FordPass app: Choose “Climate” then “Start Climate” to start the preconditioning process right away.
• Using in-vehicle touchscreen: Open the climate controls in the Sync 4A system. Choose the “Precondition” option and set the desired temperatures.

Why Is Preconditioning Important?

Preconditioning an EV’s battery is something that can easily be overlooked in the hustle and bustle of life. But, there are a couple of important reasons, especially in the extreme cold of winter and the heat in summer. Extreme cold and heat make batteries less efficient. The preconditioning process gets the battery to the optimal temperature to drastically cut down on charging time in both sets of conditions.

Make an appointment with Fairley & Stevens Ford today if you have any questions about the current crop of Ford EV technology and how it can work for you.