F-150 Lightning Tows 10K Pounds Up Colorado's Super Ike Gauntlet on Coldest February Day in 123 Years

[vandy1981]

For me, only a risk of running out of juice on a July 2022 multi-day trip away from interstate charging network that depends on campground level 2 recharges overnight (and some semi-rural low-kW DCFCing options)

We'll be taking a 1500 mile interstate road trip with a 22 foot travel trailer in late May. We'll use the Lightning if we get it in time. Personally, I think it would be fun to have to strategize a route based on charging/range limitations.

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[sotek2345]

I am not so sure on the downhill part. This is the first I have seen of the instruments, but the motor Indicators appear to be in a coast - not power, but not charge. I would expect charging on a downhill especially with the trailer weight pushing as well.

that is clearly in the "power" part of the meter - pretty high too ~50% for the front wheels and more than that in the back. the white like at the base of the blue is the neutral "no power" location on the meter.

 

[Ruination]

I am not so sure on the downhill part. This is the first I have seen of the instruments, but the motor Indicators appear to be in a coast - not power, but not charge. I would expect charging on a downhill especially with the trailer weight pushing as well.

If you look closely there is a divider line and it looks to be 50% power. I assume if it was recharging; IE going down hill, it will be a different color.

But yea. just silly speculation that doesn't make a difference anyways because the GOM knows the elevation changes you will be traversing.

 

[greenne]

The downhill starts at 8:30. They gain 2% SOC on the downhill but when they turn around and take the same route up they lose 16%. The regen should be much closer to 16% on the downhill if the truck was recovering all of the available potential energy associated with the elevation.

May not be 100% applicable, but I've been watching "out of spec" videos this week on the Rivian. Certain things are disabled when you plug in a trailer and/or put the drive mode into trailering. (In the example I think Kyle said the hwy assist/lane centering doesn't work with a trailer).

Could it be trailer mode/or having trailer plugged into electrical changes the regen programming?

I do know snow mode disables the regen as well....

 

[Mr. Flibble]

The downhill starts at 8:30. They gain 2% SOC on the downhill but when they turn around and take the same route up they lose 16%. The regen should be much closer to 16% on the downhill if the truck was recovering all of the available potential energy associated with the elevation.

The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

 

[gorwell]

We'll be taking a 1500 mile interstate road trip with a 22 foot travel trailer in late May. We'll use the Lightning if we get it in time. Personally, I think it would be fun to have to strategize a route based on charging/range limitations.

That doesn't sound "fun" to me

That's likely charging every hour / hour and a half of driving.

 

[ExCivilian]

It could also have been trailer brakes working harder than the truck brakes.

They better be...that's how they're supposed to operate.

I don't think anyone has shown whether the trailer brakes engage in that scenario.

It's self-evident the trailer brakes were engaging in that scenario by the fact the rig didn't end up twisted into a pretzel on the side of the highway.

Could it be trailer mode/or having trailer plugged into electrical changes the regen programming?

Yes, that's the only safe way to do it currently.

Trailer brakes are supposed to shoulder most of the braking load or the trailer will wrap around and kiss you on the mouth.

Until trailer brakes start coming with regenerative capabilities tow vehicles will not be able to recuperate as much as they otherwise could driving down the decline without the trailer.

 

[vandy1981]

It's self-evident the trailer brakes were engaging in that scenario by the fact the rig didn't end up twisted into a pretzel on the side of the highway.

Obviously the trailer brakes on the R1T would engage if the brake pedal was pressed. My question was regarding what happens with regen.

EV regen on a downhill slope is analogous to engine braking on an ICE vehicle. Does the ICE F150 apply trailer brakes while engine braking? If the answer is no, you wouldn't expect it to be necessary for the R1T either. That is an assumption that hasn't been tested, so we don't know how much loss there was on the descent because they were able to keep their foot off the brake most of the time.

 

[vandy1981]

That doesn't sound "fun" to me

That's likely charging every hour / hour and a half of driving.

We will know very soon

 

[ExCivilian]

Does the ICE F150 apply trailer brakes while engine braking? If the answer is no, you wouldn't expect it to be necessary for the R1T either. That is an assumption that hasn't been tested,

Yes, trailer brakes come on even when the tow vehicle is engine braking.

There are no assumptions to be made--if the trailer brakes didn't come on it would wrap around the front of the tow vehicle.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

As a Mach-E driver, the biggest thing I want to see with regards to extreme temperatures is a good HVAC system.

When it’s cold, I want lots of heat and when it’s hot, I want lots of cold. As it stands right now, whenever it’s very hot or cold, my dashboard reminds me to consider using the heated seats and steering wheel as the primary source of heat… and I never feel like it has the kind of heat I need.

 

[LightningShow]

The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

The laws of physics aren't the problem here.

 

[don.mullins]

We'll be taking a 1500 mile interstate road trip with a 22 foot travel trailer in late May. We'll use the Lightning if we get it in time. Personally, I think it would be fun to have to strategize a route based on charging/range limitations.

From what few charging stations I have seen, most are a “parking space” layout.

Recharging a truck with a trailer attached will be difficult, if not impossible.

The thought of having to drop the trailer to charge sounds like a deal breaker.

 

[LightningShow]

Obviously the trailer brakes on the R1T would engage if the brake pedal was pressed. My question was regarding what happens with regen.

EV regen on a downhill slope is analogous to engine braking on an ICE vehicle. Does the ICE F150 apply trailer brakes while engine braking? If the answer is no, you wouldn't expect it to be necessary for the R1T either. That is an assumption that hasn't been tested, so we don't know how much loss there was on the descent because they were able to keep their foot off the brake most of the time.

It will take some time to understand how to manage the trailer brake controller to optimize regen on EV trucks. I'm assuming Ford probably did a better job than Rivian when it comes to towing so hopefully they've put some work into the brake controller programming. There's going to be a balance between stability and regen. It's clearly not a binary where the trailer wraps around the truck if the trailer brakes don't go full on. Ultimately you'll want more "backpressure" from the trailer on an EV truck than an ICE truck. Hopefully Ford will update the brake controller code as they improve the design.

 

[Severdog]

Right and wrong. One of the first Lightning deliveries in Florida will almost never be driven without towing a 9,100 trailer. And it will pull away from the dealer on its first drive pulling that trailer. That's my deal with the dealer. They will fully charge the truck prior to delivery. I will tow my boat to the delivery with the current '21 KR PB. They get my trade ('21 PB at original MSRP back to them with 8,000 miles) IF the Lightning goes to 50% charge at 60 miles distance towing. If not, I keep both trucks.

This sounds like a speculative event; we could underwrite "Dave EV Towing" futures.

Well played, Dave.

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