Firn
Well-known member
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- #1
Today’s adventure involved my Lightning, a U-Haul car hauler, and a 40-year-old Oldsmobile that’s been sitting so long it’s now more raccoon habitat than car. It came complete with a small block engine, four flat tires, and a generous coating of nature’s graffiti. But hey, the price was right.
We headed north 130 miles with the empty trailer—full dual axle, probably close to 2,200 lbs. The trip took 2.5 hours, coming out of a warm garage but cruising in cold air around 30°F. The Lightning averaged between 1.5 and 1.6 mi/kWh for that leg, which I consider solid given the weight and wind drag of the hauler. Avoided the highways so for other than a few little bits speeds were 55 and below.
The return trip was the real test: same distance (different route, but comparable roads), now with 4,500 lbs of vintage steel and raccoon residue strapped down. We drove just a bit slower—though still ending around the same time, 2.5 hours. I was expecting a noticeable hit to efficiency... and it didn’t happen. The truck averaged between 1.4 and 1.5 mi/kWh. Practically identical to the unloaded leg.
We made one 50-minute stop to charge and grab lunch (Arby’s, because nothing pairs with a barn find like questionable roast beef). During the drive, I kept an eye on the trip meter: On the outbound trip, 6% of energy usage was tagged for outside temp with a few percent for climate. On the way back, with temps in the low 50s, losses were down to 5% for temp and 0% for climate—cabin heat wasn’t even needed.
Elevation gain/loss wasn't a major factor either—despite heading north, the pickup point was actually at a slightly lower elevation than our starting point. So no real downhill advantage there.
Bottom line: the Lightning handled the load better than I expected. Efficiency with a full trailer and car wasn’t dramatically worse than running empty in cold air. It’s nice to see some consistency—and even nicer when it involves less math and more hauling.
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