SnBGC

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+1 Definitely should be a Precondition button in the app. Even if there isn't time for the process to complete at least you'll be somewhat ahead of the game as compared to just firing it up and taking off.
I am confused. There is a remote start button in the app. That has the effect of preconditioning the cabin provided you leave your climate control system turned on.
????
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The departure schedule pre-conditions the cabin.
The battery temp is managed separately by the car provided it is plugged in while parked.
The letter says that the schedule preconditions both the cabin and the battery. Remote starting only does the cabin when plugged in.
 

SnBGC

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The letter says that the schedule preconditions both the cabin and the battery. Remote starting only does the cabin when plugged in.
Oh I see. Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't see that the first time. Strange the battery would require any pre-conditioning but then again I don't live where it gets that cold. Probably would be a thing in the cooler climates. If I lived where it got that cold....then departure times would be my friend for sure.

But yeah.......why not also do it with remote start? Both indicate the car is about to be driven so not sure why Ford is making a distinction there.
 

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But yeah.......why not also do it with remote start? Both indicate the car is about to be driven so not sure why Ford is making a distinction there.
I would guess that it’s because it probably takes a lot longer to precondition the battery than it does the cabin. If you set a departure time, the car might start heating up the battery an hour or more before then. It wouldn’t have the same impact if it was only 15 minutes before leaving.
 

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Where do you get that? They are just making recommendations for achieving the most accurate range estimates.
FORScan.

Battery coolant inlet temp is equal to battery temp, until I turn the HVAC off, and then it instantly shoots up to hot temperatures.

There's a valve that keeps the coolant heater dedicated to the cabin only, or the cabin + battery. The valve is in cabin only mode whenever vehicle is "awake" and the HVAC is on, at least as far as I can tell, with the current software. That's why they're telling people to turn the HVAC off, so the valve moves to cabin+battery mode and starts to heat the battery to speed up charging.
 


SnBGC

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I would guess that it’s because it probably takes a lot longer to precondition the battery than it does the cabin. If you set a departure time, the car might start heating up the battery an hour or more before then. It wouldn’t have the same impact if it was only 15 minutes before leaving.
Gotcha. Makes sense. That battery density is no joke. It would take a while to warm up the pack with just that PTC heater.
 

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Oh I see. Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't see that the first time. Strange the battery would require any pre-conditioning but then again I don't live where it gets that cold. Probably would be a thing in the cooler climates. If I lived where it got that cold....then departure times would be my friend for sure.

But yeah.......why not also do it with remote start? Both indicate the car is about to be driven so not sure why Ford is making a distinction there.
Yeah, it's nice that we don't have to worry about warming the battery here in the Valley of the Sun. Except for maybe a few weeks in December and January.
Will the preconditioning try to cool the battery prior to departure? Or is battery cooling always handled when it is plugged in? Something to wonder about here in the desert. ?
 

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Yeah, it's nice that we don't have to worry about warming the battery here in the Valley of the Sun. Except for maybe a few weeks in December and January.
Will the preconditioning try to cool the battery prior to departure? Or is battery cooling always handled when it is plugged in? Something to wonder about here in the desert. ?
The battery temp is always handled while plugged in.

With my Focus Electric plugged into L2 power and ambient temps in the high 90s, then it just circulates the fluid with an occasional activation of the radiator fan. As summer takes hold more aggressively, then the A/C compressor will activate and chill the fluid that circulates through the battery. While plugged into L1 power.....I think just the fan and pumps are used for cooling. I don't think the A/C chiller is used because there isn't enough power available from the plug.

From what I can tell from the shop manual......the Mach-E will function differently. It says the car will use HVB to supplement shore power when pre-conditioning the cabin prior to a departure time so that might also mean the car might use the HVB to supplement shore power when keeping the battery cool while parked? I didn't see confirmation of that anywhere though. If plugged into L2 then it's a non issue anyway. But L1 could be different and maybe the car will use the HVB to run the chiller while the plug powers the pump and fans. I am really not sure what happens but I am observing as the warmer weather approaches.

Keep in mind......the idea that the Mach-E can use HVB power to supplement shore power while preparing the cabin for a departure time is no small accomplishment. The Focus Electric isn't able to have the TCM, HVB and OBCC connected at the same time. Only 2 devices at a time. The MME can do all 3 so that is something new for us. At work, I can see my car from my office window so I expect to look out and see those vents open from time to time.....more often as it warms up of course. o_O
 
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This letter wasnt intended for me. It was wrote to a service manager where I got the car to help better provide me with information. I just asked for a photo copy. And to precondition the battery it clames you have to use the departure time. Not the remote start in the app.
 

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It would help if the car actually preconditioned when scheduled...if I'm not plugged in, the afternoon does not precondition at all.

The key question is, does the car only precondition when it is plugged in?
 

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I highly doubt engineers will be allowed to write such letters. This is typical response from customer relations department with generic advice.
I reset EV history in my SR when I picked up the car. It does not go back to best prediction (230 miles) but was about 170miles on 100% charge.
Same here, when I reset my driving history on my Mach-E4x (AWD Ext. battery) it resets to ~230 miles instead of even the EPA-rating of 270.
 

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The battery temp is always handled while plugged in.

With my Focus Electric plugged into L2 power and ambient temps in the high 90s, then it just circulates the fluid with an occasional activation of the radiator fan. As summer takes hold more aggressively, then the A/C compressor will activate and chill the fluid that circulates through the battery. While plugged into L1 power.....I think just the fan and pumps are used for cooling. I don't think the A/C chiller is used because there isn't enough power available from the plug.

From what I can tell from the shop manual......the Mach-E will function differently. It says the car will use HVB to supplement shore power when pre-conditioning the cabin prior to a departure time so that might also mean the car might use the HVB to supplement shore power when keeping the battery cool while parked? I didn't see confirmation of that anywhere though. If plugged into L2 then it's a non issue anyway. But L1 could be different and maybe the car will use the HVB to run the chiller while the plug powers the pump and fans. I am really not sure what happens but I am observing as the warmer weather approaches.

Keep in mind......the idea that the Mach-E can use HVB power to supplement shore power while preparing the cabin for a departure time is no small accomplishment. The Focus Electric isn't able to have the TCM, HVB and OBCC connected at the same time. Only 2 devices at a time. The MME can do all 3 so that is something new for us. At work, I can see my car from my office window so I expect to look out and see those vents open from time to time.....more often as it warms up of course. o_O
This will be my first EV, so I wonder about a lot of things. Mostly I wonder when I'll get the darn thing. ??
Where were you able to obtain shop manual access? Willing/able to share?
 

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This will be my first EV, so I wonder about a lot of things. Mostly I wonder when I'll get the darn thing. ??
Where were you able to obtain shop manual access? Willing/able to share?
This my second BEV and third plugin and I still wonder about stuff. :)

I have access to some of Ford's systems through my fleet account.
 

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Btw, why do you need to setup a schedule in order to precondition the battery? Can we just press a button in the app when we are ready to leave in 10-20 minutes? When I open the ford app, I wan to cry :)
That’s a great idea! It does take a while to update the departure time if it’s non standard. #beyond1stworldproblems (but seriously that’s a great option Ford needs to add, hope they’re reading!)
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