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Hybrid vs. EV towing
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6285 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Hybrid vs. EV towing
    Posted: 03 May 2022 at 10:33am
I found a YouTube video that compares towing a heavy load with a Ford F150 PowerBoost Hybrid and a Rivian R1T EV. My choice in vehicles would still be the PowerBoost that, while the cost seemed to be higher, has the range that the Rivian lacks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcZ_7qR_KBE

BTW, I saw a car carrier full of Tesla autos on our recent trip. It was being pulled, not by an EV, but by a Diesel powered vehicle.

And, another one with just the Rivian towing.
StephenH
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2022 at 5:05am
There are now fully electric semis coming on the market (not from Tesla, the Tesla semi is vaporware AFAIK). Volvo is assembling them near me here in SW VA. They are being marketed for local and regional fleet transport, not for long hauls.

They have around half a megawatt hour battery capacity. To put that in perspective half a megawatt hour would supply the typical rpod owner for about 10 years of full time summer boondocking. The infrastructure isn't ready for long haul semi recharging yet.

Volvo VNR

For myself, I've concluded that the base F150 electric pickup at around $40k will be close to an ideal vehicle. Local hauling and daily driver/work vehicle with exceptional performance and home backup (and eventually bidirectional grid) integration. I don't care about long towing range, my longest tows are around 50 miles now. Much rather have the ability to fully "refuel" every night at home.

I'll keep my old Prius for mid range highway trips and I finally have my RV6A airplane up to speed for long hauls. That does just under 200 mph burning 9 gph aviation gas, and I get to go point to point without all the extra road miles and the traffic, or the commercial airplane hassle. Can't beat that for a combination of speed/fuel economy.

Hopefully Ford will keep their agressive pricing structure for that model as it actually becomes available. I'm on the wait list but at least another year out. I have no interest or money for an $80-100k "luxury" pickup truck (an oxymoron in my view), whether gas, hybrid, or electric.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6285 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2022 at 7:31am
We just completed a trip of about 1,600 miles and will be making a trip of over to 5,000 miles soon. We still have hopes of making that Alaska trip which will likely be over 10,000 miles. I have no desire to try that type of trip in an EV although I would be willing to try it with a hybrid.

Electric trucks, like electric cars are best suited for local and possibly regional use where one can control the charging as well as the vehicle (garage or truck depot). One of these days, a viable long-distance alternative to ICE engines will be made, but that day is not today.
StephenH
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2627 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2022 at 11:05am
Originally posted by offgrid

There are now fully electric semis coming on the market (not from Tesla, the Tesla semi is vaporware AFAIK). Volvo is assembling them near me here in SW VA. They are being marketed for local and regional fleet transport, not for long hauls.

I wouldn't call them "vaporware", which is the term applied to something that is a purely conceptual design, but no physical units. There are numerous of these on the road, which means they have actually built prototypes. I've also read about some companies taking delivery on actual production models. There are most probably range and also probably charging issues being dealt with. However, I think the unspoken issue is that the demand for models 3 and Y is so large, they are pouring resources into upping the production scale of those vehicles.
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2022 at 6:01am
I was being sarcastic calling them vaporware. Probably better to call them beta test units. Either way not ready for prime time, like the infamous Cyber truck. Meanwhile Rivian is shipping and Ford will start soon. And Volvo electric semis are on the road.

I'm having a similar problem on a small scale getting my Starlink installed. The basic unit has been online and working well for 2 months. Ordered the wall mount when I got it, so far no pole mount, and no delivery date. That in itself is not unusual these days, most stuff is back ordered. But with Starlink, there is not even an order acknowledgement on the website, and there is no phone number to talk to a human. Had to initiate a complaint ticket to even know that my order was placed, but still no expected delivery date. Meantime the thing is sitting in my yard and I have to mow around it. Like a lot of Musk's stuff, great in concept and basic product but no follow through and lack of attention to detail and service.
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2022 at 6:10am
StephenH, wouldn't worry at all about taking an elevtric vehicle on a road trip at this point, if I wasn't towing something. The infrastructure for that is adequate now and proliferating fast

But with the range reduction and lack of pull through charging stations I agree with you about EVs for long distance towing. But it's primarily a short term infrastructure problem at this point. Once there are enough heavier EVs on the road in the next couple of years to create the demand the infractucture will be there quickly.

So I would hold off on buying any non plug in hybrid for the next couple of years unless you really need a new vehicle immediately, and see how the market matures. A plug in hybrid with adequate local EV range would be fine but there are very few of those and to my knowledge none that can tow more than a couple thousand lbs.
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