New tonneau bed cover installed, range has increased

[Griddlez]

I can't decide between retrax and peragon. But that's not what this thread is about lol.

Interesting results! I've seen wind tunnel tests and others saying it'll improve efficiency, YouTube has several, but then there are others saying it won't. /shrug. At least I haven't heard any saying it will significantly decrease range in anyway in any case.

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[hturnerfamily]

the problem with testing this theory yourself is that there are never the exact 'same' conditions, driving and weather, between the before and 'after' installation... while it's certainly conceivable that you'd 'see' better mileage, it may be due to other influences - just as if you had seen 'worse' mileage, where the Tonno did NOT create... so, I'll err on the side of 'neither' as the answer - it does not change, in any meaningful way, the MPG or MPGe, for a vehicle.
I've got a Extang Encore coming for mine, the hard three-fold, fold-from-the-front type... I don't expect me to get any better 'miles' from it, just cover and storage and protection.

 

[RickLightning]

This ^^^

 

[LightningShow]

the problem with testing this theory yourself is that there are never the exact 'same' conditions, driving and weather, between the before and 'after' installation... while it's certainly conceivable that you'd 'see' better mileage, it may be due to other influences - just as if you had seen 'worse' mileage, where the Tonno did NOT create... so, I'll err on the side of 'neither' as the answer - it does not change, in any meaningful way, the MPG or MPGe, for a vehicle.
I've got a Extang Encore coming for mine, the hard three-fold, fold-from-the-front type... I don't expect me to get any better 'miles' from it, just cover and storage and protection.

It’s not that difficult to do a relatively controlled experiment but it is a PITA and will take you a days worth of driving in a loop. You really want to do the test *after* the tonneau is installed and run the same route with the tonneau on and off multiple times (say a 25 mile loop). If the loop is too long you could see a larger weather effect as the conditions change throughout the day. If your loop is too short you may have start/stop effects. There are a few more considerations that i’d make if i was going to do a proper experimental design but if it’s a meaningful difference you should be able to pick it up in, say, eight 25mi loops (200 mi total). If it’s less than 2-3% you may need more distance to tease out the effect.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

It’s not that difficult to do a relatively controlled experiment but it is a PITA and will take you a days worth of driving in a loop. You really want to do the test *after* the tonneau is installed and run the same route with the tonneau on and off multiple times (say a 25 mile loop). If the loop is too long you could see a larger weather effect as the conditions change throughout the day. If your loop is too short you may have start/stop effects. There are a few more considerations that i’d make if i was going to do a proper experimental design but if it’s a meaningful difference you should be able to pick it up in, say, eight 25mi loops (200 mi total). If it’s less than 2-3% you may need more distance to tease out the effect.

which is what mythbusters and consumer reports did and both found a very slight decrease in mileage under controlled conditions with a cover added. The only way they saw added mileage was with a replacement mesh tailgate (better than with the tailgate totally removed). Nothing logical could explain this result, but it is scientific fact.

 

[RickLightning]

which is what mythbusters and consumer reports did and both found a very slight decrease in mileage under controlled conditions with a cover added. The only way they saw added mileage was with a replacement mesh tailgate (better than with the tailgate totally removed). Nothing logical could explain this result, but it is scientific fact.

Except on the internets!

 

[MickeyAO]

which is what mythbusters and consumer reports did and both found a very slight decrease in mileage under controlled conditions with a cover added. The only way they saw added mileage was with a replacement mesh tailgate (better than with the tailgate totally removed). Nothing logical could explain this result, but it is scientific fact.

I'm conflicted on this right now;
Do Tonneau Covers Save Gas Mythbusters (tonneaucoverguide.com)

 

[LightningShow]

which is what mythbusters and consumer reports did and both found a very slight decrease in mileage under controlled conditions with a cover added. The only way they saw added mileage was with a replacement mesh tailgate (better than with the tailgate totally removed). Nothing logical could explain this result, but it is scientific fact.

I haven’t seen anything about the methodology of either of those tests. I wouldn’t trust them unless i got to see more detail about how they designed their experiment. Also, they used different trucks so the results aren’t applicable the the Lightning.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

The principle is the principle. Pickup bed formats are standard, especially with respect to the F-150 Lightning, which has ZERO unique wind-related characteristics associated with the bed - the regular bedcovers for all 5.5-ft F-150's fit the truck. My incoming Platinum Lightning has a factory Retrax bed cover. I expect it slightly reduces range (not accurately measurable) AND certainly cuts payload rating by 90 pounds, as it did on my '21 KR PB. That statistical price WILL be shown on the doorpost sticker and will be reflected in the weight-sensing scale system.

Denial is a strange thing... and a river in Egypt. I try to be a realist - every actual test for the PURPOSE of seeing whether a bed cover coveys a mileage benefit has found none, and two have found tiny negative results. Anything else is an anecdote until another respected testing organization does another test. But no, it does not need to be a Lighting per se. Any pickup will do in terms of effect of establishing the effect of adding a bed cover.

 

[Firestop]

Based on one’s beliefs, this is a conversation that I feel will never be resolved, as noted by at least to previous threads….probably others if you search more on the web….

