Community Forums

dbircky · 11-30-2021, 04:46 PM

Looks like a 62% loss in range towing a 5400 pound loaded car carrier and not a much larger frontal area travel trailer or fifth wheel. Stopping every 100 miles for a full recharge? Looking at evcompare.io, it shows only about $18 to fill the battery from 0 to 100%. That’s decent for a 100 miles. That’s 18 cents a mile fuel costs which is pretty darn good. Of course that also will take 13 hours and 38 minutes for a full charge. When you factor in the charging time, your average speed drops to just over 6 mph. Maybe this is part of the reason Ford walked away from Rivian?

HarryStone · 11-30-2021, 04:52 PM

Even the Ford ev loses distance when towing. Without the Tesla supercharger, it will take a while to get a full charge. Don't be in a hurry.

Isaac-1 · 11-30-2021, 06:39 PM

Still it might work for towing a small camping trailer to the campground with hookups at the local lake 50-75 miles away for the weekend, and leave enough range to run into town to go shopping the next morning.

Cat · 11-30-2021, 06:51 PM

One of thing I read recently is that they the battery manufacturers are recommending not to discharge your battery more than 40-50% because it will shorten the life of the battery. Since the vehicle manufacturers generally are offering a 100000 mile battery warranty and estimated battery costs 12000-17000. What happens if the battery has been discharged to 20% several times? Will they still warranty the battery? If you discharge to 50% on a 300 mile battery thats 150 miles and if you're towing you only get half thats only 75 miles. That not very good. We'll see what happens. Safe Travels

radar · 11-30-2021, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbircky

Looks like a 62% loss in range towing a 5400 pound loaded car carrier and not a much larger frontal area travel trailer or fifth wheel. Stopping every 100 miles for a full recharge? Looking at evcompare.io, it shows only about $18 to fill the battery from 0 to 100%. That’s decent for a 100 miles. That’s 18 cents a mile fuel costs which is pretty darn good. Of course that also will take 13 hours and 38 minutes for a full charge. When you factor in the charging time, your average speed drops to just over 6 mph. Maybe this is part of the reason Ford walked away from Rivian?

Hmmm. A standard 150 KW CCS charger would be less than an hour to charge that. Not sure where that 13 hours comes from. Maybe charging at home?

Tesla Superchargers are 250 KW so it would be even faster for a cybertruck.

It is weird though that Rivian limited their charge rate to 150 kw. Electrify America chargers go up to 350 kw. Porches charge st 270 kw. Thinking Rivian needs to step it up a bit here. Get the charge time under 30 minutes. That and put in a bigger battery.

JMHO.

radar · 11-30-2021, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

One of thing I read recently is that they the battery manufacturers are recommending not to discharge your battery more than 40-50% because it will shorten the life of the battery. Since the vehicle manufacturers generally are offering a 100000 mile battery warranty and estimated battery costs 12000-17000. What happens if the battery has been discharged to 20% several times? Will they still warranty the battery? If you discharge to 50% on a 300 mile battery thats 150 miles and if you're towing you only get half thats only 75 miles. That not very good. We'll see what happens. Safe Travels

Nope. None of the vehicle manufacturers have that restriction. Tesla recommends you don’t let it sit near zero or at full for any length of time. We charge to 100 percent the night before and charge when we are breaks or lunch or whatever. We have been down around 18 to 20 percent a few times but we generally drive like we drove our grand Cherokee. Keep it above a quarter “ tank”.

dbircky · 11-30-2021, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radar

Hmmm. A standard 150 KW CCS charger would be less than an hour to charge that. Not sure where that 13 hours comes from. Maybe charging at home?

Tesla Superchargers are 250 KW so it would be even faster for a cybertruck.

It is weird though that Rivian limited their charge rate to 150 kw. Electrify America chargers go up to 350 kw. Porches charge st 270 kw. Thinking Rivian needs to step it up a bit here. Get the charge time under 30 minutes. That and put in a bigger battery.

JMHO.

