The Lightening has a targeted range of 230 miles with standard battery and 300 miles with extended range battery.....and that's an empty truck without towing.

The Ford Lightening web site says it torture tested and shows a photo of it towing a Airstream travel trailer. Has anybody saw or know of a projected range while towing a travel trailer (equal to a large, heavy sail that sticks up above the truck). Really anxious to find out what the projected range will be for pulling a travel trailer? Then I'll be equally anxious to find out the real world range pulling a Grand Design Momentum 21G (with my CVO Ultra Classic in the back)?

 

The projected range is not for an empty truck. It is with 1000lbs cargo/people on board. I haven't seen any projections while pulling a trailer, probably because there's no way for them to calculate all the different trailer configurations, however it's safe to say cut range in half at least had been speculated by ev owners.

 

It's virtually impossible to get a good estimate on this. Energy consumption while towing is hugely variable. Speed, profile of the trailer, wind conditions, temperature, etc. matter WAY more than weight, so any estimate you find will be way off depending on your individual towing conditions. And we see that with towing under normal conditions; driving into a headwind with a full-profile trailer can yield as little as 7 MPG at 70 MPH. But turn the speed down, warm the temperature up to 75° and flip the wind and you may see 11 or 12. That's the difference between a 150-mile range and 260.

Unfortunately, I think towing long distances with EVs will be impractical until they solve the problem of charging with a trailer connected. Right now, most EV chargers require you to drive or back into a parking space at the edge of a lot. Both of them are impractical at best with a trailer attached, so you'd be disconnecting your trailer 3 or 4 times every day you spend on the road. I couldn't imagine going through this hassle to go on a road trip with a camper, so those with travel trailers will probably be stuck to gas or diesel trucks unless you're willing to put up with a major inconvenience. I look forward to the day when this isn't a problem, but don't think that will happen without a major rethinking of our charging infrastructure to permit drive-through charging stalls.

 

One could always bring along a generator but still not practical.

 

You’d never make enough power to charge fast, and that excludes the hardware required to DC fast charge. You’d need a massive ~200Kw generator and tens of thousands of dollars in hardware to fast charge from a generator. Slow charging, even at 10Kw from a big portable would likely take 15+ hours. Fast charging is the only practical way to travel, and that’s not possible or practical with a portable generator. Unless, of course, you plan on stopping for the night every 200 miles.

 

How far are people going to drag a camper trailer before they stop to camp? How long will they camp? Will they camp one night and move to another? These are all questions or should I say variables that come into play. I remember as a kid when my parents would take us camping. We would set up in a spot and stay there until it was time to come home.

Cross country travel is a whole other bag of worms. Again I'll state it's not practical for cross country traveling but if one picks a spot and actually camps instead of acting like wandering nomads, it's an option. I have a portable gen that can supply 50A @ 240 steady. After a single day/night of camping it should be more than sufficient to bring the pack back up to at least 85% if not 100%.

Weight of the gen, variable, fuel for the gen, variable however with a tri fuel carb you can use the campers propane supply and not have to carry extra gas, variable. It would likely get you out of the woods to a charging station if one planned their trip accordingly, variable lol I could go on and on.

 

That's very true, and those who only camp locally may find the Lightning an adequate platform. But if you're going more than ~200 miles away, I fear it would be cumbersome to the point where it wouldn't be worthwhile. I've taken a few road trips in my short-range Tesla, and stopping every 100-150 miles to charge was a continual frustration. Not a show-stopper, and I'd happily own the car again...but add hooking and unhooking a trailer to that experience and I'm out.

I've got my old gas burner in the garage for such an occasion, though. And that's not likely to change.

 

EVs are not efficient for towing long distance. Yet. Lightning won't change that.

 

Lightening's will mostly be daily drivers, back and forth 30-40 miles, spending most weekends on the Drive recharging.... Thats really how most F150's are used now in most Burbs. Of course there are some runs out to fish or camp or just sightsee visit relatives etc. But most heavy pulls are done by bigger boys anyway. Face it most of these trucks are garage queens. and just daily drivers ! Owners will scuff up the boxes a couple of times before buying another. The lightening will fit well for them !

Maybe it will all depend on Camping areas having Lightening 50 amp services for the Truck. So it can charge over night! The Camper's Batteries will need charging the next day so the truck will charge the following night depending on local foraging mileage needs ! These things are just like the Potable water and Sanitary dump needs for Campers also. I doubt the camp grounds offer 50 amp services now. A lil bit of looking into that is mostly gonna happen also !

 

Great concept but worthless as a tow vehicle.

 

I can see a F150 sized double car port in the front drive with 50 amp 240 Volt service in it. Most likely enough to shelter the front half of the vehicle while on charger. Just can't visualize plugging a soaking wet cord to a soaking wet F150 front fender, maybe even frozen shut and deiced ! Like bomb shelters in the 50/60's, carports in 20's/30's

 

..or a single carport big enough to shelter the whole truck and the charger.

 

I likE IT; an the Winch ! ...... The double was the 2nd/3rd. vehicle thoughts of most homes ! Maybe accepting the theory that ones life needs to change drastically when it comes to green. Think of spending time at the corner of the shed while the F150 is on fast charge for 45 minutes a couple times a week is something to plan into free evening time (out of the House) every week. Maybe pool halls / bowling alleys will spring up next to them to accommodate boredom and give social life a boost also ! Maybe all our friends are walking around Wal-Mart while their F150 are charging but get real they will go to pool halls / Bowling alleys/ bars and eateries 2 ! Some may be happy as old hens with a Hot Spot to Text / gab at.

 

Based on my experience with gas and diesel towing a 5 ton fiver, my mpg reduces by 33% with the camper attached. I expect a similar result with electric. So 300 mile range when empty may drop to 200 miles with a large camper.

Like already mentioned, it's more or less a mute point since it's not practical for anything farther than around town.

 

Just based on what I’ve seen owning an EV for two years and others’ experience towing, I think this is wildly optimistic. If you go slow it’s very possible, but I doubt you’ll see 200 miles with a full-profile camper on the highway.