Tesla EV pickup truck!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Well no matter how good the Tesla's drag might be, towing a travel trailer it will be equal to the F150 with the same trailer as the trailer will dictate. Also a 2.7 EcoBoost aluminum F150 is pretty light, I don't think the Tesla with that big of a battery will weigh that little (currently the lightest X is 200 pounds heavier than the heaviest 2.7). I also think the 2.7 EcoBoost with load has a better BFSC than a 528i completely unloaded. Then what if you used the new small diesel F150 as a comparison? Even better BFSC. You can get a nicely optioned 4x4 crew 2.7 EcoBoost for low $30's a good $15000 less but realistically more like 1/2 the price. If like all other things Tesla the insurance savings alone on the F150 will pay for at least 1/2 the gas an average driver will buy in the F150.

PS, I just looked up the weight of the Rivian and it's more than my 2001 4x4 2500hd Suburban! The Rivian is going to need to be classified as a 3/4 ton to have any usable payload rating.

It would be the brake specific fuel consumption-equivalency,between the ICE and electric drive that will primarily establish the Tesla's 33-mpg towing performance.Electric power-trains typically use about one-third the energy of an ICE to do the same amount of work.From prospecting,test-wells,drilling,completion,production,transport,ref ining,bulk distribution,retail dispensing,and end-use,well-plugging,casing abandonment down-hole,cost of the US military,and environmental hidden costs,an ICE vehicle has an overall thermal efficiency of around 15%.
The Tesla S is only 6% heavier than the BMW 5-Series.I don't know how the Tesla pickup would actually compare to the aluminum F-150.There's no available data yet. At highway speed,rolling resistance is meaningless compared to aero.I added a half-ton to my 1850-lb Honda CIVIC and only lost 2-mpg on the interstate.Volvo research found that weight can be beneficial with a BEV,having to do with regenerative braking and energy recovery.
AeroStealth's F-150 EcoBoost runs at 15.6% load on the interstate,naked.In Texas,one can drive anywhere from 45-mph,to 85-mph.depending upon location.I'm unsure what that would do to BSFC.I suspect that the Tesla's BSFC map is a single island,covering the entire map.
The most important aspect of the Tesla is it's ability to run on zero carbon.That's what they're in business for.If people aren't going to give them up,at least they won't have to dump even more carbon.
I don't have anything to say about the insurance industry other that it's a racket.

[slowmover]

On Airstream Trailer & Motorhome Owners Community are some long-runnng threads about using a TESLA auto to pull an Airstream trailer.

IMO, long-distance trailering is the wrong application, same as electric pickup in general. A pickup “ought” to be quasi-military in functionality. A rancher getting to the back of a difficult property, a high tension powerline or rail crew going far off-road, etc. Batteries offer too little by comparison to liquid fuels.

A van with electric makes far more sense. Lower load height and very little rear overhang (body past rear axle center). . That SHORT rear overhang is hugely advantageous for safe trailer towing. And the van roof height can be quite tall as we see with some van models.

This would work VERY well with a 9’6” high trailer (typical for travel trailer; but let’s imagine a SHORT length, but tall tandem axle trailer with a very low floor to maximize storage in a combined vehicle with relatively short OAL) that could be a metro area service vehicle. Mobile workshop. (“Tall” is a problem primarily with adverse winds. Natural or man-made. Metro only avoids open road wind problems).

A van that is able to seat passengers with minimal changes for family outings and then earns it keep generating income during the week would be the ONLY way I’d venture down the path of an owning an electric vehicle.

A high roof SPRINTER or TRANSIT with an Aerohead/Aerostealth trailer matched to it would be the bees knees (100-mph semi tractor-trailer trucks).

.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by slowmover

On Airstream Trailer & Motorhome Owners Community are some long-runnng threads about using a TESLA auto to pull an Airstream trailer.

IMO, long-distance trailering is the wrong application, same as electric pickup in general. A pickup “ought” to be quasi-military in functionality. A rancher getting to the back of a difficult property, a high tension powerline or rail crew going far off-road, etc. Batteries offer too little by comparison to liquid fuels.

