C&D EV Tow Test

[Sparky450]

5 hours ago, Stevo said:

This is a guy that should have solar, he probably paying $400-600 in the summer months for AC to run as well.

Ripon to Fremont is one of the worst commutes in the Bay Area. The days I’m on the road at 4am the only traffic alert will be the altamont and it just stacks up from there. 

I am in the bay a lot. I have gotten to were I leave at 3:30-345 and take a nap when I get there. I used to say over the hill by 5. Now it is over the hill by 4:40🙃

[UWSkier]

1 hour ago, Sparky450 said:

I am in the bay a lot. I have gotten to were I leave at 3:30-345 and take a nap when I get there. I used to say over the hill by 5. Now it is over the hill by 4:40🙃

even after the COVID exodus?  That sucks.  Vast majority of my driving is up and down the peninsula, Millbrae to Santa Clara.  Or was, when I was there once a month.  COVID killed my need to go to CA for work and I don't miss it.

[spikew919]

On 1/18/2024 at 11:27 AM, teamerickson said:

Here's real world experience for an almost 5 year EV owner in CA. I've owned the Ford 150 Lightning for the last year and a half. It's one of the most inefficient EVs there is.

I can charge at home, during the overnight hours, at .15 cent per KW. My battery is ~130 KWs. So about $19.50 to completely charge from 0-100% (130kw x .15cents = $19.50). I can go 270 miles on the freeway or about 320 in city driving.  So it costs me about $20 to drive 270 miles on the freeway. Let's compare that to the F150 ICE. Not sure what the MPG is? Let's say 25 on the freeway. 270 miles divided by 25MPG = 10.8 gallons. 10.8 x $5 = $54. So I save about $34.5 per fill up with freeway driving. City driving my fill up cost is the same, $19.5. F150 ICE get's about 18 in city? So 320 miles divided by 18 = 17.7 gallons. 17.7 gallons x $5 = $88.9. So I save about $69 on a fill up with city diving. 

That seems like a lot of savings to me? Plus the EV driving experience is 1000% better (more fun, easier), and it's the best tow vehicle there is. I could probably rip the trailer coupler apart if I wanted!

In my opinion the best tow vehicle would be the one that easily pulls the load and can stop at almost any service station, fill up in 10 to 20 minutes with 100 to 120  or so gallons of fuel and tow another 1200 to 1500 miles before having to fill again.  My time is worth way too much to spend and hour or more at convenience stores. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[spikew919]

On 1/18/2024 at 12:20 PM, teamerickson said:

Can you use gas stations if the power is out?

Um yes most here have a standby  generator  that they actually have diesel on hand to run. But I doubt they are sized large enough to run ev charging stations along with everything else they are running. 

[Sparky450]

18 hours ago, UWSkier said:

even after the COVID exodus?  That sucks.  Vast majority of my driving is up and down the peninsula, Millbrae to Santa Clara.  Or was, when I was there once a month.  COVID killed my need to go to CA for work and I don't miss it.

You are lucky not to have to be here😎😎

I want out but I am too old to build another business. And all the family are here. I thought my daughter was going to exodus. But she just bought a house. We all love Arizona

[Sparky450]

41 minutes ago, spikew919 said:

Um yes most here have a standby  generator  that they actually have diesel on hand to run. But I doubt they are sized large enough to run ev charging stations along with everything else they are running. 

Again with PG&E and there rolling outages. Generates are following in line. Even residential home in town are adding generators 

[UWSkier]

56 minutes ago, spikew919 said:

In my opinion the best tow vehicle would be the one that easily pulls the load and can stop at almost any service station, fill up in 10 to 20 minutes with 100 to 120  or so gallons of fuel and tow another 1200 to 1500 miles before having to fill again.  My time is worth way too much to spend and hour or more at convenience stores. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Stevo]

12 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

 

All that into a 12oz bottle, those are rookie numbers.

[UWSkier]

17 minutes ago, Stevo said:

All that into a 12oz bottle, those are rookie numbers.

I imagine it's like Dumb and Dumber where it ends up being several.  Can't stop once you started, it stings!

[spikew919]

[UWSkier]

Kind like Mr. Fusion I suppose.

[teamerickson]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:35 AM, spikew919 said:

In my opinion the best tow vehicle would be the one that easily pulls the load and can stop at almost any service station, fill up in 10 to 20 minutes with 100 to 120  or so gallons of fuel and tow another 1200 to 1500 miles before having to fill again.  My time is worth way too much to spend and hour or more at convenience stores. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I probably launch/load 20-25 times a season. I don't have to go to a gas station or public charger ONCE to fill up my truck. That's a lot of time saved!

Edited January 23 by teamerickson

[theloungelife]

Earlier in this thread I was an avid Rivian owner.  I am back in a gas Expedition now.  I think there are a tons of pros and cons.  It's not black and white.  I think it all depends on how you plan to use the vehicle.  Anyway, made a video detailing my experience if anyone is interested.  Talk about the pros/cons, range and charging costs.  In summary I would say if you plan to roadtrip or have a tow over 100 miles round trip, I would get something else.  

