Is your Tow Vehicle too small?
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12108
Printed Date: 04 May 2025 at 1:00am
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Topic: Is your Tow Vehicle too small?
Posted By: GlueGuy
Subject: Is your Tow Vehicle too small?
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2018 at 2:51pm
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Saw this on the interwebs this morning. An interesting concept where the trailer has batteries and electric motors to provide an "assist" for reducing the tow weight. The article claims it can make a 2000 lb trailer tow as if it were a 200 lb trailer. Only two issues. One is that it's made in Germany. Two is that I bet it will cost quite a few $$$.
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Replies:
Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2018 at 3:03pm
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Wow, that looks like a lot more to maintain than in our Pods. No thanks. ------------- Alan 2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod" 2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4 Three cats |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2018 at 3:50pm
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No thanks here either. I'm where I want to be. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 6:18am
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Someday there may be self driving camping trailers. Your camper could arrive to the campground before you do.
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 1:59pm
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I'd be happier if they made one that packs, and unpacks itself. Maybe if it could go to the dump station by itself too. Towing is the easy part, I don't mind handling that. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 3:37pm
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Awesome concept and changes the whole idea of towable! Now how will they deliver 40kw to each motor? That seems to me to be too high a goal. 4kw would be a bit high to obtain.. Yet motor assist on your trailer sounds to me to be a great idea and the way of the future. 80kw would push your TV! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 4:05pm
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Who knows, if they can power an airplane with solar that allows it to fly around the world, then putting a couple solar powered electric motors to give a push to a trailer isn't far fetched at all. The issue to me is how control the power to each wheel so you have the whole thing balanced in constantly changing conditions. But if they can have a computer program to land a 787 with the pilot looking, that is not a big hurdle. And we all know with electronics, the prices plummet as the technology enters the mass market. It's just a question of time.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 4:34pm
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I found it interesting that the battery pack was 80KWH, which is as large as the low-end Tesla model S. Each motor has 375 ft-lb of torque. That's ~~ 750 ft-lb combined, which is no small amount of torque. I agree that controlling the amount of power and balance of power between the two motors would be a big deal. I shudder to think about those two relatively powerful motors pushing you along while you're negotiating a long mountain downhill...  ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 5:30pm
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+1 GlueGuy. Not sure a trailer pushing TV is way to go, not alone downhill but also bad road conditions. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 8:15pm
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Right. Not to mention under icy conditions. Not that it's a good idea to tow in snow/ice in the first place (I would probably sit that out anyway), but if you got caught in a situation, I would hope there would be a way to disable the system.
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |