Opinion: Tesla Truck needs a 250kWh pack if you want to tow.

[Solobaric]

My concern also is the lack of supercharger access while pulling my camper as previously stated.

 

[GalaxyExplorer]

With those time limits to beer in hand then your camp ground can't be more than 110 miles from home. With your Tesla Truck fully charged at home a 220 mile round trip will take no longer than an ICE truck and cost less in fuel.

Not to mention most campsites you would pull a camper trailer to have electric hookups at each site. Not sure on their exact voltage, but most look like 240V to me. So just plug the truck in for a few hours before you head home and avoid the supercharger altogether.

 

[SigNC]

Rivian expects more customers to cross over from ICE SUVs to their truck so I'm sure Tesla is likely in the same boat. If you are doing a ton of towing out of town I don't see an EV truck being the way to go anytime soon Unless you are just towing to your lake house where you have a charger and back.

 

[EVDRVN]

If this looks like a radical Tonka toy it will have very high but sort-lived demand. Electric trucks are in high demand for fleets, utilities and with cargo backs for delivery. I hope this is not some alien vehicle as it would be a very stupid move in terms of mass demand and appeal. Radical design can be good or it can be really bad.

 

[jackbowers]

In the summer I see a lot of overheated F350s on the side of the road on the way up to Mammoth Lakes on 395 - it's simply not possible to tow a 16,000 lb trailer up that 7% grade on the 100 degree days.

The Tesla pickup with a 200 kWh pack should have no such limitation - and like the towing experience with the Model X you should be able to blast the air conditioner on high the whole time.

 

[Eclectic]

Most RVers don’t tow across country. People do it but most pull their trailer to the lake for the weekend etc. A towing range of 250 - 300 kilometres would suit many.

Retired snowbirds have longer hauls twice a year but that lifestyle is seeing a decline.

The towing range of an F150 is realistically about 300 - 400 kilometres.

Absolutely not true. My F150 is older (2009) with a not particularly efficient engine (5.4 v8) and it has the 36 gallon fuel tank. I get close to 20 mpg on the freeway without towing. Towing a trailer with a snowmobile and gear I still get 14 mpg. If I were to tow something even heavier I think I could still get at least 10 mpg. That's 360 MILES, not KM. And I've never seen mpg as low as 10 mpg, not even when I'm crawling offroad with a load in 4x4 low. Maybe if I were towing a house up a mountain into a headwind with the parking brake on would I get the 5 mpg your range assumes.

 

[scottf200]

Absolutely not true. My F150 is older (2009) with a not particularly efficient engine (5.4 v8) and it has the 36 gallon fuel tank. I get close to 20 mpg on the freeway without towing. Towing a trailer with a snowmobile and gear I still get 14 mpg. If I were to tow something even heavier I think I could still get at least 10 mpg. That's 360 MILES, not KM. And I've never seen mpg as low as 10 mpg, not even when I'm crawling offroad with a load in 4x4 low. Maybe if I were towing a house up a mountain into a headwind with the parking brake on would I get the 5 mpg your range assumes.

I had a 2003 Ford 5.4 v8 in an explorer and pulling our small Jayco hybrid camper (23B) I would only get 9 MPG. I didn't have your 36 gallon tank either tho. That is a BIG tank and not typical of the 250K they sell each year. I'd get 19-20 mpg on the freeway wo/towing too.

 

[Eclectic]

I had a 2003 Ford 5.4 v8 in an explorer and pulling our small Jayco hybrid camper (23B) I would only get 9 MPG. I didn't have your 36 gallon tank either tho. That is a BIG tank and not typical of the 250K they sell each year. I'd get 19-20 mpg on the freeway wo/towing too.

A 36 gallon tank is definitely not atypical in my neck of the woods. I actually don't know anyone who has the 23 gallon tank on an F150. And the 6 speed transmission really helped mpg. I have a friend with an 04 F150, same 5.4 engine, and he gets 16 mpg at best on the freeway.

The point remains, though, that there's no way an F150 has a towing range of 180 miles.

 

[mspisars]

To be truly useful it will need at least 200 Kwh pack. In Texas with speed limit of 85mph and temp in 100F +, the packs run out of juice fast. I am going to buy the truck only if they have a useable battery pack. I have a model 3 performance now and I end up charging it X2 per day due to my extremely long commute. I realize that I am in the 1% of commuters but I need something that will work for me. My commute is 100 miles one way about 75 minutes on most days.

So you're saying you cannot get over 200 miles per charge on a Model 3 at 85 MPH (long range I assume)?

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Latest rendering. I actually think this might be pretty close.

Dan

 

[ratsbew]

Honestly, this style of design is beginning to grow on me. I wonder if Tesla's design studio is leaking drawings like this that are sort of close in basic layout, but way off on the details so that everyone isn't so shocked when we see it next month?

