Rivian 1/2 ton high temp, grade test. Good read/video

valhalla360 wrote:

Reisender wrote:

Yah. Comparative testing would be nice. Side by side tables are easy to follow and make decisions accordingly.

However I would think that towing range is not that big a deal for most F150 owners. Or at least around here. Most F150 owners here never tow anything, or if they do it is a 6000 pound travel trailer or 4000 boat they use on the weekend.

Comparative testing will get more important when one of the manufactures gets interested in the 3/4 ton or 1 ton market someday. And when that happens I wouldn’t be surprised if ford is first to the plate.

Yes, most 1/2 tons don't do a lot of towing but a significant percentage do some (I'm betting in raw numbers more 1/2 tons tow RVs than 3/4 and 1 ton combined)...and since 1/2 tons is where they are going electric first, it is absolutely a critical criteria to establish the capability.

Even if it's a 3000lb trailer, it's wind resistance that really eats up range. I have a small enclosed utility trailer and even empty, there is a noticeable drop in MPG.

A 6000lb trailer is right in the ideal range for a typical 1/2 ton truck.

10,000lb trailers, really most are moving up to 3/4 ton anyway.

But a typical travel trailer in each of those weight ranges wouldn't be hard to run the test and would give a very good idea of the impacts of towing on range since that's what it's all about if they are talking battery powered tow vehicles.

Ifs probably safer to test at the max expected tow capacity in terms of cooling and heating performance on grades etc. Gives them some wiggle room as far as the engineering goes. I think ford tests the same way with their gassers. Looking at the Ford F-150 truck forums the general consensus seems to be a 1/2 ton gasser ford loses have its range when towing. Which is kind of what the Rivian guts are finding on their tests. Our dually with the 7.3 Powerstroke lost about a third of its range when towing but that was 18 years ago.

Contractors and contractor fleet owners will love the reduced operating costs of electric. That and no more idling to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer. Even just as ordinary EV drivers that has been a huge plus for us over the last 5 years of EV driving.