Range test, pickups. GMC vs Ford Lighting EV, same trailers

None of this really matters in their fuel economy test, but come on, making a video where you overload trucks and generally exhibit unsafe towing practices? Classy.
You mean they are towing things in the same way that the "average truck owner" would tow?
 
75 miles of practical towing range. That's no surprise. I've been saying this for years now. Unfortunately, there really is a large group of "believers" who insist that this is somehow OK for the average person. It's not.

If you need to do real work, don't purchase an electric anything. If you simply need to operate in a generally local area, an EV is a great choice.

Furthermore, the time to charge a 130KWh battery with enough energy to go another 60-70 miles is an hour long process.

Yup, this wouldn't work for towing our boats. There's no charger located at the 1/2 way or even 3/4 point in either direction, not even sure if an alternative route would work. Back when we had the Ecodiesel, I could make that whole drive, there and back, on about $15 in diesel, with the boat.
 
Well they do make the claim in the video that the trailer is well within the towing specs. amd these guys do seem to know what they are doing. So I’m thinking that neither truck was overloaded In any way.

They've gotten in wrong before... As an example they had no idea to derate towing capacity due to elevation... Which became important when they overheated their powerboost truck when it was overloaded...
 
They've gotten in wrong before... As an example they had no idea to derate towing capacity due to elevation... Which became important when they overheated their powerboost truck when it was overloaded...
You know living in the Salt Lake Valley-and having to climb significant mountain passes to go to Wyoming or Colorado-with the F150 in big numbers on the roads-I'm not seeing these over heated trucks. Now-if you are overloaded or pushing your max payload and/or towing capacity-thats something you should never do regardless of which brand of truck you are towing with.
 
The F150 board have many members reporting issues in the high elevation west with derating at high speeds when towing heavy and hot. (Note the actual standard tests are done at a lower elevation and only at 45mph...). The truck derates itself before it self destructs, so you won't find them on the side of the road since they go into protection mode before they actually overheat.

In the TFL case, they loaded their truck up with a trailer just shy of 10,000 lbs, and tried to tow over Vail Pass (10,600 ft). Ford recommends derating the tow capacity by 2% per 1000 ft of elevation - dropping their trucks actual capacity on the pass by 21%... meaning they were overloaded by trailer weight and they weren't even towing a high profile trailer.

One can also look at the size of the Toyota grille on their now turbocharged truck. Some of the commentary is that this may help the Tundra avoid this issue that has popped up on the Ecoboost F150's.

Again, they aren't dying and sitting on the side of the road. But they are derating...
 
Well they do make the claim in the video that the trailer is well within the towing specs. amd these guys do seem to know what they are doing. So I’m thinking that neither truck was overloaded In any way.

I'm glad you posted this before I could because I was thinking about the @MNgopher post suggesting the full size trucks couldn't tow full size trailer. I heard zero mention of this in the video. So either the video is wrong, or the one suggesting overload is, as to "overloaded before they even start."

The video did mention "real-world use testing."

I don't have a horse in the race. Just comparison of EV drivetrain to the Denali.. identical trailers. Aside from some promoption, I found the video interesting.

I don't think they mentioned elevation. They did mention tall trailers, wind resistance.

They never mentioned the average speed they were traveling at.

They did. They were maintaining 65, and dropped it down to 55 and then side roads when they found the Ford wasn't going to make it.
 
Yup, this wouldn't work for towing our boats. There's no charger located at the 1/2 way or even 3/4 point in either direction, not even sure if an alternative route would work. Back when we had the Ecodiesel, I could make that whole drive, there and back, on about $15 in diesel, with the boat.

Even if there were chargers - they wouldnt be pull through style designed to accommodate trucks with trailers.

You'd likely be forced to disconnect.

The charge spots were pretty empty but Romans kid pulled a total douchebag move blocking the entire parking lot.
That kind of stunt makes you unpopular real quick.

EV trucks are local tow only at this point.

From your Lakehouse/ house to the a launch ramp 10 miles away it'd be awesome,
- but 250 miles each way from the lake to home its not going to work for a long time from now.
 
I'm glad you posted this before I could because I was thinking about the @MNgopher post suggesting the full size trucks couldn't tow full size trailer. I heard zero mention of this in the video. So either the video is wrong, or the one suggesting overload is, as to "overloaded before they even start."

The video did mention "real-world use testing."

...

I don't think they mentioned elevation. ...

Always interesting how posts get taken out of context.

Nowhere did I or have I suggested that full size trucks cannot tow trailers... I did state in the usage at my current employer that we don't buy 1/2 tons to tow... (and frankly, the things we do tow would typically take either a Max tow equipped F150 or the F250/350/450/550 trucks we do purchase for the task).

I didn't claim that the trucks in the test were overloaded, and subsequent posts made the statement they assumed this crew knew what they were doing. I merely pointed out that is not a given they know what they are doing based on past performance - they have overloaded trucks in the past.

In regards to elevation, that again was in regards to the test they did run with an overloaded truck in the past since even they didn't understand all the criteria that goes into the tow rating. Nothing to do with the current video.

