Forum Discussion

FishOnOne's avatar
FishOnOne
Nomad
Jun 14, 2022

F150 Lightning Road Trip & Ike Gauntlet Pull

TFL drove the new F150 Lightning from Michigan to Colorado

Test Configuration: Mostly highway miles at 70-75 mph
Total Miles: 1225
Total Charging Time: ~ 5 hours

Summary: (Fail) Efficiency at highway speeds and charging time

Previous Test was the Rivian towing a small trailer up the Ike and the summary was an Epic Fail

Spoiler Alert: Pretty sure the towing test with the Lightning will fall into the Epic Fail category.

Link
Tow Vehicles

151 Replies

Show More
  • ShinerBock's avatar
    ShinerBock
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2022
    time2roll wrote:
    ShinerBock wrote:
    After watching the video, I think you need to add more context to this to further your point. The charging of five hours was on top of overnight charging while they slept.
    The first night they pulled in a 3am and slept until 8am. I think TFL failed to get a night sleep.
    I would consider 12 hours to be an overnight charge. Pull in by 8pm, leave 8am.
    This could cut into driving safely the next day. (TFL fail)


    The last time I did a road trip like that from Texas to Michigan helping a friend move, we only slept for 6 hours both nights. I was driving his crew cab pick up truck and he was driving the Penske van that was towing his GTO. Our goal was to get to the destination and not sight see. I can't image adding another 5-10 hours to that trip.

    The two road trip before that was from South Texas to Utah. That one was very similar to the amount of miles in the TFL video of 1,200. Again, both trips up there we only slept for about 6 hours because we were in a hurry to get there. I was also towing my Jeep and bunch of other gear totaling 10k lbs so I can't imagine how much additional time I would have spent charging on on that trip.

    So while the times they slept and woke up are not normal, the amount of time they slept is for all of the road trips I have taken where we actually spent the night along the route. There are many road trips that my wife and I teamed up to drive straight through like Florida. I think the truck in the video would have forced us to stay the night somewhere.
  • Mmaxed's avatar
    Mmaxed
    Explorer II
    Jun 16, 2022
    It's not just charging stations that will need sorted. It's the generation and transportation of the power that will be the bigger issue. By the time that is done it will cost as much or more than driving an ICE powered rig.
  • valhalla360's avatar
    valhalla360
    Navigator
    Jun 16, 2022
    Lantley wrote:
    While the others play catch up in terms of infrastructure Tesla has figured it out to a large degree.
    At this point all the others are still playing catch up.
    Tesla has really changed the game. Once you understand the ICE is obsolete you will see that charging stations and batteries are the next big hurdle but it is only a matter of time before these hurdles are overcome.
    I imagine when the model T came on the scene it took awhile for people to park their horse and buggy. I imagine it also took awhile before there was gas available on every corner nationwide.
    The challenge for the Wright bros. was creating the plane. Figuring out where to build airports was the easy part.
    Tesla has shown that the ICE can be replaced with a motor more similar to a vaccuum cleaner than a car engine
    Pistons, fuel injection,cams shafts,large transmissions,radiators, manifolds,mufflers.+ are all eliminated....let that sink in!!! THe are to trunks on a Tesla and no real engine compartment. There is no heat to dissapate.
    Tesla is real and working. Figuring out where to put charging stations is the easy part. OK not that easy but certainly doable.
    EV is here to stay all the auto manufacturers realize the ICE is dead and have committed to EV even though they have not totally sorted things out like Tesla.
    The challenge now is to change the public mindset and understanding of EV as well as adapting and creating the infrastructure to suport it.
    There is also the challenge of who is going to reap the profits. There will be winners and losers. Exxon Mobil is not going away without a fight. Many of us had VCR's and Blockbuster cards that are now worthless.
    Going green is as much about the battle over the money $$$ as it is the battle over the enviroment.
    Change is coming.....Wired internet is going away totally wireless routers are the future.
    It happens fast, keep looking forward not backwards.....nothing behind you but: pay phones, VCR's, DVD's, horse and buggy's, tube TV's,land line phones and ICE's!


    What have they figured out? An isolated ecosystem of chargers that is still far too small is likely going to become antiquated and die off. This is why Tesla tried to "give away" it's patents, so they could become the dominant charging standard and later they could profit off it.

    Electric motors have been better than ICE going back to the 1800's. The problem has been and continues to be energy storage. The current solution is to keep adding more batteries and bringing down the price via economy of scale but those limits are being reached and the supply of minerals for batteries may soon reverse those cost improvements.

    For all their complexity, the modern ICE is incredibly reliable. Most cars go to the junkyard with a functional engine.

    Yes, manufacturers have realized that govt mandates are here...at least for now. As the old saying goes, "you don't fight city hall".
  • valhalla360's avatar
    valhalla360
    Navigator
    Jun 16, 2022
    way2roll wrote:
    The biggest thing I took away from the video isn't the shortcomings of the truck, but rather the infrastructure - or lack thereof. Inconsistencies in charging networks, where stations are, the rate of charge at stations, rate of pricing, logistics to actually find stations etc. This is the Achilles of EV - especially long distance travel. That will eventually get fixed though. But it won't address inconsistencies in network and pricing. I smell government regulation and when that happens how will EV's be any better or cheaper to drive/own than an ICE? Power will be regulated and taxed just like gas. Based on the video, the price to charge didn't seem like a big win over gas fueling especially when you consider your time (time = money).


