The Real Mileage of an Electric Truck

[ifsteve]

So Motor Trend has done a test for an electric Ford F-150. Not some EPA nonsense but a real world test on how it tows a RV. The bottom line - useless. To me the most interesting data was towing the smallest RV which is about the weight of a decent boat.

Journalists Hook RV Up to $93K Electric Truck, Found It Wouldn't Even Make 100 Miles Before Needing a Recharge

Democrats love to tout electric vehicles, but when it comes to trucks, EVs have a long way to go before comparing to gas-powered vehicles.

www.westernjournal.com

 

[creekx]

So Motor Trend has done a test for an electric Ford F-150. Not some EPA nonsense but a real world test on how it tows a RV. The bottom line - useless. To me the most interesting data was towing the smallest RV which is about the weight of a decent boat.

Journalists Hook RV Up to $93K Electric Truck, Found It Wouldn't Even Make 100 Miles Before Needing a Recharge

Democrats love to tout electric vehicles, but when it comes to trucks, EVs have a long way to go before comparing to gas-powered vehicles.

www.westernjournal.com

Ouch!

 

[Josh]

I don't see how anyone is surprised here. Towing mileage is ALWAYS worse no matter what kind of vehicle you are running. Plenty of people out there see mileage cut in half in their gas trucks. Hell, we could repeat this article with a gas 150 and make similar claims about how badly towing reduces "range". Plus, the piece is obviously designed for "outrage clicks" rather than honest data. No info on wind, for example, or elevation changes on the route. Everyone knows that towing into a headwind/hills make a difference. Did they use cruise control? How was traffic? And they went 70mph? That's not exactly designed to get you the best towing mileage.

I'm not for or against any kind of vehicle (to be honest, if I had to pick one, I'd rather see more hybrid tech out there until we get a better electrical/charging system in place for large scale adoption of electric cars). I'm just against stupid articles like this and the ensuing political-based jackassery. An electric pickup is obviously not going to be the right tool for every kind of use case. Only a moron, or someone who had no interest in having a real conversation, would pretend that it is. But that's the same for a gas vehicle.

 

[jasmillo]

Not a surprise. As the original Motor Trend article referenced in the article you posted clearly states, Ford has been very transparent that you should expect range to be cut in half when towing. The MT test showed more like 2/3rds (compared to the EPA non tow test) but as you stated, testing methodology was a bit different. MT article link, with less political hyperbole.

Tow No! The Ford F-150 Lightning Struggled in Our Towing Test

We towed 3100-, 5300-, and 7200-pound travel trailers with Ford’s electric truck and didn’t get very far from home.

www.motortrend.com

Range is why I will not be buying an electric truck anytime soon. Limited range that’s severely limited when towing. Personally, I’m still on the hybrid bandwagon for my next vehicle purchase.

 

[_WW_]

There's a lot to unpack in the first two sentences.
"Democrats have touted electric vehicles as the way of the future, but they have failed to address the setbacks of the still-developing technology. A new experiment has once again highlighted the problems leftists have failed to address."
Democrats? Really? I thought this was an article about truck mileage. But of course it is a thinly disguised dig at democrats. Of course even though the author admits that this is still-developing technology, lets not let that get in the way of a hit job. Let's say the "leftists" try to write a bill that these trucks must get 300 miles towing 7500 pounds. Will the republicans get on board? With the partisan show in DC, I would say not no, but fuck no.

"Since many motorists purchase trucks for the express purpose of towing things," Any idiot that buys an etruck for towing deserves whatever happens to him. I'm pretty sure I could have written this article from my couch, without bashing any political party, and without having to drive or tow a single thing.

 

[Josh]

There's a lot to unpack in the first two sentences.

It's worth reading the original motortrend article instead of the HAWT-TAKE loudmouths who try for easy clicks from someone else's work. The original article has flaws (and so many ads), but it's at least free of political grandstanding.

Tow No! The Ford F-150 Lightning Struggled in Our Towing Test

We towed 3100-, 5300-, and 7200-pound travel trailers with Ford’s electric truck and didn’t get very far from home.

www.motortrend.com

 

[_WW_]

It's worth reading the original motortrend article instead of the HAWT-TAKE loudmouths who try for easy clicks from someone else's work. The original article has flaws (and so many ads), but it's at least free of political grandstanding.

