Power bank possible???

[LightningShow]

The range of an ICE F150 is approx 400 miles. Where you are going that is 200 miles from the last gas station? I can't fathom going 400 miles, 200 miles each way, from the nearest gas station. I'm not even sure such a place exists in the US except in Alaska.

Care to share your road trip plans so we understand?

The duty cycle of that gen is not 100%. You will kill it in a day or two. Using it to charge an EV is not the same as a campsite, welder, etc.

Sorry, perhaps I haven't been clear....let me restate it.

Here is the scenario: For someone who owns an EV truck with 230 miles of range, what are the options for this person to go more than 115 miles from a public charging station? This particular person wants to keep their EV truck but also wants the flexibility to extend their range on occasion, "buy an ICE truck" isn't an option for this person.

I think we can all agree that there are many places that are more than 115 miles from a public charging station let alone a DCFC. Even if there is a charging station less than 115 miles away, it's often out of the way and inconvenient.

You've correctly pointed out that some generators will have issues if run at full load continuously, although that's not terribly relevant here since you don't have to charge at full load. The vehicle will still charge and extend your range at 30% load or 40% or 50% or 60%, etc. It will just extend it less and you would need to take that into account.

Assuming the Lightning SR battery is 110kWh, you would need to charge at 2-3kW over the course of a weekend to fully charge the battery, which would be ~30% load for the generator I had posted. I'm not sure how much flexibility the Lightning has to control charge rate, that will also be a factor.

Again, this is proposed to extend the use cases for an EV truck not to define what the ideal vehicle is for this type of activity. My assumption is that the person who might find this option beneficial has a primary use case where 230 miles is sufficient for 98% of their driving.

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[ChasingCoral]

How reliable are charging station anyway? My solar installer told me he had an issue with two units that didn’t work and he almost didn’t make it home with his Bolt.

I have never had to leave a charging station without a charge.

 

[MickeyAO]

Sorry, perhaps I haven't been clear....let me restate it.

Here is the scenario: For someone who owns an EV truck with 230 miles of range, what are the options for this person to go more than 115 miles from a public charging station? This particular person wants to keep their EV truck but also wants the flexibility to extend their range on occasion, "buy an ICE truck" isn't an option for this person.

Again, this is proposed to extend the use cases for an EV truck not to define what the ideal vehicle is for this type of activity. My assumption is that the person who might find this option beneficial has a primary use case where 230 miles is sufficient for 98% of their driving.

Instead of a purely hypothetical destination, look at where you might actually go. Yes, driving to Groom Lake Nevada will put me outside the range for charging, but how likely am I to ACTUALLY go to Groom Lake? Give us a probable destination you are planning on where we can use actual facts.

 

[corradoborg]

Sorry, perhaps I haven't been clear....let me restate it.

Here is the scenario: For someone who owns an EV truck with 230 miles of range, what are the options for this person to go more than 115 miles from a public charging station? This particular person wants to keep their EV truck but also wants the flexibility to extend their range on occasion, "buy an ICE truck" isn't an option for this person.

I think we can all agree that there are many places that are more than 115 miles from a public charging station let alone a DCFC. Even if there is a charging station less than 115 miles away, it's often out of the way and inconvenient.

You've correctly pointed out that some generators will have issues if run at full load continuously, although that's not terribly relevant here since you don't have to charge at full load. The vehicle will still charge and extend your range at 30% load or 40% or 50% or 60%, etc. It will just extend it less and you would need to take that into account.

Assuming the Lightning SR battery is 110kWh, you would need to charge at 2-3kW over the course of a weekend to fully charge the battery, which would be ~30% load for the generator I had posted. I'm not sure how much flexibility the Lightning has to control charge rate, that will also be a factor.

Again, this is proposed to extend the use cases for an EV truck not to define what the ideal vehicle is for this type of activity. My assumption is that the person who might find this option beneficial has a primary use case where 230 miles is sufficient for 98% of their driving.

If "buy an ICE vehicle" isn't an option for this hypothetical, then why is "charge your EV with an ICE generator"? The whole point of EVs (for most buyers) is to get away from burning fossil fuels. Someone using an ICE generator isn't doing that.

The Lightning will come with a 120v/220v "travel charger." If you can find a standard wall outlet, you are not stranded. Just delayed.

 

[tsmith60]

Hey guys. I appreciate the brainstorming. Lots of good considerations being explored here.

I was following a Tesla swap 73 challenger And this guy completely customized the car for ev usage. It gave me the idea of maybe there would be a charger pack of some sort that could be built that could possibly ease range anxiety associated with essentially camping and pulling a modest camper.

then I saw the link for the teardrop camper with the battery pack built in, but that thing was 60k. Wild.

even a pack we could have in the bed for oh no moments might be something worth researching how to build.

