Breaking Wind

[Tom Jensen]

My 2023 Lariat, German shepherd, and I regularly drive from northern Virginia to Hatteras Village at the far south end of the NC Outer Banks, and back. The Outer Banks are very windy, as the Wright Bros demonstrated. Several times now, we’ve found ourselves hitting 25-40 mph headwinds. The effect on energy consumption from wind resistance means that driving at 50 mph is like driving at 75-90 mph. 60 = 85-100. It’s been a little exciting a couple of times watching my recharging plans and options become more and more tenuous. I never had to consider wind speed and direction when planning a long drive in an ICE vehicle, but that’s all changed with the switch to an EV. I don’t know if other parts of the continent present such a challenging atmosphere (Hello, Wyoming?) but those bound for the Outer Banks should brush up on the non-negotiable implications of F=MA for the battery SOC. Physics always win.

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[davehu]

sorry, can't comment but your headline has me laughing out loud!

 

[RickLightning]

Yes, wind matters. On ICE vehicles too. You just didn't notice or care because you just stopped to fill up.

We were on a trip in Arizona with our Mach-E, getting about 2.7 miles per kilowatt hour. Hit a strong headwind, trucks slowed to 55. Our AVERAGE on This Trip dropped on that leg to 2.1... We made the hotel with under 10 miles to spare.

 

[Tom Jensen]

Yes, wind matters. On ICE vehicles too. You just didn't notice or care because you just stopped to fill up.

We were on a trip in Arizona with our Mach-E, getting about 2.7 miles per kilowatt hour. Hit a strong headwind, trucks slowed to 55. Our AVERAGE on This Trip dropped on that leg to 2.1... We made the hotel with under 10 miles to spare.

Yep. Physics works just as inexorably on ICE vehicles, but any adverse consequences were easy to overlook or handle. It was an age of innocence…

 

[Heliian]

Having owned trucks for decades and towed across country several times I can tell you about wind resistance in ice vehicles, the effect of cold on ice vehicles and the effect of towing with an ice vehicle. They all knocked my fuel efficiency considerably. We also used to have dry runs of nearly 200kms with no gas stations, until the government built up the fueling infrastructure.

Modern humans seem to have forgotten everything from 30 years ago.

 

[Zprime29]

I had a nice tail wind once, drove 75-80mph and still got 2.2mpk. Thankfully the winds died down before the return leg.

 

[Danface]

Having owned trucks for decades and towed across country several times I can tell you about wind resistance in ice vehicles, the effect of cold on ice vehicles and the effect of towing with an ice vehicle. They all knocked my fuel efficiency considerably. We also used to have dry runs of nearly 200kms with no gas stations, until the government built up the fueling infrastructure.

Modern humans seem to have forgotten everything from 30 years ago.

I heard a quote I've taken to using: "humans consume efficiencies" so why remember when there's no need to?

But on the other hand, "Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it"

My $.02

 

[Adventureboy]

We get some pretty good winds here coming off the lakes but not as consistently strong as you'll see in Hatteras. The bright side: The tailwind home is good.

ICE suffers a similar reduction in range (percentage-wise) with headwinds. Their range is higher on ICE so it is far less noticeable than on our EVs with lower range. 1/2 tank to get there and 1/4 tank to get back means you don't have to stop for gas and hence don't notice it as much on ICE. The equivalent on our Lightning would be a full charge to get out, hunting for DCFC station then 1/2 charge to get back.

 

[Buruan]

Does said Shepherd contribute to the breaking wind situation? mine certainly does after heavy meals

 

[mb0220]

sorry, can't comment but your headline has me laughing out loud!

Agreed, and the dog's embarrassed look in your profile pic makes me think we found the guilty party...

 

[Tom Jensen]

Does said Shepherd contribute to the breaking wind situation? mine certainly does after heavy meals

Twice now I have driven past the point at which she was able to hold her load and, my goodness, did the wind and everything else break. She’s 11 and I simply asked too much of her. No bad dogs, and all that. Easily wiped seat covers are a must with a dog for so many reasons.

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