Tow No! The Ford F-150 Lightning Struggled in Our Towing Test

We towed 3100-, 5300-, and 7200-pound travel trailers with Ford’s electric truck and didn’t get very far from home.

www.motortrend.com

Are there any other surprises in that article besides towing reduces mileage?

 

[clarkman]

I'm not really putting much stock in such an extreme biased source (with Western Journal, it happens to be extreme right) of questionable factual reporting.

smh

 

[Josh]

Any idiot that buys an etruck for towing deserves whatever happens to him

I would modify that to be "any idiot who buys an etruck for long distance towing..."

I know plenty of local contractors, landscapers, etc who might find that the eF150 pencils out just fine for their towing work. I have no idea if it would pencil out, but if it doesn't, I doubt it would be the range that would be the deciding factor as far as daily use. More likely the $75-95k price. Though gas trucks hardly seem better these days. So maybe it would be a workable deal?

Are there any other surprises in that article besides towing reduces mileage?

Outside of the range stuff, the only electric-specific comment about towing was this:

Equipped with single-speed transmissions at the front and rear motors, the Lightning can't just downshift into the meat of the torque curve like a gas truck does, so passing maneuvers at highway speeds require patience and planning with a heavy trailer.

Which is an interesting point that I'd like to hear more about in real world use. It also seems like something that could be fixed with some additional tech/software/etc in the next generation. But I'm no expert.

Otherwise the article was complimentary about the towing tech. But most of that tech was the same as you'd find on a gas truck (360-degree camera system, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, smart hitch, etc).

 

[SSPey]

To me the most interesting data was towing the smallest RV which is about the weight of a decent boat.

Did you even read the Motor Trend article? It states that poor aerodynamics of the boxy trailers sapped range regardless of trailer weight, and that towing a boat would be better. Also no mention of ambient temps during towing, cold being notoriously bad for batteries.

Our electric car has been a fantastic complement to our gasoline truck. Each has its place. I choose the electric over the truck every-single-time, unless I need the truck to do truck things.

 

[SSPey]

There's a lot to unpack in the first two sentences.
"Democrats have touted electric vehicles as the way of the future, but they have failed to address the setbacks of the still-developing technology. A new experiment has once again highlighted the problems leftists have failed to address."
Democrats? Really? I thought this was an article about truck mileage. But of course it is a thinly disguised dig at democrats. Of course even though the author admits that this is still-developing technology, lets not let that get in the way of a hit job. Let's say the "leftists" try to write a bill that these trucks must get 300 miles towing 7500 pounds. Will the republicans get on board? With the partisan show in DC, I would say not no, but fuck no.

"Since many motorists purchase trucks for the express purpose of towing things," Any idiot that buys an etruck for towing deserves whatever happens to him. I'm pretty sure I could have written this article from my couch, without bashing any political party, and without having to drive or tow a single thing.

If that’s thinly disguised, I wonder what blatant would look like …

 

[Dogsnfish]

"Since many motorists purchase trucks for the express purpose of towing things," Any idiot that buys an etruck for towing deserves whatever happens to him. I'm pretty sure I could have written this article from my couch, without bashing any political party, and without having to drive or tow a single thing.

Exactly! I drive a diesel F250 and I did not buy it to run to the hardware store or haul a few things like most people do. I tow my boat and my very heavy trailer. Even then I get 20 mpg on the highway when not towing, and 12-15 when towing. If I lived in an urban area and wanted a truck to run to home depot or the garden supply then I think the new e-truck would be a much better vehicle than my F250. This is also the first-gen, always better to wait.

Posts and article like this are just click bait (and I fell for it!). I've decided the extreme right and extreme left in this country are never going to be happy in a democracy so instead of venting at a local tavern they now can vent on the internet. Plus, they are egged on my talk radio. Look at what happened to Steve Jones and Bannon when they finally had to go to court..... "oh, I just have a show, it doesn't need to tell the truth."

 

[Dogsnfish]

Did you even read the Motor Trend article? It states that poor aerodynamics of the boxy trailers sapped range regardless of trailer weight, and that towing a boat would be better. Also no mention of ambient temps during towing, cold being notoriously bad for batteries.

