A few questions as I wait...

[mme_and_lightning]

And thanks for the pics showing Carbonized Gray and Antimatter Blue... those were the 2 colors I've been debating. Leaning towards CG.

Looking a Lightnings on dealer lots, the Carbonized Gray does not show dirt. That's the only reason I picked that color. All the colors seem nice to me.

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[hls811]

Looking a Lightnings on dealer lots, the Carbonized Gray does not show dirt. That's the only reason I picked that color. All the colors seem nice to me.

My son’s car is a similar color, it never looks dirty but there’s also less satisfaction when it’s clean because it still looks the same.
I have a Rapid Red MME and I feel like I’m always washing it to keep it looking perfect..

 

[RickLightning]

2011 study from the Department of Energy. The department found driving with a tonneau cover improved 3.6% fuel efficiency. (of course, before EV trucks)

I always get a tonneau cover for my trucks if only for security.

3.6% seems to be a lot of ion savings.

Truck deploys an air dam, and tailgate is designed to make truck more aerodynamic like a tonneau cover. Neither existed in 2011. See video below from 2015 with Ford.



Let's assume that 12 year old stat was still valid. If you got 2.0 miles per kWh, you would now get 2.07. If you drove 10,000 miles, and a kilowatt hour was 15 cents, you would spend $724.64 instead of $750, a savings of $25.36. If a cover cost $800, breakeven would be in 315,457 miles.

 

[mme_and_lightning]

Truck deploys an air dam, and tailgate is designed to make truck more aerodynamic like a tonneau cover. Neither existed in 2011. See video below from 2015 with Ford.



Let's assume that 12 year old stat was still valid. If you got 2.0 miles per kWh, you would now get 2.07. If you drove 10,000 miles, and a kilowatt hour was 15 cents, you would spend $724.64 instead of $750, a savings of $25.36. If a cover cost $800, breakeven would be in 315,457 miles.

From your video, I watched it and this caught my attention. As I said, I use a tonneau cover for security, but it has an efficiency value too.

 

[RickLightning]

From your video, I watched it and this caught my attention. As I said, I use a tonneau cover for security, but it has an efficiency value too.

If you put the entire quote, he says that while tonneau covers are more efficient, the design of the tailgate "we are essential creating the last 6 inches of tonneau cover... still gives you somewhat of the same effect."

Therefore, adding a tonneau cover to a newer truck is going to add less than 3.6% efficiency.

 

[mme_and_lightning]

If you put the entire quote, he says that while tonneau covers are more efficient, the design of the tailgate "we are essential creating the last 6 inches of tonneau cover... still gives you somewhat of the same effect."

Therefore, adding a tonneau cover to a newer truck is going to add less than 3.6% efficiency.

I guess we have different ideas as to his meaning. It doesn't really matter.

 

[Grease Lightning]

If you put the entire quote, he says that while tonneau covers are more efficient, the design of the tailgate "we are essential creating the last 6 inches of tonneau cover... still gives you somewhat of the same effect."

Therefore, adding a tonneau cover to a newer truck is going to add less than 3.6% efficiency.

Or comparing apples and oranges is bad practice as the percentage of efficiency could actually be more in an electric F150 then an ICE one as the ICE still had to run while the truck was moving down the road, even with the cam phasers….unless full fuel shut off is in the equation.

My electric motors can spin down to little or no electrical charge used going to it. So the amount of savings could actually be more.

That is the joy of science, until you repeat the experiment you can’t guarantee the same results when you change a variable.

Antidotally, my old ‘17 e-assist Silverado came with one from the factory because Chevy found value in it during their wind tunnel tests….

You don’t have to believe in the magic, but you make ASSumtions unless you have conducted a test that the efficiency will be less.

 

[Jseis]

We’d been looking for a truck for a couple of years and after putting 50K on the SR Select MME in two years we sort of fell into a LT ER Lariat w/about every option you can buy (sans scale and interior motion detection).

Since we’ve a Ford dealer 17 miles away whose staff is gearing up for BEVs, that’s a lot easier than dealing w/Tesla & Rivian service centers 3-4 hours away. Rivian reminded me of our 4.6 Adrenalin. A nice size for more urban areas I suppose.

As we live in rural Wa state, a big truck is no dealbreaker. I commute 90 miles a day (45 each way) and at least another year so the LT is fine even though the MME is more efficient. The S.O. drives the MME as her around the community rig and she loves it.

The LT tows, hauls, and very comfortable & smooth ride. The power option nice for power outages (cable-not bidirectional due to $$ and issues). Same screen as MME and no issues with Sync. Good at 2.4-2.6 mi/KWh. A fab highway cruiser & made 1700 mile round trips with both and the LT is the better interstate hauler & ride overall.

I tow a 7,600 pound boat, 10 K cargo trailer. I can haul my 9N to the farm 15 miles away, all the boat launches are within 30-40 miles so I can easily access them. Put a tonneau cover on (hard roll up). Could use a bit more long range driving lights (but headlights darned good).

Azure Gray looks good when dirty and the trucks a looker. Power is ah.. bonkers... As is frunk. Hauls 5 easily. Reminded me of my SD F250 (turning radius & size) though can’t tow 13K on hitch or roll 600 + on a fuel tank, those aren’t deal breakers.
Charge both in garage. I use a CP Home Flex, add 90-100 miles in 4 hours. MME idles along on 120V mobile charger when necessary.

Right now after 7000 miles in 2 months it comes across as the best vehicle we’ve ever owned. I hope it stands up to that statement 5 years from now.

 

[hls811]

Thanks all! Order placed today and the actual wait begins....
I opted for the 312A package and spray-in bed liner. I actually preferred the 18" wheels, and I can't see ever using the 9.6kW Pro Power upgrade, but I thought some of the lesser options in the package (Heated steering wheel, power passenger seat, CoPilot) would be missed if I didn't go that route.

Now, the anticipation builds...

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