I’m considering buying a Ford Lightning but I’m unsure about the charging situation. I live in a townhome and can’t install level 2 charging, but I do have access to level 1 (outlets in the garage and outside). I drive about 20 miles on weekdays, and I work from home, so the truck could charge from 9 PM to 7 AM. On weekends, I might drive an extra 25-30 miles, but that’s occasional. There’s also a charging station about 5 minutes away if I ever need it. Should I be worried about the charging situation or just go for it?
I wouldn’t buy if I couldn’t have level 2 charging at home daily.
Oren said:
I wouldn’t buy if I couldn’t have level 2 charging at home daily.
I work from home too, and I’ve been using level 1 charging for years now. I had a Tesla Model X first and now a Lightning. With your driving habits, level 1 should be enough. You can definitely charge 20 miles a day without issues, and if needed, a quick stop at a public charger can top you off. I haven’t needed a level 2 charger yet, and I got one free with my Lightning but never installed it.
Townhome, huh? Do you have a dryer in the basement?
Briar said:
Townhome, huh? Do you have a dryer in the basement?
Yeah, a nice splitter or even a load balancer could help with this. Maybe an extension cord would work too. 
You should be fine. I only use 110V at home and drive 10-20 miles daily. You might need a fast charger every other weekend, but otherwise, level 1 works.
TL;DR: This should be totally doable for you. You can charge all your miles at home. Here’s the breakdown: Level 1 (120V) charges at 12A, so you get about 1.15kW into the battery. If you’re only driving 20 miles a day, that’s only about 9kWh. With 8+ hours to charge, you should be fine. You’ll have extra time for any longer days or emergencies.
Is that 20 miles every morning or is it total?
I drive a Lightning 26 miles daily and use only 120V charging. It’s been fine, even in the winter. I charge for 10-14 hours a night and I’m good. The only issue is long trips; I need to top up if I visit my mother.
You might be fine, but it’ll be tight. You might need to visit a charging station every other week.
Depending on where you live, you could benefit from Right to Charge laws. It might be worth checking out if you haven’t yet.
I wouldn’t buy without access to level 2 charging. Relying on level 1 is super slow, and relying on fast chargers often gets expensive. It took me 3-4 weeks to get my charger installed, and it wasn’t fun.
If you’re driving 30 miles a day, you’d have about 14 hours to charge. At level 1, you’ll add about 2.5 miles per hour. So, in 20 hours, you could get 50 miles. Level 1 charging should work well for your needs. A Level 2 charger would be nice, but not required for your daily driving habits.
So, if you get down to 10% or lower, how long does it take to fully charge the Lightning using just 110?
Marsden said:
So, if you get down to 10% or lower, how long does it take to fully charge the Lightning using just 110?
Check out this tool for accurate charging time calculations. Make sure to select the correct model to get the right info on battery size and charge speed.
@Isle
Thanks. It says it’ll take 68 hours to charge from 10% to 80% using 110V… that’s slow.
Marsden said:
@Isle
Thanks. It says it’ll take 68 hours to charge from 10% to 80% using 110V… that’s slow.
Yeah, it’s slow, but remember you’re charging a massive battery using a regular outlet. It’s like refueling with a hose instead of a pump. The key is that you don’t need to top up all the way every time. You can plug it in every night and get a good amount of range back, usually more than enough.
@Isle
I currently drive a 2015 F150 Platinum and I’m leaning towards a Lightning. I have 220V outlets all over my farm, so I’m hoping I can charge quickly when needed. Plus, that 0-60 in 4 seconds sounds awesome!
@Marsden
Oh man, that acceleration is so fun! I couldn’t stop stomping on the pedal for the first few months. But yeah, with 220V outlets on your property, you’ll be just fine. Even with level 1 charging, you might only need to top up at a fast charger occasionally.
@Marsden
You’re not going to get a 45-minute charge with 220V. But with a 30A circuit, you’ll be able to charge overnight, which is all you really need.