This is by the same guy or guys that did the "Tearing Apart a new Ford Lightning" video posted on 9 September posted by FTE'r FishOnOne. If you can get past the dramatization and overreacting taking place which is very similar to the previous video, there are a few good bullet points to take away. If you like this sort of entertainment akin to TFL, please enjoy the entire video!

 

Are there any serious test videos regarding the towing ability/range etc. of the Lightning, done by Consumer Reports or another "I don't have a dog in the fight" type videos? The Video you've posted is disturbing to say the least. I feel sorry for a guy that spent that much money on a new full sized ford, with all the advertised power, to be so limited. I must say I do like the old ford on the trailer...., I wonder if the fords made today, will still be around 50-75 years from now? Old Henry knew how to build things that lasted.

 

It'll be fine for retired people pulling campers who have days to travel 300 miles. Mid-lifers with families, kids, and jobs will not go for this.

 

Won't matter at all to those that haul but don't tow.

 

I haven't replied previously because I didn't want to give this guy the attention on YouTube. Sensational garbage like this gets clicks, which props it up higher in their search algorithms, which earns him a paycheck by spreading his hysteria. But I gave into curiosity, and I have to give him credit for adequately calling his work the dumbest car channel on YouTube. It's a smart move for him, and he's earning money providing entertainment for those who want to make fun at Lightnings. I just don't want to support that.

Yes, it's no secret that towing takes a lot more energy, which is a dramatic difference when you're towing with an electric truck. EVs are much more efficient than gas trucks because of how well they manage energy, which is an impossible task when you have the wind drag of a trailer behind you. I've been arguing that the Lightning is great for a lot of use cases, but completely inappropriate for long-distance towing since it was unveiled over a year ago. It's a simple math equation, and no amount of electrical wizardry can eliminate the extra wind drag of a high-profile trailer.

Yup, there have been a few, and the results have been similar. The Lightning would be great for my use because my towing is all done within 100 miles from home, and my boat is a lot more aerodynamic than the campers Motor Trend tested last summer. But for those who tow campers or other things over long distances, EVs will be out of reach for the foreseeable.

 

Tom, I had the same reservations as you did when I saw this video come across on my news feed. It was linked/embedded in an article and I was reluctant to watch it because I recognized the name of the channel from the previous dramatized video they put out, which I mentioned in my original post. Click bait is a huge thing nowadays and it is almost a badge of honor instead of a warning it seems.

Like you, I gave in because I am/was interested in the capability details and mechanical aspects of the EV. I could see the load on the trailer was somewhat low profile and not a camper. Also, I could easily identify the aluminum trailer from the thumbnail.

 

You gave fair warning, and I'm not criticizing you for sharing it. And I don't begrudge the guy in the video because it's extraordinarily hard to carve out a niche on YouTube where you have a following that can generate income.

But for me, it's a pretty simple thing. Water is wet, wind resistance matters, and EVs have a finite quantity of energy to work with that can't be reloaded in a few minutes at a gas pump. He provides a useful data point, but I think it would be much more useful without his hysterics. 🤷‍♂️

 

No ****, grow up quick !
A YouTuber's 'disaster' towing with the F-150 Lightning highlights one of the drawbacks of electric trucks today (msn.com)
Control of electric power always supplies and drains the battery now, tomorrow and forever. instead of using a small pint of gas you use 1/2 the peak voltage the battery can deliver. Get used to it its your future ! **** California and Illinois.

 

@ the hysterics comment---agreed 100% but that's how YouTuber's make money--I guess its to be expected---caveat emptor there all day long.

PT's link includes the bit about aerodynamics but does that really figure into it as how many towed vehicles are all that sleek? Will we see crazy new designs of trailers just to accommodate EV's? When I think of all the laden trailers on the roads today that'd be one huge undertaking. Oddly enough if that does come to be it would potentially be a boon for the ICE vehicles as well.

 

I'd be surprised if there was a major evolution in trailers. Cost is the biggest factor; consider the difference between a 26' run-of-the-mill trailer and an Airstream. I was shopping for campers a few years ago and could get a brand-new trailer in that range for about $20K. An Airstream of the same length is over $100K. I bought my last enclosed trailer in 2012, which was an 8.5x28' with a 14K GVWR for $4,500. Modern trailers are built as appliances to get a job done at the lowest possible cost. You might be able to give most types of trailers the full Airstream treatment and make them 20-30% easier to pull through the wind, but who would buy them at triple the price?

There have been some really innovative ideas around batteries and motors in trailers to make the trailer conserve braking energy and apply it to forward propulsion. But these things increase the cost of the trailer by an order of magnitude, so I struggle with the idea of them ever becoming mainstream.

 

The exciting part is the sudden drop in range. We all know the difficulties of putting our boats in but especially pulling up out of the water and up the steep long hills from our favorite lakes. Maybe a General in the back an one incorporated on the trailer? The no range arrow is comical in the entertainment version of I am so *****D now is good ! We all know the biggest battery will never get big enough just like the diesel fuel tanks. Using the EV for a daily short range driver will work now. That’s what’s important, right?

 

I for one hope that things don't go the way of Airstream. I will say this... Just because they cost twice or three times what other trailers cost, does not mean they are any better. I know this for a fact and will leave it at that.

Paying more for less (quality or quantity) is the way we seem to be going and it is ridiculous.

 

Am thinking adding to the cab or truck bed front similar to a semi would give aero a meaning at I-state speeds into a windy day. Can’t see the vacuum of a tall trailers drag much help without slowing way down to 45/50 mph. It will put a new meaning to the term adventure back in the 1930’s. You know an airplanes tail designs can cause tremendous drag. I am certain most of us would tow around 55 mph knowing range needs. The video was for fun entertainment. Il. Cal. Colorado, etc. these states full of foreigners are gonna have ball busting problems in 10 years. Last I heard 11 million foreigners live in one. Thas just my hunch. Sure hope it works out. Solar power sux now.

 

Trailer aero will not solve the problem. It's a piece of it, but even if you subtract 20% of the wind resistance, you still have a completely unworkable solution for long-distance towing. Being able to drive 120 miles instead of 100 with a trailer isn't going to cut it, particularly when you factor in the price increases.

I'd love to see some innovation similar to what the commercial trucking world has seen. Simple, inexpensive, and effective changes like trailer skirts and rear fold-out air fairings. They're in use because they're profitable. We're likely to see more boutique trailer configurations involving batteries, motors, and extreme aero, but they will never go mainstream. Solving the puzzle of complete EV transition can't be done until this problem is solved. We'll get there, though.

The majority of people don't pull trailers over long distances on a routine basis, and the Lightning would have fit my requirements perfectly until the price increases. But after the latest round of price bumps, it's completely off the table. Hyundai announced the 2023 pricing for their Ioniq5 which increased in price by $1,500(3%). GM doubled down on their $30K Equinox after Ford raised the price on the Lightning. Rivian hasn't moved their pricing in six months, and Tesla's new delivery timelines are getting reasonable again. It's not looking like the other automakers are following Ford with major price hikes, and that's where my money will go when the time comes.

 

Am thinking the wing shape some tow trucks have could be a bolt on option to the truck. Think stock car trailers use tires up front to slip stream some air thoug the pull miles at night with less head winds but 40 / 100 mile distances normal.