Winter Road-Tripping in a Ford F-150 Lightning
As below-freezing temperatures settle in, preparing for the season is key.
But colder weather doesn't have to mean compromising your driving experience. To help you travel with confidence all winter, our Ford experts have put together some tips to best prepare your electric vehicle and maximize its range and performance in the cold.
TL;DR? To maximize your electric vehicle’s winter performance, park in a garage when possible and remove all snow before driving. Use the appropriate drive mode for changing winter conditions. Precondition the vehicle’s cabin and battery for best performance. If possible, keep the vehicle plugged in when parked for an extended time. Conserve energy by using heated seats and steering wheel, and always ensure tires are properly inflated.
1. Park your electric vehicle in a garage, if possible.
Garage storage helps to ensure that harsh weather conditions outside do not affect your vehicle, and maintaining a warmer storage temperature than outdoors will aid in vehicle and battery performance. And with zero tailpipe emissions, you can safely warm up the vehicle's cabin while garaged.
Don't have a garage? If you live in an apartment or urban area without garage access, you can still give your vehicle a winter advantage. Look for covered parking structures, which offer protection from snow and ice accumulation even if they're not heated. If you use street parking, try to find spots that get morning sun to help naturally warm your vehicle. Some parking facilities and apartment complexes are now offering dedicated electric vehicle parking spots, often under covered structures.
2. Remove all snow from the vehicle before driving.
This is important to reduce weight and air resistance when driving, but it's also important for visibility . Several of Ford's driver assistance technologies make use of sensors and cameras that must be free of snow to function properly.
Did You Know? Ford's patented Vapor Injection Heat Pump (VIHP) is designed to help improve heat transfer capability and reduce power consumption. When equipped, the heat pump aids in optimizing energy consumption, especially in colder weather. The heat pump is a feature on 2024 and later F-150 Lightning pickups and is now a standard feature on all 2025 Mustang Mach-E and later SUV models. It works automatically, so the driver doesn't have to do anything special to utilize the benefits during winter months. Fan noise may be heard while the heat pump is running, which is normal.
3. Choose the right drive mode for winter conditions.
Your Ford electric vehicle comes with drive modes designed to match how you want to drive. When winter weather rolls in, switching to the right mode can make all the difference in how your vehicle handles.
- For F-150 Lightning owners: The 2025 model year introduces Slippery Mode, calibrated specifically for challenging conditions. When you activate it, your truck dials back accelerator pedal responsiveness and recalibrates traction and stability controls to help prevent wheel spin. Use this mode on icy roads or any time you're driving on firm surfaces covered with loose or slippery materials like snow, slush, or gravel.
- For Mustang Mach-E owners: Whisper Mode isn't just for relaxed driving. It's actually recommended when weather turns rough. This mode decreases how aggressively your vehicle responds when you press the accelerator partway down, and when you lift off the pedal, your Mustang Mach-E decelerates gradually rather than abruptly. That gentler response helps you maintain better control on slippery surfaces.
- 1-Pedal Drive: When driving on slippery roads, consider using traditional two pedal driving for a more familiar driving experience.
Did You Know? If you frequently charge in inclement weather (think freezing rain or sleet), consider picking up the Ford Accessories Charge Port Weather Kit. It's a simple add-on that can help protect your charge port from the elements during those brutal winter charging sessions.
4. Plug in your electric vehicle when parked for extended periods of time.
Keeping the vehicle plugged in while parked for extended periods of time, such as while you're away on a trip or even while parked at home overnight, helps to maintain battery health and prevent range loss. When the vehicle is plugged in, the vehicle's battery temperature is kept above freezing temperatures to help optimize battery performance. This occurs regardless of whether or not the vehicle is actively charging while plugged in.
Did You Know? If you're heading toward a DC fast charging station using your vehicle's available navigation, your battery will start to warm up automatically within 20 miles of your charging stop. A warm battery charges faster than a cold one since the processes inside the battery are more efficient at higher temperatures.
