{Early Access Feature} Ford Intelligent Charging

[benk016]

Just got this feature enabled on my vehicle.

 

[benk016]

I started to set this up, but my electric provider doesn't do any kind of time of day programs or anything so I don't know that this feature will do much for me specifically. But If you do have special rates this might be a great way to take advantage of it.

 

[methorian]

Yea - got the same e-mail/feature addition.

I set it up, but like you I don't have time of day or anything for it to really matter.

It's weird that they market "over-charging". The energy doesn't get wasted just because I charge to 80% everyday, but only "need" 40%. It's still there, in the battery.

 

[benk016]

The way I interpreted it, is that if over time, the car realizes you don't drive on like Wednesdays, it will not actually charge for Wednesday, except to the "minimum charge level"

But yeah, As long as its charging in off-peak, what does it matter.

Its possible this intelligent charging will just replace the current charging settings just to give more options for people.

 

[benk016]

Also interesting to note, this was not done, that I can tell, as a OTA update to the car. It sort of seems like it was just switched on in fordpass. I wonder if it was installed in one of the first OTA's and finally just enabled.

 

[Shayne]

I started to set this up, but my electric provider doesn't do any kind of time of day programs or anything so I don't know that this feature will do much for me specifically. But If you do have special rates this might be a great way to take advantage of it.

Guess it will think for some that could not be bothered and has the potential to smooth the grid a bit. Good concept.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Just got this feature enabled on my vehicle.

I do have TOU rates from 11 pm to 9 am weekdays, and anytime weekends. It would be nice to have the car be smart enough to know that I leave at 6:30 am on weekdays, so don't start charging to 80% right at 11 PM when the TOU is available. Wait until 5:00 or 5:30 am to start charging and then be ready to at 80% at 6:30 am.

 

[benk016]

I do have TOU rates from 11 pm to 9 am weekdays, and anytime weekends. It would be nice to have the car be smart enough to know that I leave at 6:30 am on weekdays, so don't start charging to 80% right at 11 PM when the TOU is available. Wait until 5:00 or 5:30 am to start charging and then be ready to at 80% at 6:30 am.

Sounds like this feature will be exactly what you're looking for!
Are you in the early access program? If not, you might look and see if it shows up for you anyway. They didn't actually push anything to the car to enable it that I can tell. And my early access account doesn't show that they actually enabled any new features on my car.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Sounds like this feature will be exactly what you're looking for!
Are you in the early access program? If not, you might look and see if it shows up for you anyway. They didn't actually push anything to the car to enable it that I can tell. And my early access account doesn't show that they actually enabled any new features on my car.

I wish I could but (sadly or gladly depending on your point of view) I'm not eligible to participate in the early access program.

Unless someone is able to make an exception and allow me to. You know who you are.

 

[DanCoon]

I would prefer Ford focus their energy on releasing a real OTA update to fix the bugs that are already present in my Mach-E before sending these types of things out.

 

[benk016]

I would prefer Ford focus their energy on releasing a real OTA update to fix the bugs that are already present in my Mach-E before sending these types of things out.

I agree, but it does sort of feel like this is a feature the car has always had, they are just enabling the interface for it. I'm curious if it was just part of the new fordpass update yesterday.

 

[benk016]

I wish I could but (sadly or gladly depending on your point of view) I'm not eligible to participate in the early access program.

Unless someone is able to make an exception and allow me to. You know who you are.

So those options don't show up in fordpass for you now? I only ask because I didn't get any kind of actual update that enabled this. It just showed up in fordpass. I'm even on 3.22 which is out of date now. And my early access control panel doesn't show any "Enabled" features for my account.

 

[hybrid2bev]

So those options don't show up in fordpass for you now? I only ask because I didn't get any kind of actual update that enabled this. It just showed up in fordpass. I'm even on 3.22 which is out of date now. And my early access control panel doesn't show any "Enabled" features for my account.

No. I updated to FordPass 3.23.0 and I do not have that feature.

My understanding was the early access program would know your VIN and therefore can target any proposed changes to a select group. Since FordPass knows your VIN they can show you a different UI than other people, maybe?

 

[benk016]

No. I updated to FordPass 3.23.0 and I do not have that feature.

My understanding was the early access program would know your VIN and therefore can target any proposed changes to a select group. Since FordPass knows your VIN they can show you a different UI than other people, maybe?

That is most likely the case. It was just odd to get a feature like that with no actual update happening to the car.

So sounds like its definitely just a feature that was always there, but they are just now exposing it to end users. Thanks for looking!

 

[JamieGeek]

That is most likely the case. It was just odd to get a feature like that with no actual update happening to the car.

So sounds like its definitely just a feature that was always there, but they are just now exposing it to end users. Thanks for looking!

Seems to me that "Intelligent Charging" could be completely implemented in the cloud. The charging sessions get uploaded to the cloud (Ford Pass) along with how much you've driven.

The optimization could be done in the cloud and a new charging "schedule" downloaded to the car--no update to the car's software would be necessary.