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/lowering-drag-coefficient-by-14-8.10562/

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/mileage-with-tonneau.10883/

Based on information gleaned from the above two threads, and from this one, my thought have not changed:

Interesting. So after digesting the video and the written Study, am I safe to take away that after installing a flat bedcover alone, we’ll see ~4-6% reduction in drag depending on the model vs an actual test; and, that reduction in drag will translate to ~1.4-1.8% in “fuel” efficiency?

If so, that tells me adding a flat cover on the Lightning isn’t really going to have much of a range impact on an individual trip (~4.5-5 miles). Getting a cover is really about “protecting“ the cargo in the bed…which I’m ok with…. Use of a bed cover will save you “fuel” over time (life of ownership…and thus, save money), but is negligible in helping extend your range on any individual trip……

My take away is based on the following, if I’m getting it correct:

Looking at the Air Shaper video on YouTube, and reading the viewer comments, a viewer asked Air Shaper the question about the efficiency effect of installing a flat bed cover. Air Shaper responded that they ran their model (2021 F-150) using that scenario and it yielded a 4% drag reduction.

The Agricover PDF notes they tested a 2006 F-150 5.5 bed with a flat cover in a wind tunnel and observed a 5.7% drag reduction. The paper further noted this drag reduction would yield ~1.8% increase in fuel efficiency based on the estimated 3% increase with a 10% drag reduction.

Both testers noted truck travel speed changes had a negligible impact on changes in the measured drag on their F-150 “tests”.

Thoughts?

 

[LightningShow]

The principle is the principle. Pickup bed formats are standard, especially with respect to the F-150 Lightning, which has ZERO unique wind-related characteristics associated with the bed - the regular bedcovers for all 5.5-ft F-150's fit the truck. My incoming Platinum Lightning has a factory Retrax bed cover. I expect it slightly reduces range (not accurately measurable) AND certainly cuts payload rating by 90 pounds, as it did on my '21 KR PB. That statistical price WILL be shown on the doorpost sticker and will be reflected in the weight-sensing scale system.

Denial is a strange thing... and a river in Egypt. I try to be a realist - every actual test for the PURPOSE of seeing whether a bed cover coveys a mileage benefit has found none, and two have found tiny negative results. Anything else is an anecdote until another respected testing organization does another test. But no, it does not need to be a Lighting per se. Any pickup will do in terms of effect of establishing the effect of adding a bed cover.

What exactly do you think i’m in denial about? I never made a claim one way or the other. I’m waiting to see relevant data.

 

[Amps]

I’d like to know about how a smooth-top (no rack) truck cap that matches the form of the tailgate like an ARE Z would affect range?

https://www.4are.com/view/?mk=f_f150

 

[PungoteagueDave]

What exactly do you think i’m in denial about? I never made a claim one way or the other. I’m waiting to see relevant data.

Wasn’t a direct reference to you, but your statement about the Lightning being different from other pickups applies with respect to bed covers - makes it sound like you don’t WANT to hear generic truth with respect to bed covers. In the academic world we see most investigations or study reports end with “needs more study” as a way to deflect any sense of finality, raise funding, support grant requests, etc., or soften the impact the results might have on someone with divergent opinions/perspectives. I tend to write more bluntly, without consideration for putting anyone’s nose out of position..

The bottom line is this: There are many bed cover manufacturers, with more than a dozen for the F-150 alone. If there was a plausible claim for an efficiency increase, we can be SURE that the manufacturers would be crowing about the benefits, and would be funding and publishing engineering studies. The fact that they haven’t put such out there is enough evidence to me that the studies were likely done by the larger manufacturers and the results quashed. No proof, but as a businessperson, it would be the first thing I’d do when starting a significant new line such as a bed cover design. They test and report on everything else, like weight-holding capacity, etc. If a bed cover cut fuel usage, added range, we’d know about it and the graphs would be right out front.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I’d like to know about how a smooth-top (no rack) truck cap that matches the form of the tailgate like an ARE Z would affect range?

https://www.4are.com/view/?mk=f_f150

Those weigh 180-195 pounds, so huge payload/towing impact, double the heaviest bed cover. I would be more concerned about creating a large square rear end on the truck - the aerodynamic effect of that flat rear end format on big rig trucks is shown to create turbulence that hurts fuel mileage, and that adding a “boat tail” to the back of the truck reduces fuel consumption by 6% at 65 MPH. This is also one reason that some SUVs have small wind deflectors or other wind disrupters at the trailing edge of the roof.

 

[Firestop]

I’d like to know about how a smooth-top (no rack) truck cap that matches the form of the tailgate like an ARE Z would affect range?

Good question. My untested opinion is probably not much given its my understanding that a considerable amount of the aerodynamic drag on pickup (and other) trucks is caused by the turbulence and associated negative pressure created behind the tailgate, not in the bed.



The range test that @OutofSpecKyle performed with the loaded water tanks, whose profile was no higher than the trucks cab in my mind proved this to be true. The profile of the load in the bed had minimal impact vs. an empty bed since the top of the load was even or below the height of the cab, as did the weight of the load itself

This video from TFL gives their perspective of the impact of putting a topper on as your thinking about; but, I would say any impact of the added weight of the canopy would be negligible on the Lightning given Kyle’s load test results….

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