You can also now access real-time charging information on your in-vehicle screen, set a universal charge limit for all locations, and schedule preferred charge times at specific locations.
Access to public fast chargers has also expanded. When planning a trip in an F-150 Lightning using Apple Maps EV Routing in Apple CarPlay, the system will now direct you to North American Charging Standard (NACS) fast chargers, such as a compatible Tesla Supercharger, when a stop is needed. The available Ford NACS adapter provides easier access to this growing network for both Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners.
5. Precondition your vehicle (and never get into a cold vehicle again!).
One of the most frequent questions new electric vehicle owners have is around how they can precondition their vehicle. Preconditioning helps your vehicle's battery perform at its best by adjusting the battery temperature to an ideal state before you start driving or charging. This not only increases charging efficiency but also helps ensure consistent vehicle performance. Just follow these easy steps:
- Open the Ford app and switch over to the "Energy" tab.
- Departure times and Preferred charge times can be found under "Charge settings."
- With a Departure time set, when plugged in your vehicle's cabin and battery will be automatically preconditioned by the Departure time.
- If you're not plugged in, you can select the "Prepare cabin off plug" option.
- This option allows the Departure times feature to prepare your cabin comfort settings.
- Preconditioning of the battery only occurs when the vehicle is plugged in.
- Within the "Departure times" menu, you'll see options to edit time, dates, and cabin comfort levels.
- Select the time you want your vehicle to be ready by for each day of the week you want the preconditioning to take place.
- Finally, you can choose the level of cabin comfort — Cool, Medium, or Warm — that you want to experience when you get into your vehicle.
- Press the "Save" button, and your electric vehicle's cabin will be ready to your liking at your Departure time with an optimized battery if plugged in.
6. Reduce energy consumption used by the vehicle climate control system.
If equipped, use the heated seats and heated steering wheel as primary heat, and lower the cabin temperature setting to reduce energy consumed by using climate control.
For DC fast charging sessions, minimize cabin heating while plugged in and charging.
"During the winter months or if I plan to go skiing, I precondition my F-150 Lightning in the garage while plugged in,"said Les and Marlene Strickland, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners and residents of Broomfield, Colorado. "Regenerative braking helps me a great deal while driving downhill from the mountains. I was at Mount Blue Sky recently and loved getting range back on my drive downhill."
Did You Know? You can adjust your cabin temperature, windshield defrost, heated seats and heated steering wheel options from your phone using the Ford app. From the Ford app Vehicle tab, simply select remote climate (fan icon) and use "Climate Settings" to make changes.
7. Ensure your tires are at the proper pressure.
Proper tire pressure not only works to maximize range, it also works to help ensure that the correct amount of tire surface area is gripping the road. Tires that are over or underinflated can lead to range degradation along with safety and performance issues. You can find the proper tire pressure figures for your vehicle on the sticker inside the driver door. Likewise, higher speeds can negatively impact range in all types of weather. For best results, Ford recommends limiting your speed when possible.
By following these winter driving tips, you can prepare your electric vehicle to tackle the challenges of colder weather.
And as electric vehicle adoption continues in the U.S., staying informed and prepared is more important than ever. If you're ever unsure about living with your electric vehicle, Ford owners can also text a dedicated Ford advisor for 24/7 electric vehicle support.1
1Must purchase or lease a new 2025 F-150 Lightning or Mustang Mach-E from a participating Ford dealer between 10/1/2025 and 1/5/2026 to be eligible to receive (a) one (1) complimentary home charge station with complimentary home installation (excludes permitting costs and fees, if applicable); or (b) $2,000 bonus cash. Home charge station model and brand may vary based on availability. Offer not available to fleet or commercial customers. Complimentary home installation must be completed through Qmerit Electrification LLC. Installation exclusions apply. Must take retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer's stock by 1/5/2026. No trade-in required. 2025 Mustang Mach-E inventory may be limited and may vary by location. See your Ford dealer for details, terms and the most current inventory status.