A van with electric makes far more sense. Lower load height and very little rear overhang (body past rear axle center). . That SHORT rear overhang is hugely advantageous for safe trailer towing. And the van roof height can be quite tall as we see with some van models.

This would work VERY well with a 9’6” high trailer (typical for travel trailer; but let’s imagine a SHORT length, but tall tandem axle trailer with a very low floor to maximize storage in a combined vehicle with relatively short OAL) that could be a metro area service vehicle. Mobile workshop. (“Tall” is a problem primarily with adverse winds. Natural or man-made. Metro only avoids open road wind problems).

A van that is able to seat passengers with minimal changes for family outings and then earns it keep generating income during the week would be the ONLY way I’d venture down the path of an owning an electric vehicle.

A high roof SPRINTER or TRANSIT with an Aerohead/Aerostealth trailer matched to it would be the bees knees (100-mph semi tractor-trailer trucks).

.

I don't know any Tesla or Rivian product development people.My guess is that,95% of pickups sold are completely under utilized,and only serve some psychological,perceived need.The electric pickup could easily satisfy that itch,and do it with zero-carbon.
Since a pickup uses the energy of three homes,an EV pickup could cut that to only one home.Still obscene,but only a third as much.
With the same size and weight,there's no reason they couldn't tow whatever an F-150,RAM,or Silverado do now.
I like your idea of the van,and with the skateboard chassis,both Tesla and Rivian could do a follow-on van and full-size SUV as well,and at very little cost,as they'd be 'body-on-frame.' The air-cooled Volkswagens were basically designed for that.

[slowmover]

Pickups aren’t simply under-utilized, their FF/RR weight balance is dangerously skewed. This is before COG problems (and non-compliant suspensions). The three together give credence to a decline in IQ that’s not just demographics-driven. Idiocracy.

[samwichse]

https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/18/1...ck-youtube-diy

Simone Giertz apparently got tired of waiting...

Build video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKv_N0IDS2A

[freebeard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R35gWBtLCYg

I hadn't realized this is Simone Giertz. I know Xist is a fan.



It still needs a shark mouth.

[redpoint5]

Her radiation therapy was delivered by a machine (linear accelerator) the company I work for builds. Not surprising since 1 in 4 people will eventually be treated by one of our machines. Fun seeing one of her videos show some of the stuff I work with/around. Good to see her taking on even bigger stuff post-surgery.

[freebeard]

So in a way, you helped it happen. I watched the Making Of... video. I wonder what the new color will be.

As an old Monster Garage viewer (they never topped having those living legends chop and section a 1953 Chevy in five days) I was very impressed with the shop practices. They stopped and shored it up when the first cut popped apart.

With Rich Rebuilds involved it's sort of an all-star cast.

This may be my new favorite thing, but it cost as much as 3 FUVs. I could see it with a retractable bubbletop (see TBD-1 Devastator) and 5th wheel hitch.

[freebeard]

The story of Rich Rebuilds, his trip to California, Joe Rogan, EV West, Jehu Garcia and the Truckla.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZbAjhMiMG8

It answers the question I had about the back window. It didn't come from the same pickup truck that donated the bed.

And her other EV, Cheese Louise, he declared perfect. But look at that NACA duct molded into the nose and how it was cut out. It's either backward or genius depending on whether it's an inlet or outlet [respectively].

[Xist]

InsideEV shared this, but I could not extract the image to share.
I did a Google Image search for "tesla pickup frunk" and got Jalopnik's reaction to the abomination:

Tesla, I know you read my posts, my junk mail, and my letters to Santa. Please please please do not do anything that resembles this!

I cannot imagine any purpose for this. Have you always wanted bucket seats like wall-saver recliners, but your stupid engine was in the way?

Of course, the pedals would still be in the way.

Do you want your dog to be able to curl up at your feet when you drive?

"That’s not a Tesla truck render. That’s a truck from a video game glitching out."

He shares this beautiful render of a Model IIII that he found. freebeard would approve, although how would you enter and egress? Why does it have fender flares and side skirts or whatever?



My phone told me that even though Tesla does not seem to have made any significant progress, Musk is still planning on revealing their pickup in November.

Comment: "I have better sightlines on my forklift"

https://jalopnik.com/some-people-thi...n64-1838949805