1 gallon of generator fuel gets me how many miles?

[Capt Starbucks]

Some of the places I go in the mountains and stay for a week or so while driving around occasionally would be on the ragged edge of range from superchargers.

Scenario: Destination is 100 miles away from nearest I-90 supercharger in Montana. So I have 300 miles left but I'll be loaded with a full camp. It's November and days are short, winter storms a reality = very low probability of solar juice. We normally leave camp pre dawn, drive up to 8,000 + feet, walk around in the woods all day, then drive back to camp well after dark. Temps can be single digits. The upshot is that on the 15 mile return trip each day, we'll lose the 3,000 feet in elevation we gained in the morning = serious regen. But we all know you can't pick yourself up by your bootstraps...

So, not counting cabin heat, the overall trip from and to the Supercharger should work on paper, but that's cutting it close. If I had a 220V generator(s), how far could 1 gallon of generator fuel get me in Cybertruck miles. Roughly speaking of course. Conditions there can be dry and cold, or wet, muddy, snowy. Chains sometimes required out of necessity. There are no rules as far as chains go, just the rule of not spending the next 5 months in your truck.

I'm still trying to make sure this Cybertruck with as much performance as it is supposed to have, can do real truck stuff.

 

[MP3Mike]

That would depend on the output/efficiency of your generator. How many hours will your generate run on a gallon and how many kWs will it put out?

 

[Capt Starbucks]

Let's say something like this:

4000 Watt generator burns .18 gallons to make 4000 watts at 100%.

 

[lowtek]

Let's say something like this:

4000 Watt generator burns .18 gallons to make 4000 watts at 100%.

It won't be anywhere near 100% efficiency, more like 20%.

The math likely won't work on this ... the weight required to carry the fuel would kill your underlying battery efficiency far more than what you could possible put back in with the fuel ... think Prius

 

[Big Earl]

Maybe 20 miles of range added per gallon of fuel in a typical generator.

You aren't going to get much regen going downhill after parking in single digit temps. The battery can't accept a charge when it's below freezing, so for regen to happen, you'd have to expend energy to heat the pack, negating the benefit of the regenerated energy.

 

[MP3Mike]

Let's say something like this:

4000 Watt generator burns .18 gallons to make 4000 watts at 100%.

Let's assume you charge using 240v 20A 6-20 adapter which would be at 3,840 watts using the efficiency of a Model X you would charge at ~8 MPH. And at the rate you listed you would get ~5.5 hours of run time for ~44 miles of range per gallon of gasoline.

You can see various charging speeds here: Mobile Connector

 

[lowtek]

If you get any added value by doing so you would have to find a generator that wouldn't just trip once it ramps up .. I tried just now for fun with a nicer Honda generator and it just trips after a few minutes ..

 

[LCR1]

You'd get about 1 hour per gallon of fuel at max load if you're lucky.

 

[Uncle Paul]

In your edge, off the grid boondocking situation like you are proposing, perhaps an ICE pickup/SUV, carrying extra fuel, might give you a bigger margin for error.

Unless you have a source of at least 120V plug in electricity or are willing to carry along a gas generator plus fuel, you most likely have some anxiety with any EV.

The image of you going into a pristine environment, firing up a noisy and polluting gas/disel generator while there, takes some of the back to nature aspect out of the trip experience.

Even an ICE will not guarantee you an uneventful trip if for any reason it fails to start while there.

 

[LCR1]

In your edge, off the grid boondocking situation like you are proposing, perhaps an ICE pickup/SUV, carrying extra fuel, might give you a bigger margin for error.

Unless you have a source of at least 120V plug in electricity or are willing to carry along a gas generator plus fuel, you most likely have some anxiety with any EV.

The image of you going into a pristine environment, firing up a noisy and polluting gas/disel generator while there, takes some of the back to nature aspect out of the trip experience.

Even an ICE will not guarantee you an uneventful trip if for any reason it fails to start while there.

They're already going to be firing up the generator for the RV....

 

[Uncle Paul]

Thats my point. Perhaps in his situation simply taking a ICE vehicle might be the better choice.
EV is not there yet. Same thing for people wanting to drive +500 miles non-stop or towing heavy loads long distances.

EV can only carry so much juice, so for 99% it is a great choice, but for people pushing the amount of power that will be needed the ICE can still carry more energy than a work/expedition vehicle.

OP said already not calculating in cabin heat or any other ancillary power drains. He knows it will be cutting it short, but still wants to know if it will be a fail proof situation even if in heavy snow, bitter cold, no possible recharging outside inefficient generator = take an ICE.

 

[SSonnentag]

Using a small Honda EU2200i inverter generator as an example, you can expect 3.2 hours of run time on 0.95 gallons of gas at 1800W.
That works out to 5760 kWh, or 6063 kWh/gallon. Now figure 90% charge efficiency and you're looking at 5457 kWh.
Estimating 500 Wh/mile for the CyberTruck, you can gain roughly 10.91 miles of range from your 1 gallon of gas.

 

[Capt Starbucks]

Uncle Paul, I do currently own and operate the truck in my sig. My plan is to move away from the M3 and truck in my sig and just run a CT.

LCR1, No RV. We stay in tents the whole trip. Sometimes we bring the horses and do back country which is also tent camping. But when we do that trip, I don't drive the truck every day. It just sits for 10 days. No issue there.

 

[mspohr]

1000 W solar panels (four standard panels) gives 5000 kWh per day. (More in summer, less in winter) This is about 15 miles range.
Nice thing about solar is you have an infinite supply. It's delivered every day.
OTOH, you will eventually run out of gas/diesel.

 

[Capt Starbucks]

Interesting, at least if that's the case, I could limp back to the grid with an EU2000 and a few gallons.

 

[SSonnentag]

1000 W solar panels (four standard panels) gives 5000 kWh per day. (More in summer, less in winter) This is about 15 miles range.
Nice thing about solar is you have an infinite supply. It's delivered every day.
OTOH, you will eventually run out of gas/diesel.

5 kWh, or 5000 Wh.

Otherwise I need to get me some of these standard solar panels.

 

[Capt Starbucks]

1000 W solar panels (four standard panels) gives 5000 kWh per day. (More in summer, less in winter) This is about 15 miles range.
Nice thing about solar is you have an infinite supply. It's delivered every day.
OTOH, you will eventually run out of gas/diesel.

In my original post, I mentioned the natural conditions. I don't think solar would be an option. At least not a dependable one.

 

[Tessaract]

Using a small Honda EU2200i inverter generator as an example, you can expect 3.2 hours of run time on 0.95 gallons of gas at 1800W.
That works out to 5760 kWh, or 5472 kWh/gallon. Now figure 90% charge efficiency and you're looking at 4925 kWh.
Estimating 500 Wh/mile for the CyberTruck, you can gain roughly 9.85 miles of range from your 1 gallon of gas.

Nicely answered and to the point. I would just correct a small calculation error: 5760 kWh/.95 gal = 6063 kWh/gal. Which works out to 10.9 miles/gal.

 

[SSonnentag]

Nicely answered and to the point. I would just correct a small calculation error: 5760 kWh/.95 gal = 6063 kWh/gal. Which works out to 10.9 miles/gal.

Yep, did my math backwards.

Thanks, I fixed it.

 

[Tessaract]

Yep, did my math backwards.

Thanks, I fixed it.

BTW. Enjoyed the creative perspective photography in your avatar.