Why do Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) Make a Noise While Charging?

The cooling fan in an all-electric Ford vehicle will run during charging situations and/or climate usage, and depending on conditions such as ambient temperature, the fan can be running quite fast and loudly.

All vehicles (including those with an internal combustion engine) use the cooling fan when the climate system is using AC and when the vehicle is in an operating condition where it requires cooling. In a battery electric vehicle, the noise generated by the cooling fan can be more noticeable because there is no internal combustion engine covering up the sound of the fan.

One of the unique situations where a Battery Electric Vehicle requires cooling is during charging, both L1/L2 and DCFC. The cooling system helps keep the battery and on-board charging components at optimal temperature for maximum charge rates. Depending on various factors such as ambient temperature and battery temperature due to driving or extended charging, the cooling demand could be higher or lower, and the corresponding fan speed and loudness could be higher or lower in various circumstances.

Owners should be aware that cooling fan operation during charging is normal, as is cooling fan operation during AC usage (including cabin pre-conditioning and remote start). The speed at which the fan operates is dictated by a number of factors that may not be readily apparent to the owner. The sound that the cooling fan generates can be quite noticeable, especially if the vehicle is being charged and cooling the cabin simultaneously and this is normal for a battery electric Ford vehicle.

If you are using a Ford Connected Charge Station to charge your vehicle and maximum charge rate is not required, manually reducing the charge rate can lead to reduced cooling fan operation under certain circumstances. The charge rate can be changed through the Connected Charge Station settings in the FordPass app. You can refer to your owner’s manual for instructions on how to modify charge rate. Remember that reducing the charge rate impacts how long the vehicle takes to reach the desired charge level, so owners should plan accordingly.