Towing a trailer with a Lightning might not be a good plan.

[Zengineer]

In related news, tennis shoes don't work well as gloves.

There are many uses that an EV in general may not be suited for until technology advances further, but there are many applications where an EV, whether it is a school bus, a car, a scooter, a pickup, a delivery van or a golf cart, is perfectly suitable even in this relatively early stage of evolution.

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[Bluesman]

Airstream came out with their eStream concept in February that is basically this very thing. Imagine towing a trailer with its own power source where your tow vehicle mileage is unaffected, if not improved. It'll be incredible when it comes to market...assuming it's mostly sunny, of course.

Interesting concept except now you have batteries where your black, fresh and grey water tanks would normally be. So where do we store the fluids???

 

[UGADawg96]

Interesting concept except now you have batteries where your black, fresh and grey water tanks would normally be. So where do we store the fluids???

Carry some of these...

 

[Bluesman]

I'm not going back to those days!

 

[Zengineer]

The lightning battery is big by automotive standards but as you start to see Semi trucks from Freightliner, Tesla, Volvo, Kenworth and others aimed at dedicated routes with relatively light cargo the batteries will have 4 to 10 times the capacity. Much more room to package in larger platforms. Look at the size of some sleeper compartments on trucks out there...that space can be reallocated on a truck that is just running between a distribution warehouse and retail outlets each day.

 

[KDPGame02]

Interesting concept except now you have batteries where your black, fresh and grey water tanks would normally be. So where do we store the fluids???

Well, it is a concept after all, but valid question. Perhaps maller tanks, compact & more efficient batteries one day to make the room. And maybe you could use a composting toilet like the one on my friends' trailer, lol.

 

[FrankThompson]

Back many years ago I was intrigued by the hydrogen fuel cell cars. Fast refueling, zero emissions, but not sure what drawbacks (besides infrastructure which evs also suffer from*).

I once saw a concept where there was a "skateboard" style platform and you could just swap out the tops/bodies. Need a pickup today? Put on that body, need a car tomorrow with more seating? Use that one.

*I realize that evs benefit from at home charging which hydrogen fuel cell cars do not.

 

[HSV_MIkeJ]

I remember years ago they did that battery swap on a model S I think on stage. Took about as long as fuel fill up. Hasn't been much talk about it since though.
Perhaps the trailer industry will start something, as you pull the trailer it generates power that's sent back into the truck.

How would in generate power? If by solar panels that would add extra weight, that would take more energy to move. By generators on the wheels, that would add resistance to pulling the trailer, so more energy to move it. If by wind turbine, that would add more aerodynamic drag, so more energy required to pull it.

 

[Roscopcoletrain]

How would in generate power? If by solar panels that would add extra weight, that would take more energy to move. By generators on the wheels, that would add resistance to pulling the trailer, so more energy to move it. If by wind turbine, that would add more aerodynamic drag, so more energy required to pull it.

https://www.airstream.com/air-lab/concepts/estream/

 

[HSV_MIkeJ]

https://www.airstream.com/air-lab/concepts/estream/

Never thought about the motors in the trailer pushing itself, so that could definitely help some but the added weight of the batteries to the trailer is still going to cause a little more drag on the tow vehicle. The nicest part of the idea is the unhitched moving of the trailer into and out of the camping spot.

 

[780]

I thought this test was pretty interesting using different size trailers:

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-towing-test/

Sounds like the Lightning didn't fair well with towing range in this test either.

 

[Atlee]

I thought this test was pretty interesting using different size trailers:

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-towing-test/

Sounds like the Lightning didn't fair well with towing range in this test either.

I'm sure the EV truck is just fine towing, if you are only towing 50 miles.

 

[780]

I'm sure the EV truck is just fine towing, if you are only towing 50 miles.

Exactly. I'd be all for an EV truck if they worked for me. This does not.

I still think a Plug in hybrid would have been the best option for me.....if it was an option....

 

[motivology]

Any EV trucks are not meant for towing. Maybe only for city towing but not for long distances. The only EV vehicles that could have the potential to tow are semi's like Tesla's Semis & Volvo's VNRs. Even with those, they still have ways to go to match or improve better than their diesel counterparts. Plus, the grid capability & charging stations on top of that.

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