I just got finished building my first small block ford top to bottom so I’m feeling pretty confident lol. I know that’s nothing compared to an ev battery setup though. Anyway, it might not be a good idea to start tooling on a brand new truck anyway. Just some daydreaming

 

[LightningShow]

If "buy an ICE vehicle" isn't an option for this hypothetical, then why is "charge your EV with an ICE generator"? The whole point of EVs (for most buyers) is to get away from burning fossil fuels. Someone using an ICE generator isn't doing that.

The Lightning will come with a 120v/220v "travel charger." If you can find a standard wall outlet, you are not stranded. Just delayed.

If that’s the whole point then don’t bother. The electricity mostly comes from coal or NG. Home heating energy is oil, propane or NG. EVs scarcely reduce carbon emissions. At least not in the near term.

 

[corradoborg]

If that’s the whole point then don’t bother. The electricity mostly comes from coal or NG. Home heating energy is oil, propane or NG. EVs scarcely reduce carbon emissions. At least not in the near term.

Even in places that burn coal, EVs reduce carbon emissions over their lifetime compared to an ICE vehicle driving the same miles.

In many places one can elect to get all of their electricity from renewables, reducing the total post-manufacturing greenhouse emissions to zero.

 

[LightningShow]

Instead of a purely hypothetical destination, look at where you might actually go. Yes, driving to Groom Lake Nevada will put me outside the range for charging, but how likely am I to ACTUALLY go to Groom Lake? Give us a probable destination you are planning on where we can use actual facts.

Even in places that burn coal, EVs reduce carbon emissions over their lifetime compared to an ICE vehicle driving the same miles.

In many places one can elect to get all of their electricity from renewables, reducing the total post-manufacturing greenhouse emissions to zero.

i’ve seen varied analysis regarding full lifecycle carbon emissions of EV vs ICE, EVs do better on average but the range overlaps. An efficient ICE car will likely have less lifetime carbon emissions than an EV truck.

Either way, my point stands, most people just use fossil fuel based electricity to charge their EVs so using a gas generator to charge it hardly makes a difference in the big picture.

The primary environmental benefit of buying an EV today is to participate in the larger project of converting our transportation infrastructure to one which has the potential to be low carbon if, or when, we transform the electric grid to low/no carbon generation sources.

 

[corradoborg]

i’ve seen varied analysis regarding full lifecycle carbon emissions of EV vs ICE, EVs do better on average but the range overlaps. An efficient ICE car will likely have less lifetime carbon emissions than an EV truck.

Sure, if you insist on comparing apples to oranges. If you do a fair comparison, though - of an EV truck to an ICE truck - the EV is going to be better.

Either way, my point stands, most people just use fossil fuel based electricity to charge their EVs so using a gas generator to charge it hardly makes a difference in the big picture.

Coal is very quickly going away. Natural gas while not ideal, burns cleaner than gasoline, and large power plants don't have the same energy losses due to heat that an ICE does. An ICE generator is even dirtier than an ICE truck engine. No matter how your electricity is generated, getting it from the power company is a lot cleaner than from a generator.

The primary environmental benefit of buying an EV today is to participate in the larger project of converting our transportation infrastructure to one which has the potential to be low carbon if, or when, we transform the electric grid to low/no carbon generation sources.

I agree with this part. EVs are only going to get better and better for the environment as time goes on. Gasoline and diesel-powered ICE vehicles are already at their peak efficiencies and most reduced environmental impacts possible. They won't get any better.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

Get a hybrid F150 that is currently available? It might be the best compromise for you. A generator in the bed is the worse possible solution as others have said. You are a perfect candidate for the ER battery or a hybrid truck.

 

[Tomf]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a plug in hybrid at some point in the future too. Might get you to work or the store with 20-30 mile range but could tow as long as you want. Seems like they can’t make the regular hybrids fast enough at the moment.

 

[sotek2345]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a plug in hybrid at some point in the future too. Might get you to work or the store with 20-30 mile range but could tow as long as you want. Seems like they can’t make the regular hybrids fast enough at the moment.

I would have jumped at a plug in Hybrid F150 if that is what they came out with. Now (post lightning reveal) it would be a hard decision.

 

[jeffcrum]

I would have jumped at a plug in Hybrid F150 if that is what they came out with. Now (post lightning reveal) it would be a hard decision.

A plug in Powerboost makes zero sense.

The added weight of a battery to get 20-30 miles of electric drive would remove all towing/payload capabilities.

The Powerboost is designed to do cool shit with both ICE and electric.

 

[sotek2345]

A plug in Powerboost makes zero sense.

The added weight of a battery to get 20-30 miles of electric drive would remove all towing/payload capabilities.

The Powerboost is designed to do cool shit with both ICE and electric.

It is all about the use case. I don't tow and my hauling is almost all big/bulky things that aren't that heavy. 1200 to 1400 lbs payload is fine for me.

And 30 miles of range would cover all of my commuting and let me do it on electric only.

The non-plug in version is just a few mpg better, not a real significant impact.

 

[Sun Devil]

I would be tempted if a F-150 had 30 miles of electric only range in a plug in hybrid.

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