The Ford F-150 Lightning can charge itself – but a self-charging method remains the most efficient

FORD’s all-electric F-150 Lightning can charge itself through bi-directional charging and regenerative braking.

But this pickup’s regenerative braking offers the most effective self-load rates.

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Regenerative braking is an electric vehicle (EV) charging technique that stores kinetic energy that would have been wasted during deceleration or full braking, reports Science Direct.

Regenerative braking is most efficient in stop-and-go traffic and least helpful in steady highway driving.

Regenerative braking efficiency varies by motor, but is close to 60% to 70%, Electrek reports.

Energy loss in regenerative braking occurs when kinetic energy is captured and when an electric car converts that energy back into acceleration, Tesla reports.

Various factors affecting the effectiveness of regenerative braking include a driver’s conditions, terrain, and vehicle size.

Larger electric models like Ford’s F-150 Lightning absorb more kinetic energy during regenerative braking because they have more momentum.

Ford’s F-150 Lightning can additionally charge itself through bi-directional charging, which uses a battery pack to power other electrical equipment outside the vehicle.

Drivers can access the Ford F-150 Lightning’s bi-directional charging by plugging their truck’s charging cable into a 240-volt outlet in the vehicle’s bed.

A 7.2-kilowatt inverter powers top Ford F-150 Lightning models, Fox reports.

The drivers decided to try plugging the Ford F-150 Lightning’s charging cable into the truck’s 240-volt outlet.

The test showed the truck to charge itself with 12% wasted energy.

These energy losses occurred as the F-150 Lightning converted power from DC to AC and back to DC, car and driver reports.

The 2022 F-150 Lightning starts at $39,947, according to Ford.

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