Efficiency

[Firn]

Accelerating quickly doesn't really hurt efficiency in an EV like it does in a gas vehicle. There are all kinds of inefficiencies in a gas vehicle between the engine and transmission that I can't really speak intelligently about so I won't. Needless to say, these don't exist on an electric motor without a transmission.

There's no sweet spot for aero. Slower is better because drag increases exponentially with speed. 50mph is a sweet spot because it gets you where you need to be in the time frame you desire. The fact you are being efficient is a nice bonus!

Here's the thing. If you are driving around at 50mph you don't care what your efficiency is outside of what it costs you to operate your truck. 2.7m/kWh is about 350 miles of range or seven hours of driving at 50mph. Very few people have a need to go 300 miles in six hours with reserves. Efficiency only matters to people who want to cover a great distance quickly, which is why we frequently see threads from new truck owners who are disappointed they can go 300 miles in four hours.

I think EPA range should be measured at highway speed. It's the only thing people care about.

One thing to keep in mind: aerodynamic effects can change with speed. A shape optimized for one speed might be less effective at another.


In our truck’s case, the cab and short bed configuration matter. Ford has shown that a flat surface on the tailgate can help efficiency by giving the airflow a place to "land." With our setup, the airflow off the cab may reattach at the tailgate top, improving aerodynamics—especially with that small tailgate spoiler. But at higher speeds, the airflow may separate behind that area, reducing its benefit.


Bottom line: while drag generally increases exponentially with speed, real-world aerodynamics aren’t always smooth. There are peaks and dips based on vehicle shape and speed.

Do agree that range should be measured at speeds where range really matter, specifically modern US highways

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[electricpig]

2.7 for slow driving
1.8 - 2.0 for 70mph.
3.2 - 3.6 for an unknown commute.

All make sense.

Screenshots to remove any doubt. Today was 81F and very little wind, and this is the highest I see on my commute home. Also there is roughly a 50' drop in trip elevation coming home so I get a bit higher numbers. Drive into work gets to 3.2 in the morning and with cooler temps.

 

[RickLightning]

30 mph.

 

[electricpig]

30 mph.

You ever hear of these things called stop lights? 7 of them to be exact. Or don't take a photo immediately, but please continue. Sorry your not doing as well. Maybe you should try 1 pedal driving. Run along now.

 

[RickLightning]

You are getting high efficiency driving slow. OP is not.

You also seem irritable. Constipated?

 

[Firn]

You ever hear of these things called stop lights? 7 of them to be exact. Or don't take a photo immediately, but please continue. Sorry your not doing as well. Maybe you should try 1 pedal driving. Run along now.

Sheesh dude, don't take it personally

 

[electricpig]

You are getting high efficiency driving slow. OP is not.

You also seem irritable. Constipated?

OP asked, I replied. You seemed to take issue, so added photos, and speed is approximately 50 between lights, just as stated. Enjoy your Lightning.

 

[electricpig]

Sheesh dude, don't take it personally

Nah man, not personal at all. Just done with it for trying to help the OP and another person who ask about specifics. Same thing happened in another thread.

 

[Firn]

Nah man, not personal at all. Just done with it for trying to help the OP and another person who ask about specifics. Same thing happened in another thread.

Yeah, well, all he said was that it was 30mph, which was accurate. And in a thread where speed affects efficiency it is worth making mention of.

 

[electricpig]

Yeah, well, all he said was that it was 30mph, which was accurate. And in a thread where speed affects efficiency it is worth making mention of.

HARDLY!. Drive your truck 100ph for 30 minutes, then stop and sit for 50 more. Or speed up from zero to 100 for 5 minutes, and then sit for 10 and repeat 60 times. That would be an average speed of 33.3 mph. So do you seriously think you energy consumption would be the same as driving 33.3 mph for 90 minutes. If you do, then I can't help you or anyone else that believes that is the case.

 

[Firn]

HARDLY!. Drive your truck 100ph for 30 minutes, then stop and sit for 50 more. Or speed up from zero to 100 for 5 minutes, and then sit for 10 and repeat 60 times. That would be an average speed of 33.3 mph. So do you seriously think you energy consumption would be the same as driving 33.3 mph for 90 minutes. If you do, then I can't help you or anyone else that believes that is the case.

Wtf dude, NOBODY F-INF SAID IT WAS! Who cares, that wasn't the discussion. That wasn't the point. And that doesn't f-ing matter does it. The point is you didnt get 3.something mi/kwh in the same situation the op did and your average speed had SOMETHING to do with that. Good god

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