Posted on 05/21/2021 11:16:37 AM PDT by thegagline
Range typically occupies an outsized chunk of the conversation on any new EV. But, in the case of the F-150 Lightning, which has the bestselling pickup's usual healthy scoop of towing and hauling capabilities, things get more complicated.
Ford is claiming that the range figures for its electric pickup will come in at 230 miles and 300 miles, depending on whether the standard-range (which we estimate can hold 115.0 kWh) or extended-range battery pack (150.0 kWh, same caveat) is beneath the bed. Those are EPA predictions, specifically EPA combined figures, in lightly loaded conditions. *** Although the Lightning is aided by the aerodynamic effects of its flat underbody, when running at real highway speeds there's no tricking the air molecules, and a bluff truck is going to suffer. In our highway range testing, which we conduct at a steady 75 mph, we typically see a range number that's about 20 percent below the EPA figure. Using that same bogey, which is probably generous in the case of a full-size pickup, would put the Lightning in the 180-to-240-mile zone for what you might achieve on a road trip.
In a recent towing test with another EV, lugging a 3859-pound boat at 70 mph chopped its range in half compared to our lightly loaded highway range test that we conduct at 75 mph. Applying these results to the F-150 means that towing a modest trailer would put the highway range at roughly 115 to 150 miles, depending on the pack. Towing anywhere near the 10,000-pound maximum rating on XLT and Lariat models (with the maximum trailer tow package and extended-range battery) at highway speeds, we believe you'd be hard pressed to exceed double-digit miles. We'd take that bet, in fact. ***
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...
Early tests of the hybrid electric version of the Jeep Wrangler as well as the all-electric aftermarket conversions seem to indicate they can drive through water just fine. Waterproof seals do exist, you know.
They won’t be any worse than an existing gasoline car that’s suddenly in 25 feet of water - it’ll be a total loss regardless.
This truck isn’t intended for that drive, nor do they pretend it is. It’s for running around a metroplex, which is where a lot of F-150s spend their entire lives.
For that, there’s the hybrid, diesel and gasoline versions of the F-150, which are already on sale.
It’s not a sedan, either.
Our Lucerne soldiers on and will since there is just about nothing in the field with a V8 to replace it; not without going to some very expensive luxury class. Around here those just become targets for jealousy, hate, rage and insurance, no sale. Besides, you have to go 100 miles for service.
I can easily imagine the door bashes to my new A8 if I were foolish enough to buy one. There are some pickups around here that make Maynard the tow truck look really really good. The drivers of them are equal to their vehicles for attitude.
I only mention A8 because that is the closest thing to a full size sedan available that I know of other than the Chrysler gangster car. I don’t count Kia, Genesis, chevrolet and such.
Yeah, you might want to look at the Genesis lineup, which absolutely are full size cars. There’s also the Chevy Impala, which is one - just not very good.
The V8 is less of a thing now because there are turbo V6s out there that beat V8s in every metric - in fact, the most powerful engine you can get in the F-150 is the EcoBoost 3.5L turbo V6, not the 5.0L V8.
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