Our electric car has been a fantastic complement to our gasoline truck. Each has its place. I choose the electric over the truck every-single-time, unless I need the truck to do truck things.

Yeah, just read the article, pointing out the obvious. Sounds like an old Ford F250 with a V10 I had, Got about 6mpg towing a big trailer. So its range was about 150 to 200 miles. And that was a vehicle designed for towing. Sounds like the little e-truck does okay.

 

[SurfnFish]

While the kids were growing up, towed them around the PNW in a F350 4x4 Supercab with 460 tweaked with toque cam, Holley carb and headers, towing a 23' 5th wheel with flipped axles for the boonies. Mileage would range between 10 mpg and 5 mpg depending on wind and terrain.
We're in the first generation of E-vehicles, and most of the products coming out are likely being pushed out the door by executive decree without having met initial design/build objectives.
Give it time, the 'beasts' will be coming. I wasn't much of a fan myself until the first time I drove my son's Tesla, and pegged it from a full stop on a quiet road...holy crap

 

[Evan B]

I love my Chevy Bolt and am looking forward to the Electric Silverado if I decide to get it when my reservation's turn comes up. If the charging networks are more robust when it comes out, then I may pull the trigger. Currently, my criteria is having pull-through charging. Right now, all charging stations are pull-in, which doesn't work with a trailer. So hopefully that gets fixed.

My F250 barely gets 200mi when towing my boat, so I'm used to range taking a hit with a trailer behind me.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

From a forum I frequent, here’s a pretty good review of Rivian used in a business, as I suspect some will in addition to the hybrids become more available.

Rivian Truck for Good-Win Racing. - MX-5 Miata Forum

Rivian Truck for Good-Win Racing. Car Talk

forum.miata.net

While he’s not towing a large RV, he will be using it to tow Miatas with extra wheels/tires and tools to track events so let’s say 2200# Miata, 800# wheels, tires, tools and ? For an aluminum trailer, 1500-200#?
So 4500-5000#.
I imagine most use will be local pickup and delivery, parts runs, etc. Nice part is he can take a business expense for it.

 

[Josh]

Right now, all charging stations are pull-in, which doesn't work with a trailer

That is a really interesting point.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

The bottom line - useless.

I'd disagree that an electric truck is useless just because it can't tow extended range. While a lot of people do buy trucks to tow, not everyone buys trucks to tow extended mileage. I tow a boat, but it's usually just over to a local lake, which is less than 10 miles. Sure, every now and then I take it on longer trips, but even the longest trip I took the boat on this year I would have been able to make it the entire distance there (would've had to recharge there). Frankly, I use the bed of the truck more for easy access to throw the kids hockey gear into, or grabbing things from the hardware store, trips to the dump, etc.

Is it less than ideal a truck couldn't tow an RV extended distances? Yeah. But that doesn't make it useless.

 

[Evan B]

I'd disagree that an electric truck is useless just because it can't tow extended range. While a lot of people do buy trucks to tow, not everyone buys trucks to tow extended mileage. I tow a boat, but it's usually just over to a local lake, which is less than 10 miles. Sure, every now and then I take it on longer trips, but even the longest trip I took the boat on this year I would have been able to make it the entire distance there (would've had to recharge there). Frankly, I use the bed of the truck more for easy access to throw the kids hockey gear into, or grabbing things from the hardware store, trips to the dump, etc.

Is it less than ideal a truck couldn't tow an RV extended distances? Yeah. But that doesn't make it useless.

Think of the number of contractors, lawn services, handymen, etc that just use their work trucks around their local area. An EV truck would be perfect for them.

 

[HauntedByWaters]

I would seriously consider an electric truck in 4-6 years and I will never purchase a first generation. I know some people that want to buy the first generation and I think they are crazy and some of them claim to want to help them develop and show support for these products. These numbers are not impressive yet and the costs extreme. These etrucks really show who uses trucks for legit truck stuff and who throws some mountain bikes on the tailgate and that is about it because they can do one but not the other.

Many municipalities in the country will buy these first generations and for that purpose they will work and I think car companies will get a lot of real world data to help develop. At $90K I don’t want to volunteer for research and development.