    Once EVs make up more than 1% of the market, we will see charging sort itself out (yes I'm exaggerating a bit and it will still take several years).

    Right now, charging stations are largely subsidized to push the agenda along rather than the market driving it. Get to 20-30% EVs and the market will solve it because it's profitable to solve it.

    I can see EVs taking over a large percentage of the vehicle market. Certain niches they are already there (school busses, local delivery vans, commuter cars). Long haul trucking, RVs, folks who do a lot of driving each day...we are going to see ICE retained as the primary propulsion system for a very long time.

    Yes, there will be exceptions but it's just not viable with current technology.

    PS: One interesting question. The bulk of gasoline is used by commuter cars. If we convert those over, there will be a surplus of gasoline. The main reason trucks originally went diesel is it was a cheaper fuel. Will we start to see trucks fitted with gasoline engines (yes, you can make durable high power gasoline engines...it just wasn't a priority when diesel was a cheaper option).
  • JRscooby's avatar
    JRscooby
    Explorer II
    Jun 16, 2022
    time2roll wrote:


    Five hours rest does not even satisfy a truckers log.


    But you forget truckdrivers are not as strong as RVers. A driver likely moves his rig 40-60 hours a week, and regulations say those punks got to log 10 hours in sleeper before he can drive after working 14 hours.(and only 11 of 14 can be driving)
    OTOH, many RVers that drive maybe 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks a year, thinks it is fine to drive his desk 40 hours a week, get off on Friday night load wife and kids, drive 1000-1500 miles I ain't wasting my vacation!
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jun 16, 2022
    Huntindog wrote:
    You would have never survived in my family... I'm a farmers kid. I get more done before sunrise than most do all day. I wouldn't have it any other way.
    And 3 am to bed? You are one of the lucky few if you function normal on 5 hours sleep.

    I hear more about the 200 miles or 2pm cut off for a lot of RVers.

    Five hours rest does not even satisfy a truckers log.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Jun 16, 2022
    time2roll wrote:
    ShinerBock wrote:
    After watching the video, I think you need to add more context to this to further your point. The charging of five hours was on top of overnight charging while they slept.
    The first night they pulled in a 3am and slept until 8am. I think TFL failed to get a night sleep.
    I would consider 12 hours to be an overnight charge. Pull in by 8pm, leave 8am.
    This could cut into driving safely the next day. (TFL fail)
    You would have never survived in my family... I'm a farmers kid. I get more done before sunrise than most do all day. I wouldn't have it any other way.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jun 15, 2022
    ShinerBock wrote:
    After watching the video, I think you need to add more context to this to further your point. The charging of five hours was on top of overnight charging while they slept.
    The first night they pulled in a 3am and slept until 8am. I think TFL failed to get a night sleep.
    I would consider 12 hours to be an overnight charge. Pull in by 8pm, leave 8am.
    This could cut into driving safely the next day. (TFL fail)
  • Lantley's avatar
    Lantley
    Nomad
    Jun 15, 2022
    While the others play catch up in terms of infrastructure Tesla has figured it out to a large degree.
    At this point all the others are still playing catch up.
    Tesla has really changed the game. Once you understand the ICE is obsolete you will see that charging stations and batteries are the next big hurdle but it is only a matter of time before these hurdles are overcome.
    I imagine when the model T came on the scene it took awhile for people to park their horse and buggy. I imagine it also took awhile before there was gas available on every corner nationwide.
    The challenge for the Wright bros. was creating the plane. Figuring out where to build airports was the easy part.
    Tesla has shown that the ICE can be replaced with a motor more similar to a vaccuum cleaner than a car engine
    Pistons, fuel injection,cams shafts,large transmissions,radiators, manifolds,mufflers.+ are all eliminated....let that sink in!!! THe are to trunks on a Tesla and no real engine compartment. There is no heat to dissapate.
    Tesla is real and working. Figuring out where to put charging stations is the easy part. OK not that easy but certainly doable.
    EV is here to stay all the auto manufacturers realize the ICE is dead and have committed to EV even though they have not totally sorted things out like Tesla.
    The challenge now is to change the public mindset and understanding of EV as well as adapting and creating the infrastructure to suport it.
    There is also the challenge of who is going to reap the profits. There will be winners and losers. Exxon Mobil is not going away without a fight. Many of us had VCR's and Blockbuster cards that are now worthless.
    Going green is as much about the battle over the money $$$ as it is the battle over the enviroment.
    Change is coming.....Wired internet is going away totally wireless routers are the future.
    It happens fast, keep looking forward not backwards.....nothing behind you but: pay phones, VCR's, DVD's, horse and buggy's, tube TV's,land line phones and ICE's!
  • FishOnOne's avatar
    FishOnOne
    Nomad
    Jun 15, 2022
    Changed the title of this thread to include the Ike Gauntlet pull.

    Here's a comparison of the Lightning versus the Power Boost Hybrid. Power on the lightning is downright impressive and certainly better battery performance compared to the Rivian. The Lightning is the second truck to date not requiring any brake applications during the downhill test.

    Link

    Given the choice of the full electric or hybrid I would have to go the hybrid route.

About Travel Trailer Group

44,050 PostsLatest Activity: Sep 08, 2025