Preconditioning - charging

[circatee]

I've seen a few threads about 'preconditioning', when using a DC fast charger. Well, I am confused.
If for example am off on a trip, and it will require a few recharging stops enroute, am I supposed to do something to 'precondition' the battery, prior to charging it at a DC charger?

Don't get me wrong, there are a plethora of benefits to reading the various threads on the forum, and I am thankful for that.
However, sometimes, just sometimes, a few of the threads totally confuse me...

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[RickMachE]

If you use the navigation to head to a DC fast charger (but not Tesla, yet), AND the battery is cold, it will warm when you get within just under 20 miles away. This reduces your charge time by minutes, as the charger does expend energy warming the battery to optimum temperature.

HOWEVER, I am of the opinion that Ford broke this in the past year with an update. In October 2023, my Mach-E did not precondition. In March 2024, my Lightning did not either.

 

[jmgreen]

If I’m not mistaken, the only navigation system that supports the battery preconditioning is the build-in navigator from Ford. This means that you may use Apple, Google, ABRP to plan your route, but then need to select your planned charging stops also on the Ford system (~30min in advance)

 

[circatee]

If I’m not mistaken, the only navigation system that supports the battery preconditioning is the build-in navigator from Ford. This means that you may use Apple, Google, ABRP to plan your route, but then need to select your planned charging stops also on the Ford system (~30min in advance)

Thanks for the feedback.

To be clear, if I typically use Waze, via Apple Car Play, I can still use that for directions to my destination. But, I also need to use the built in navigation to select charging locations enroute?

 

[jmgreen]

To be clear, if I typically use Waze, via Apple Car Play, I can still use that for directions to my destination. But, I also need to use the built in navigation to select charging locations enroute?

Yes, this is what I meant. Only if a charging stop is programmed and targeted within the Ford system, the battery preconditioning will be activated roughly 30min before arrival at this stop.

 

[markboris]

Thanks for the feedback.

To be clear, if I typically use Waze, via Apple Car Play, I can still use that for directions to my destination. But, I also need to use the built in navigation to select charging locations enroute?

I've been using charging locations for just over a year in CarPlay with Apple Maps. Not sure if Waze shows this as I don't use it for navigation.

 

[circatee]

I've been using charging locations for just over a year in CarPlay with Apple Maps. Not sure if Waze shows this as I don't use it for navigation.

Cheers! I just opened Apple Maps, and then had to connect my Electrify America as a charging option in it. Now in Apple Maps, I see the charging locations.

Now to figure out if Electrify American and EVGo are can both be used with the same EA account...

 

[markboris]

Cheers! I just opened Apple Maps, and then had to connect my Electrify America as a charging option in it. Now in Apple Maps, I see the charging locations.

Now to figure out if Electrify American and EVGo are can both be used with the same EA account...

In Maps on your phone, did you select your Mach-E in “ Vehicles” so that Maps can monitor your battery’s SOC?

 

[RickMachE]

Thanks for the feedback.

To be clear, if I typically use Waze, via Apple Car Play, I can still use that for directions to my destination. But, I also need to use the built in navigation to select charging locations enroute?

Yes, this is what I meant. Only if a charging stop is programmed and targeted within the Ford system, the battery preconditioning will be activated roughly 30min before arrival at this stop.

And specifically, you must navigate TO A CHARGER. Not to the Walmart where the charger is located. And, if you use Charge Assist / Public Charging to find the charger and then send that to Navigation, it does NOT precondition.

 

[circatee]

In Maps on your phone, did you select your MME in “ Vehicles” so that Maps can monitor your battery’s SOC?

Sorry, I should have mentioned, I did do that...

 

[circatee]

And specifically, you must navigate TO A CHARGER. Not to the Walmart where the charger is located. And, if you use Charge Assist / Public Charging to find the charger and then send that to Navigation, it does NOT precondition.

...ah, thanks!

 

[SpeedRacer72]

And specifically, you must navigate TO A CHARGER. Not to the Walmart where the charger is located. And, if you use Charge Assist / Public Charging to find the charger and then send that to Navigation, it does NOT precondition.

This is one of the many issues I have with the MME software & design. There is no indication anywhere on any screen to tell you if the battery is being preconditioned.

I do not know what Ford's problem is, why do they not make vital information like this available somewhere, like, I don't know, maybe on the charging screen.
Another example, Why do I have to open the app to see the charge rate, why can't that be displayed on the screen?

I test drove a Tesla Model Y recently, and stopped at a Tesla charger and plugged in and a message popped up on the screen, that said something like "you can charge faster if you precondition before charging" so I put into the navigator another charger location and drove to it, and there was an indicator on the screen that said it was preconditioning.
While I was charging, It also showed on the screen the recharge rate.

 

[Tampamike]

...ah, thanks!

But, you don’t “need” to pre-condition. The car will still charge whether it has pre-conditioned or not. If not, it will just take a little longer (not sure how much But I think not a lot). This is really only a factor in cold climates.

 

[rreddy3]

And specifically, you must navigate TO A CHARGER. Not to the Walmart where the charger is located. And, if you use Charge Assist / Public Charging to find the charger and then send that to Navigation, it does NOT precondition.

If you send a Public Charging location to the Ford navi and save the location as a favorite (or whatever it’s called), and then add that saved location as a destination, or waypoint within the route?, does that enable preconditioning of the battery?
I think I have read posts saying that is the case, although I may have misunderstood. Perhaps people were just saying that’s a way to add a charge location not identified by the Ford navi for whatever reason.

 

[RickMachE]

If you send a Public Charging location to the Ford navi and save the location as a favorite (or whatever it’s called), and then add that saved location as a destination, or waypoint within the route?, does that enable preconditioning of the battery?
I think I have read posts saying that is the case, although I may have misunderstood. Perhaps people were just saying that’s a way to add a charge location not identified by the Ford navi for whatever reason.

Supposedly, yes. But when I tried it, I discovered I wasn't preconditioning at all no matter what, so I haven't validated that.

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