I just used the website quoted in the article. Neat calculator in there. Select the ev, method of charging, and how much needs put in.

Here’s the link:

https://evcompare.io/

radar · 11-30-2021, 07:23 PM

Neat site. But I couldn’t find that tool. Suffice to say with that time it would be level 2 AC charging. Level 3 DC fast charging is typically 40 min for EV’s except Teslas and Porsche’s which are about half that.

atreis · 11-30-2021, 07:25 PM

Gas powered cars also lose distance when towing. Towing my 21 foot TT, I got half the mileage I got when driving the same vehicle without towing. Batteries don't change the physics of that. The issue with towing with an EV is the charge time, and the relatively short range to start with. Some people still do it. Was camping at a park near the Smokies last summer and there was a couple towing a small TT (Livin Lite) with a Tesla. IMO, it'll be a while yet before mass adoption of EVs for towing though.

Cat · 11-30-2021, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radar

Nope. None of the vehicle manufacturers have that restriction. Tesla recommends you don’t let it sit near zero or at full for any length of time. We charge to 100 percent the night before and charge when we are breaks or lunch or whatever. We have been down around 18 to 20 percent a few times but we generally drive like we drove our grand Cherokee. Keep it above a quarter “ tank”.

Couldn't find that article again but here is part of one that talks a little about improving EV battery life by not letting battery go below 20% for long or chrage over 80% unless going on a long trip. I'm still curious about what is considered a failed battery, obviously one thats dead/shorted but what about how much its degraded over period of time. I will say I've not really heard of any horror stories about rv batteries except the GM batteries that are being recalled. Safe Travels

radar · 12-01-2021, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

Couldn't find that article again but here is part of one that talks a little about improving EV battery life by not letting battery go below 20% for long or chrage over 80% unless going on a long trip. I'm still curious about what is considered a failed battery, obviously one thats dead/shorted but what about how much its degraded over period of time. I will say I've not really heard of any horror stories about rv batteries except the GM batteries that are being recalled. Safe Travels

Those are similar to Teslas guidelines except for daily use tesla uses 90 percent as an upper number and 100 percent for road trips. You can go to zero but you shouldn’t let it sit there. If it’s going to sit then the 20 to 90 percent is recommended.

The new standard range model 3’s have LFP cells in them so they don’t mention those restrictions. No nickel or cobalt in those cars.

George Schweikle · 12-01-2021, 07:10 AM

A friend is employed by Rivian and is moving from Michigan to California where Rivian has moved their corporate headquarters. They are towing a Mustang on an open trailer with a Rivian and from their Facebook posts they are driving 70-80 MPH and stopping several times each day to recharge. Electrify America has been offering free charging at some locations (Isn't this the company established by VW in lieu of a giant U.S. fine for diesel-gate?)

https://www.facebook.com/Gideon-the-...04801385357972

Edit: on battery range from the driver "I can't tell you" (presumably company confidential at this time)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbircky

Looks like a 62% loss in range towing a 5400 pound loaded car carrier and not a much larger frontal area travel trailer or fifth wheel. Stopping every 100 miles for a full recharge? Looking at evcompare.io, it shows only about $18 to fill the battery from 0 to 100%. That’s decent for a 100 miles. That’s 18 cents a mile fuel costs which is pretty darn good. Of course that also will take 13 hours and 38 minutes for a full charge. When you factor in the charging time, your average speed drops to just over 6 mph. Maybe this is part of the reason Ford walked away from Rivian?

MRUSA14 · 12-01-2021, 07:15 AM

Get real. Using a Rivian for towing is like using a penknife to cut down a Redwood tree.

RoadTrip2084 · 12-01-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

Get real. Using a Rivian for towing is like using a penknife to cut down a Redwood tree.

Not at all. It has amazing torque, all wheel drive, rival anything else in it's class. I'm sure it's a fantastic towing experience. You just have to stop and recharge every 3 hours. It's actually safer/healthier for the driver too to take a break and stretch their legs.

"It's the journey, not the destination"