If all of this is construed as me saying that 1/2 ton trucks can't or shouldn't tow, or that electric trucks can do everything just as well, my two parting shots:

-My personal vehicle is a crew cab F150 with the 2.7 V6, and the optional 36 gallon gas tank. I too enjoy not having to stop when I tow long distances - like when I tow a 4500lb boat to and from Ontario for a yearly fishing trip.

-My work truck is a supercab F150 with a 3.3l V6. There is nothing about this truck and its use that the lighting could not do, and likely do it significantly cheaper for my employer...
 
Always interesting how posts get taken out of context.

Nowhere did I or have I suggested that full size trucks cannot tow trailers... I did state in the usage at my current employer that we don't buy 1/2 tons to tow... (and frankly, the things we do tow would typically take either a Max tow equipped F150 or the F250/350/450/550 trucks we do purchase for the task).

I didn't claim that the trucks in the test were overloaded, and subsequent posts made the statement they assumed this crew knew what they were doing. I merely pointed out that is not a given they know what they are doing based on past performance - they have overloaded trucks in the past.

In regards to elevation, that again was in regards to the test they did run with an overloaded truck in the past since even they didn't understand all the criteria that goes into the tow rating. Nothing to do with the current video.

If all of this is construed as me saying that 1/2 ton trucks can't or shouldn't tow, or that electric trucks can do everything just as well, my two parting shots:

-My personal vehicle is a crew cab F150 with the 2.7 V6, and the optional 36 gallon gas tank. I too enjoy not having to stop when I tow long distances - like when I tow a 4500lb boat to and from Ontario for a yearly fishing trip.

-My work truck is a supercab F150 with a 3.3l V6. There is nothing about this truck and its use that the lighting could not do, and likely do it significantly cheaper for my employer...

I appreciate your clarifications.

No, no "shots fired," I wasn't quite sure where you were drawing from and I was first of the thought that the video was wrong.

I was in earnest thinking about your post during the half a movie I watched today, which was confusing and weird. Your post was better and more thought-provoking than it.
 
I think they should have topped each vehicle off to 100% at the same time.

Would be nice to have the comparison, & total price to drive a set distance between each vehicle, & time lost to refill the EV.

I would also want to see a comparison in the winter pulling loaded snowmobile trailers on slushy, snow covered highways, in temperatures below freezing.

Why they didn't compare the Ford gasoline powered 1/2 ton to the Ford EV baffles me.
 
Do the batteries on the EV get a "deep charge" or at least use any kind of regenerative braking? It looks like the front grill is a solar panel.

It also looks like it somewhat a bottom breather, as @MNgopher alluded to.. the EV did de-tune when the battery percentage went low.

Again, I didn't have any preconceived notions going in, having no or next to no knowledge of an EV except that they have amazing torque available instantly, tend to be very fast, are supposed to be very very good, . I saw the video of two trucks towing identical trailers, supposedly evenly matched ? Previewed the video and here we are.
 
Hopefully the Silverado EV will be a bit more capable. ~400 miles EPA with the big battery, and GM mentions 450 miles on their next battery chemistry coming in a few years. Would be nice to see 220-ish miles towing, which would be right on par with current ICE 1/2 tons with the standard size fuel tank.

And faster charging with the new GM dual-plug system?
 
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Yup, this wouldn't work for towing our boats. There's no charger located at the 1/2 way or even 3/4 point in either direction, not even sure if an alternative route would work. Back when we had the Ecodiesel, I could make that whole drive, there and back, on about $15 in diesel, with the boat.
With only one $5k stop at the repair shop during the trip?

Maybe some were great but from my experience with them the 3.0 Ecodiesels should have been lined up along with Ford’s 1.5/1.6 Ecoboost and GMs LT engines with AFM and recycled before they ever had a chance to be put into a vehicle.
 
Conversely, the people who insist will never work conveniently don't acknowledge the cases where it will...

Do we think that "real work" doesn't get done in a city too? I'm one of them, as is everyone else on my crews...
Not our guys. They commute in Los Angela's traffic every day. At least 3 hrs each way. On Friday night it can take 6+ hrs to get home.
 
With only one $5k stop at the repair shop during the trip?

Maybe some were great but from my experience with them the 3.0 Ecodiesels should have been lined up along with Ford’s 1.5/1.6 Ecoboost and GMs LT engines with AFM and recycled before they ever had a chance to be put into a vehicle.
We didn't own it very long (about a year) because it was doing regens every week because my wife was short tripping it. It was an '18, we traded it on the DT HEMI, which, while vastly more thirsty, doesn't care if you short trip it.

We didn't have any issues with it, but I know some people have some horror stories while others have been problem free. Really seems to be the luck of the draw. It towed amazingly well though, and the truck was gorgeous.
 
-My personal vehicle is a crew cab F150 with the 2.7 V6, and the optional 36 gallon gas tank. I too enjoy not having to stop when I tow long distances - like when I tow a 4500lb boat to and from Ontario for a yearly fishing trip.
Awesome vehicle! I have 3 F150's. Considering today's fuel prices, the 2.7 with the big fuel tank is the one that flat out ROCKS! I can tow about 6000-6500 pounds (helicopter dolly and trailer) no problem and it still gets the same or better economy than my 5.4L V8 with no load!

These really are fantastic trucks. But any way you slice it, the Lightning won't do for my uses. Just an FYI, doing 1300 miles, today and tomorrow. FL-NY.
 
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