EV alternative for light/medium duty trucks

map40 wrote:

BCSnob wrote:
RVing comes in many flavors. It seems when discussing EVs as tow vehicles the only flavor of RVing many people want to focus on the hauling a >6000lbs TT/5th wheel on a multi day cross country trip. An EV is currently not a good TV for this flavor of RVing.

Another flavor of RVing is hauling a <6000lb TT or an even lighter PU a few hrs from home to a campground for a weekend camping trip using their daily commuting vehicle as the TV. Is everyone willing to bet the current EVs could not fulfill this function? Don’t forget most of the population won’t be towing “the Ike” on a weekend camping trip.

pianotuna wrote:
map40,

Define long distance?

Define heavy loads.

OK, it is all relative. The heavier the load and the longer the distance, the more inconvenient EVs are. For example:
Towing a small trailer (3500-5000#) with a F150 lightning extended range will do close to 200 - 225 miles at highway speeds. At that point you have to find a charging station, but most won't accommodate a truck and trailer, so you may have to drop the trailer, charge for 1 hour, hook up again and get on your way.
Add to that "range anxiety" and the fact that CCS chargers are not the most reliable network, I would not wait until I have 25 miles left in the tank to charge, so now the range goes down to a usable 175 miles.
If you go bigger (think Tesla Semi) you have a 900KWs and can do 500miles at 62mph. But to recharge you need a special charger (1000V) or 10 hours in a supercharger WITHOUT your trailer, and that is if your semi cab fits in the charger parking lot. So the Tesla Semi can only work between predetermined locations.
Let's go smaller, you have a small trailer or a pop-up and you are towing with a Tesla, you range may go down between 30-50%, you may have around 180 miles of range, but being a small car you can drop the trailer and charge in a supercharger.
Also where you live affects the equation. Fuel prices and temperatures affect the calculation. EVs excel in stop-and-go and low speed driving because of the high efficiency and regenerative braking.
EVs work when they are less expensive and the savings justify the inconvenience (or the inconvenience is non-existent). For example, I drive an I3. I can drive my daily drive on battery, but if I ever have to go longer, I have a built-in generator that allows me to go as long as I need without ever charging. I very rarely use the generator, but it eliminates range anxiety and gives me complete freedom with no limitation.
Every case is different, but in general terms, the heavier the vehicle and the longer the distance, the more problematic it becomes for the EVs.
Hopefully this explains my point. The EV market today is not ruled by environmentalists, it is ruled by people who want a lower cost of ownership or want some of the advantages of the EVs (Speed, acceleration, charge it at home, etc)