 

[luke68bird]

I think 120kWh is the minimum for a "grocery getter" or "Home Depot runner" because then it should have around 250 mile highway range. And I think this will be the base battery size.

If someone wants to tow around their camper though, I think that a 250kWh pack will be required since consumption will be around 1,000Wh/mile while towing. The unladen range (non-towing) range of this version will likely be over 500 highway miles.

A 250kWh pack will be able to take full advantage of 150kW Superchargers nearly all the way to 90% SOC, but you're still looking at nearly 30-45 minute stops if you are towing and trying to hop between chargers.

Long story short, I think Tesla is capable of making a usable EV truck, but hauling the travel trailer across the country will still require extended charge stops. Hopefully those who enjoy camping learn to enjoy charging stops.

Also note you can charge at campsite so eliminate one charge stop per day.

 

[kaffine]

Also note you can charge at campsite so eliminate one charge stop per day.

Only if you don't want power for your RV while you are using it. RV parks typically have a 14-50 outlet some only a 120V 30 amp circuit. With a 200kw/hr battery you are looking at 20 hour for a full charge if it can use all of the power from a 14-50 (40 amps @ 240).

Maybe they will let you use another hookup for your truck so they don't have to share, I would expect to pay extra for the second space.

 

[Blup85]

Only if you don't want power for your RV while you are using it. RV parks typically have a 14-50 outlet some only a 120V 30 amp circuit. With a 200kw/hr battery you are looking at 20 hour for a full charge if it can use all of the power from a 14-50 (40 amps @ 240).

Maybe they will let you use another hookup for your truck so they don't have to share, I would expect to pay extra for the second space.

Crazy idea. Truck plugs into 50 amp RV plug, RV plugs into Truck. Truck manages load and keeps RV happy while charging with remaining capacity that RV isn't using. My RV AC pulls 15amps, so the Truck could pull the other 25 ramps when the AC is off.

 

[Barklikeadog]

Latest rendering. I actually think this might be pretty close.

DanView attachment 466789

A 36 gallon tank is definitely not atypical in my neck of the woods. I actually don't know anyone who has the 23 gallon tank on an F150. And the 6 speed transmission really helped mpg. I have a friend with an 04 F150, same 5.4 engine, and he gets 16 mpg at best on the freeway.

The point remains, though, that there's no way an F150 has a towing range of 180 miles.

x2 on this. most of the supercrews have 36.
800+ miles of highway range puts a smile on my face.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

x2 on this. most of the supercrews have 36.
800+ miles of highway range puts a smile on my face.

Thats not a smile, its your bladder making your eyeballs float..

 

[Eclectic]

x2 on this. most of the supercrews have 36.
800+ miles of highway range puts a smile on my face.

Amen to that. I'm about to hit the road in my truck, permanently relocating it from the SF area to Montana, and I'm going to try to get the 1000 mile trip done in a day. The big fuel tank helps quite a bit. One of the really nice things is that I'll have my fishing gear with me and I may just wander off somewhere in Idaho to explore the creeks and rivers. Having the 36 gallon tank gives me a lot of comfort to explore. It's also why I really hope the Rivian or Bollinger or Tesla trucks have massive range. To me, range in a truck is far more important than 0-60 times.

 

[Barklikeadog]

Amen to that. I'm about to hit the road in my truck, permanently relocating it from the SF area to Montana, and I'm going to try to get the 1000 mile trip done in a day. The big fuel tank helps quite a bit. One of the really nice things is that I'll have my fishing gear with me and I may just wander off somewhere in Idaho to explore the creeks and rivers. Having the 36 gallon tank gives me a lot of comfort to explore. It's also why I really hope the Rivian or Bollinger or Tesla trucks have massive range. To me, range in a truck is far more important than 0-60 times.

I always scratch my head at 'performance' trucks and 0-60. ford and chevy never make commercials about 0-60 time... maybe a towing race, but not for strictly speed. All you're going to get out of that is the contents of the bed going BANG into the tailgate. not the msot desirable result.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

A friend of mine's brother has the new Ford F 150 Lariat with the 36 gallon tank and claims that he got nearly 700 miles of range while towing on a recent trip. I don't know what he was towing but that's nearly 20 mpg. If true (which I doubt), that's really impressive.

Dan

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I always scratch my head at 'performance' trucks and 0-60. ford and chevy never make commercials about 0-60 time... maybe a towing race, but not for strictly speed. All you're going to get out of that is the contents of the bed going BANG into the tailgate. not the msot desirable result.

I've seen lots of non-towing truck racing, with Diesels, but I'm with you for everyday use, its a waste.