Driving an EV pickup
- Thread starter sly_karma
- Start date
sly_karma
Crew Member
A few I've used will work fine, some would be a definite unhitch, some you could make it work by cranking the boat around.
At least Ford has its charge port forward of the driver's door, so you nose in to the charger. The trailer is out the back somewhere, if there's space for it of course. Tesla has charge port at the rear, anyone towing has to hope they'll find a pull through space, or pull in alongside the charger, knowing they'll block spaces. Pictures of the Cybertruck show it has a rear port as well.
This one would work for a boat (Kelowna):
Well I just tripped over this review. This may indeed be the perfect truck. Will just have to wait and see when it is actually available to the general public but it sure sounds promising.
I sure like the concept. 65k usd as an expected starting point would make that over 100k here which is outta range for this guy.
Could one of the big 3 make an electric pickup that isn't so ugly! Just keep the body and grills of their normal pickup trims. Not all of us want to pay extra for these weird looking trucks.
ziggy
Well-Known Member
I suspect there will be a real niche market for towing developing. When you think of it in many cases the tow vehicle isn’t really being used as a tow vehicle most of the year. People tow RV’s and leave them onsite for long periods. People haul boats for a one off fishing trip. Good little business for someone.
Maxpri
Well-Known Member
Similar idea to the new Edison motors big rigs, super cool. https://www.edisonmotors.ca/trucks
sly_karma
Crew Member
Pitched at the range anxiety crowd. Fork me, 1100 km. Who has a bladder that large?
sly_karma
Crew Member
A little glimpse into everyday driving. Had to go to a meeting in Kelowna at short notice. Glance at range available, 150-ish km. *Maybe* enough for the return trip, maybe not. Whatever, gotta go.
Meeting goes well - worth the drive - and I check range again, 80 km. Road distance is 65 km, but there's plenty of 90-100 km/h speeds in it, plus that big hill I live on. As with a gas truck, better fuel up than fret about running out.
And just like a gas truck, it's a 10 minute stop. Plugged in, had a leak, got a coffee, answered an email, unplugged, gone. Added enough charge to get home, fill the tank overnight since it's way cheaper.
Was the right thing to do: on arrival home, remaining range was about the same distance I added at the quick charge. Ie, I would have been at 0 km if I had not. No wish to find out what happens then.
Meeting goes well - worth the drive - and I check range again, 80 km. Road distance is 65 km, but there's plenty of 90-100 km/h speeds in it, plus that big hill I live on. As with a gas truck, better fuel up than fret about running out.
And just like a gas truck, it's a 10 minute stop. Plugged in, had a leak, got a coffee, answered an email, unplugged, gone. Added enough charge to get home, fill the tank overnight since it's way cheaper.
Was the right thing to do: on arrival home, remaining range was about the same distance I added at the quick charge. Ie, I would have been at 0 km if I had not. No wish to find out what happens then.
Cookie's Cutter
Well-Known Member
You have to remember as a trades person your time is worth money. So if you spend 30 minutes a day f@cking around with your electric vehicle (charging or thinking about charging) and your labour rate is $100 per hour that is $50 a day you are loosing out on. Whereas my diesel pickup I spend 4 minutes filling it up with fuel every week or 2.
Maxpri
Well-Known Member
Didn’t he just say it was a 10 minute stop? Also I don’t know that thinking about charging is wasting time unless you’re dropping everything to sit there and think.
Umos
Active Member
This thread has opened my eyes to EV trucks. I’m sold, though I realize that wasn’t the OPs intent-converting gazers.
I drive a Tundra now and hate dumping $6k/yr into its tank, on top of the carbon pollution guilt. Most of my trips are in range for the lightening, and the kids and wife wouldn’t mind at all a couple charge stops on our 4/yr trips to WCVI. Every couple years I hunt the far North, which won’t be possible w the lightening. But I am ok back burner those trips until the range and charging infrastructure make it feasible again in 5yrs (can bring L2 Honda generator for bush charging if needed) .
Might wait though before pulling the trigger, hoping that supply starts outstripping demand later next year and some deals start popping up. Ford has announced it will slow EV production below what they were planning bc demand isn’t what they were expecting.
BTW, why does your dash read 99kwh/100km? Seems that would give the truck a 100km range.
I drive a Tundra now and hate dumping $6k/yr into its tank, on top of the carbon pollution guilt. Most of my trips are in range for the lightening, and the kids and wife wouldn’t mind at all a couple charge stops on our 4/yr trips to WCVI. Every couple years I hunt the far North, which won’t be possible w the lightening. But I am ok back burner those trips until the range and charging infrastructure make it feasible again in 5yrs (can bring L2 Honda generator for bush charging if needed) .
Might wait though before pulling the trigger, hoping that supply starts outstripping demand later next year and some deals start popping up. Ford has announced it will slow EV production below what they were planning bc demand isn’t what they were expecting.
BTW, why does your dash read 99kwh/100km? Seems that would give the truck a 100km range.
ziggy
Well-Known Member
If you home charge every night it’s unlikely to be a problem at least not a very common one. I think with a little planning it’s not really an issue.
sly_karma
Crew Member
That's the first time I had to charge during a work day in about 6 weeks. You're right that my time is worth something - (as is everybody else's!). And so I appreciate not driving to a gas station and back 40 times a year, and spending time standing there holding a nozzle. Plugging in at home takes about 15 seconds, then the "tank" fills itself overnight, plus it warms itself up at the preprogrammed departure time.
It's really not the headache you might think.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Haha, you spotted that! I forgot to take a picture when I got home, went outside later for something else, and took it then. The trip meter always starts off with econ at 99, takes a couple of km before it has enough data to show realistic figure.
CiscoCat
Active Member
Ive had my lightning for 1 year now and put on roughly 24600km. Love this truck is an understatement. Plugging in at home is absolutely the best. Backup power to my home and having enough onboard power to run a job site for days on end is so amazing. It tows everything a regular truck can do and then some. Ive yet to haul anything substantial very far. Hopefully in the future I will get the guts to so it. For now my 2500HD Duramax has a pretty chill life just waiting for the next towing mission. For day to day life and work the lightning is fantastic.
sly_karma
Crew Member
The Pro Power feature really is useful. I don't miss moving generators around, nor the noise, the cost, the exhaust fumes, the maintenance, the trips to fill jerrycans. Also being able to charge cordless batteries while driving between jobs or after work, and not having to bring them inside to do so (and remember to unplug and bring them the next day is a challenge for my old guy memory!)
Have you installed a backup power panel and transfer switch at home? I'd love to see some details and pictures if you have.
Bifmalibu
Well-Known Member
I'm going to guess you plug it into the nearest outlet you find. Slow charge or not, in a few minutes you'll get enough juice to get to a fast charger, or in Sly's case home. I really don't see running out of juice as that big a deal. I look forward to getting an EV truck at some point.
Same thing as what happens when you run out of gas.
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