Tested: How Towing Affects the Electric Pickups—Hummer EV, Rivian R1T, and the Ford F-150 Lightning

Car and Driver | August 16, 2022 | DAVE VANDERWERP

[absalom01]

These new electric pickups are wonderful towing companions, aided by massive horsepower and torque that allow for easy merging with the flow of interstate traffic, and their heavy curb weights (between 6855 pounds for the F-150 and 9640 pounds for the Hummer) lend an impressive stability when lugging a three-ton trailer. But you won't want to be going far, as a full battery will take you a mere 100 miles in the Lightning, 110 miles in the R1T, and 140 miles in the Hummer. Although the Hummer consumes electricity at the highest rate of the three, its considerably larger battery pack more than makes up for the difference.

[cableguymn]

Torque is great! If only there was an existing technology with more torque than a gasoline engine.

Diesel comes to mind ;)

[cableguymn]

they sounds like a women’s sex toy too..

[cableguymn]

actually.. kind of..

The 50 amp RV hookup sites have enough amps at the site, but if everyone has an electric and plug in around the same time for their 2-3 hour charge I bet the fuse at the main panel would trip.

[Tell It Right]

"...I can’t see EV’s being anywhere near practical..."

I respectfully disagree. Having an EV is practical in some cases, particularly if you're married and need 2 cars anyway. I wouldn't think about an EV if I was single. But since I'm married and I was about ready to replace my wife's old car anyway, getting an EV for her has worked for us. We still have an ICE pickup for the things ICE cars are good for too. Basically having both an EV and an ICE is the best of both worlds.

[Pollard]

6,100 lbs cut range by more then half on all. My 2001 F150 4x4 with 285k miles on it could probably go as far on a tank of gas pulling the 6,100 lbs as their highway 75mph range with no load.

Anyone want to buy a truck? I'll take $35k. Half the price, double the towing range.

And they expect to do 18 wheeler EVs? The chassis width and length isn't all that much different than a pickup truck. Where are the batteries going to go?

Why don't we start with the meter maids in the cities with their golf cart sized vehicles and work our way up from there?

[TigersEye]

Admittedly it’s been 20+ years since I’ve done much camping but most NF campgrounds that I’ve seen had no electric at all.

But I used to travel at least 100+ miles before I turned off of the main highway then 30 or more on unpaved roads before heading up a Forest Circus road and past the established campgrounds a few more miles. Generally about 30 to 50 miles past the last gas station or power line.

[patriotfury]

Hilarious idea!

---

Take the joke one step further —

Tow two trailer’s, one with titanic sized battery pack plugged into backside of your truck, followed by another trailer with a 2 ton pile of coal being shoveled into a miniature power plant, with smoke stack, plugged into the backside of the titanic battery trailer. 😁👍

[crusty old prospector]

With a windmill sticking up. Just watch out for overpasses.

[taxcontrol]

I live in Denver. 100 miles is just getting a good start on a trip to the mountains. Just north of Denver to Pueblo is 124 miles, Fairplay is 95 miles, Kremmling is 110 miles.

No thank you, will stick with my diesel truck.

[Gene Eric]

and how long to refuel/recharge ?

[dangus]

How does towing affect MPG?

[jacknhoo]

The problem is that quite soon you will not be able to own a ICE that’s not super expensive to do so. There’s going to have to be big changes to how EVs function.

[jdsteel]

“ In before the EVnistas…”

EV owner here.

Towing a camper should never be done with an EV. Wrong tool for the job. Like using a screwdriver as a hammer.

Worse, actually.

[Fai Mao]

For any EV to be more than a city car they need an HONEST 350 mile range That means on the high way with AC, wipers, headlights and radio on.

Note, for a second car used for running errands in town they are not a bad choice if you have a charger at home.

[HereInTheHeartland]

These vehicles come with a F 350 with a Cummings Diesel engine to pull a generator.
You can can just plug it in as you drive and keep it charged.
Of course the two trucks have to stay within a few feet of each other.

[Disambiguator]

The third trailer will have a high-output diesel generator in it.

[Tell It Right]

You and I are in agreement in our disdain for the Dims forcing people into EV’s.

[crusty old prospector]

Naughty, naughty. What about your carbon footprint?

[Disambiguator]

Too bad you can’t get a Cummins diesel in a Ford truck.

Someone I know thinks the ideal pickup is a Ford chassis, Cummins engine (Dodge), and an Allison transmission (GM).

[Disambiguator]

That went out the window when the EV was manufactured.