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 ...
Ford’s 300 inline 6 was a very good engine and mated with 5 speed manual was excellent on gas for a truck. Our 1964 300 3speed got 22 mpg.
Just thought of a question. Where and how big is the battery on this thing?
Until the battery holds at least as much energy as 10 gallons of gasoline AND can be recharged in 5 minutes , it’s no good to me.
Yes. It was also rated to tow zero pounds, or more specifically, Ford vehemently stated that owners should not tow with them. They sold a crapton of them, but they still could not legally tow (mostly because the M5OD transmission wasn’t up to the job).
Per many posters here, that means it was a useless truck.
Sooooo.... buy one of the other F-150 models?
So, charging this system is not going to be very cheap for whoever pays for it- Whatcha wanna bet- they are going to try to finagle taxpayer paid charging stations?
I saw this and posted on this thread earlier! This is going to be a failure. Electric vehicles are useless for heavy duty applications.
I drove the new Ford E - Mustang.
Extremely fast 0- 60 mph. Very smooth power flow - nice ride. Nice 4 dr. Sedan — this not a Mustang. I will keep my big V-8 - Thankyou very much.
Oh my. My SUV usually can get 250 miles on a tank a gas. On the highway it gets about 22 miles per gallon.
However when I tow my travel trailer I get 11 miles per gallon. A few years ago we went camping in Palo Duro State Park. I had to plan my gasoline stops so that I did not run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. I filled up about every 100 to 125 miles.
Actually, it’s only half a kwh per mile, so it wouldn’t really be that expensive to charge.
The real problem for many potential users would be the limited range.
Motor's front and rear, no transfer-case, driveshafts, and no exhaust etc.
The "Skateboard Battery" is mounted centrally for a greater attempt at 50/50 weight distribution and Low Center of Gravity.
Talk to Auto Engineers, when they see the advantage of all of the above, "it's all about the packaging"
It is so much simplier.
Add to that quiet & smooth.
Look, it's a premium driving experience dressed in a "Green Suit".
Now the people selling that Suit, that's a whole different deal, we get into that we'll all be drinkin' early...
Here is an out of the boxer, and this is a FreeBee for Ford, and I won't charge ya for it, pun intended.
Shorten the bed, turn it into a trunk and you have the Crown-Vic Police Vehicle part Deux with a full frame that won't explode on a rear end collision...
—”My SUV usually can get 250 miles on a tank a gas”
Our Suburban had a 42 gal tank, and it came in handy on our Alaska trip! Most of the Al-Can highway is in Canada and I had heard they cut a finger off for each 10 KPH over!
So we had excellent gas mileage. DuPage to Alaska and back via the Pacific Coast Highway was 23 MPH. ~7,000 miles.
And never used the tow hitch, ever on the Sub.
“The percentage of F-150s that tow at the max on even a regular basis is tiny.”
In Northern Nevada the loads of F-150s, F-250, and F-350s are large and the distances are long. These trucks are work horses. These electric trucks wouldn’t work here.
Most “+ electricity” campsites provide a 30 amp plug. That’s perfect for recharging overnight (ready to go by morning). In fact, many EV drivers make use of campgrounds to recharge without spending the night, as paying for a night at a site (even if used only a few hours) is comparable to a gas fill-up.
This isn’t replacing the gas trucks. People who need more range can still get the gas, diesel or hybrid ones.
It’s like 40 years ago - if the I6 powered truck doesn’t work for you, don’t buy it, buy something else.
“This is very childish! There are some very nice camping areas within 40 miles of your house.”
Why would I drive 40 miles to a Campground when I could just Camp in my Backyard?
No idea how many own pickups that never do any work. Mine does. And in Arizona, a LOT of folks have pickups because they DO use them to pull stuff in a state 500 miles from north to south.
I don’t care if anyone buys it. Just pointing out it has serious limits - limits not shared by ANY gas pickup.
“As a working truck, a hybrid makes a lot more sense”
Are you saying its the most economical choice?
“As a working truck, a hybrid makes a lot more sense”
Are you saying its the most economical choice?
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