 

[PrestigeLakeWide]

6 hours ago, theloungelife said:

Earlier in this thread I was an avid Rivian owner.  I am back in a gas Expedition now.  I think there are a tons of pros and cons.  It's not black and white.  I think it all depends on how you plan to use the vehicle.  Anyway, made a video detailing my experience if anyone is interested.  Talk about the pros/cons, range and charging costs.  In summary I would say if you plan to roadtrip or have a tow over 100 miles round trip, I would get something else.  

 

Great video, I think the only thing I wanted to hear was what specific Battery and Drive system on your Rivian you were working with.

[theloungelife]

2 hours ago, PrestigeLakeWide said:

Great video, I think the only thing I wanted to hear was what specific Battery and Drive system on your Rivian you were working with.

Good call.  I'll add it to the youtube description.  This was large battery back w/ quad motors.

[Steve B.]

Interested in other details too, like cabin heating cooling and even throttle/pedal control. Is cabin heating cooling similar to ICE vehicles? (and it's affect on range) As far as pedal control, say pulling a load out of a boat ramp, is it effortless?, similar to ICE's? Technology/Stereo/Navigation? Thanks in advance.

[theloungelife]

On 1/30/2024 at 8:10 PM, Steve B. said:

Interested in other details too, like cabin heating cooling and even throttle/pedal control. Is cabin heating cooling similar to ICE vehicles? (and it's affect on range) As far as pedal control, say pulling a load out of a boat ramp, is it effortless?, similar to ICE's? Technology/Stereo/Navigation? Thanks in advance.

Heating/cooling has a small impact on range but it isn't huge.  For example in the winter I took it snowboarding.  Here in Utah you have to get to the mountain super early or you don't get to park.  Sat in the parking lot with the heat set at 70F for 2 hours and battery only went down 1-2%. 

Pedal control is interesting.  It is different than ICE but once you get used to it, I actually found it very precise.  With an EV your pedal is your power and your brake.  There is no slip/roll even with the trailer on starting up a ramp. 

I've never owned a 3/4 diesel to compare but I would say pulling the load up the ramp, the Rivian smoked any 1/2 ton or SUV gasser I have used.  The torque is crazy.  It is instant and rated at 908 lb-ft.  

Per Technology/Stereo/Navigation, no Carplay but decent.  Other youtube videos go deep there would critique better than I can.

All in all the R1T was amazing unless you need to tow more than 100ish miles round trip.  If that is your use case, it's going to be a pain.  My other main gripe that I covered in the video is if you get any body damage, the repair process takes forever.  Took me 1 year to get a quarter panel fixed.  7 months of that I was without vehicle.  Gave me time to think and realize I wanted something else.  

[Rack]

 While driving to Utah on March 6 on the I-15 North bound Just outside of Baker Calif.  A Pick-up with a travel trailer was pulled over on the side of the road. 

When I passed I noticed it was a Rivian. The guy was using his Generator in the travel trailer to charge his truck. ( didn't have my camera ready) 

Can't understand why he passed the town of Baker, 2 miles back. Baker has 90 charging stations. I don't own a EV and I know about the charging station.

Towing up the Baker grade can be challenging Its not that steep but a long Hard pull. Caltrans added a third lane for slower traffic.  

Hard to tell at a glance but judging from the amount of cable he had stretched out between the Trailer and the Truck he came prepared to do this. 

Maybe someone on this forum can shed some light on why you would not be aware of your power level and all the charging station on your route.

Especially on the road to Las Vegas. 

 

 

 

Edited March 12 by Rack

[wedge88]

54 minutes ago, Rack said:

 While driving to Utah on March 6 on the I-15 North bound Just outside of Baker Calif.  A Pick-up with a travel trailer was pulled over on the side of the road. 

When I passed I noticed it was a Rivian. The guy was using his Generator in the travel trailer to charge his truck. ( didn't have my camera ready) 

Can't understand why he passed the town of Baker, 2 miles back. Baker has 90 charging stations. I don't own a EV and I know about the charging station.

Towing up the Baker grade can be challenging Its not that steep but a long Hard pull. Caltrans added a third lane for slower traffic.  

Hard to tell at a glance but judging from the amount of cable he had stretched out between the Trailer and the Truck he came prepared to do this. 

Maybe someone on this forum can shed some light on why you would not be aware of your power level and all the charging station on your route.

Especially on the road to Las Vegas. 

 

 

 

He's got the genie already so why pay for the charge.  I would have chosen to do this in a parking lot vs the side of the road but....

[UWSkier]

1 hour ago, wedge88 said:

He's got the genie already so why pay for the charge.  I would have chosen to do this in a parking lot vs the side of the road but....

Genny isn't going to provide nearly the wattage to charge in a timely manner.  Travel trailer generator can push maybe 30A at 110v and charge at a trickle rate compared to the charging stations.

[Cole2001]

Are you sure he wasn't running the RV off the Rivian? Would be plugged into the bed tho. He is going to be there all day with a basic 30 amp rv plug.