Cybertruck range while towing is HORRIBLE!

[OMFG]

Yeah, I've built a 80x40 building where the first half will be a guest house and the other half is a workshop where you see the 3 x 14'x12' doors. The building is about 27' at it's highest peak.

The odd spacing for the first few trusses is to accommodate for the roll up doors.

Love it. Just finishing up my cabin at land and about to start on my pole barn for equip. If you don't mind me asking, I see that you are in Houston as well so where did you get your lumber and panels? Montalbano Lumber or similar? I normally but at Bayou City Lumber but looking for better options. Buying it out in the sticks by central tx is too damn expensive.

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[Speedr]

Let's be perfectly clear here. It's not towing...it's towing long distances that is the issue. If that is the case, then yes, it does take more time/planning/work than a gas truck.

But let's also acknowledge the other side: towing shorter distances (i.e. 150 miles round trip or less) is AWESOME! You can't even feel that you're towing something half the time. Effortless would be the right word. Also, having precise, instant throttle response is also great for maneuvering...both with and without the trailer (i.e. hitching up).

If you need to regularly tow more than 150 miles at a time, then by all means, get some other truck. For everyone else (including those that don't need to tow), we all know who's the winner...

 

[cyber_moonlight]

Love it. Just finishing up my cabin at land and about to start on my pole barn for equip. If you don't mind me asking, I see that you are in Houston as well so where did you get your lumber and panels? Montalbano Lumber or similar? I normally but at Bayou City Lumber but looking for better options. Buying it out in the sticks by central tx is too damn expensive.

Oh that's awesome! Are you going with Metal trusses similar like mine? I got those from Louisiana and got a pretty good deal on them... the 6x6x20' posts that hold up the trusses I also got those from the same supplier and they were about $90 each so I thought it was a good deal and the availability for 20' long posts in Houston wasn't great. At least at the big box stores.

I got the Lumber from home depot... I've thought about Montablano but figured that I can get them delivered to my ranch for $75 and I already got a Tax exemption with them through my AG-exemption.

Here's some photos of the project:

I've also dug a 1 acre pond at the property... That's where I learned how expensive it is to move dirt around LOL:

 

[Darthamerica]

You think 10 years will do it? I'm hoping 5.

It’s much more likely to be 10 years or more than it is 5 years. Even if a magic battery existed today in the lab, it will take time to productize and mass produce it for consumers.

 

[CyberTW]

Let's be perfectly clear here. It's not towing...it's towing long distances that is the issue. If that is the case, then yes, it does take more time/planning/work than a gas truck.

But let's also acknowledge the other side: towing shorter distances (i.e. 150 miles round trip or less) is AWESOME! You can't even feel that you're towing something half the time. Effortless would be the right word. Also, having precise, instant throttle response is also great for maneuvering...both with and without the trailer (i.e. hitching up).

If you need to regularly tow more than 150 miles at a time, then by all means, get some other truck. For everyone else (including those that don't need to tow), we all know who's the winner...

Yessiiir!!

 

[cyber_moonlight]

I've also dug a 1 acre pond at the property... That's where I learned how expensive it is to move dirt around LOL:

Also worth mentioning that this pond created a safe haven for several snapping turtles, a 6 foot alligator, and countless white tailed dears that drink from it!

 

[DarickHemphill]

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but did you turn on trailer mode? My experience was similar to yours until I did. I have towed box trailers to TSA and been fine. At first I assumed that by plugging the lights in the truck "knew" it was in trailer mode.... Once I actually flipped the button it made all the right calculations and did great.

 

[themuleman]

Let's be perfectly clear here. It's not towing...it's towing long distances that is the issue. If that is the case, then yes, it does take more time/planning/work than a gas truck.

But let's also acknowledge the other side: towing shorter distances (i.e. 150 miles round trip or less) is AWESOME! You can't even feel that you're towing something half the time. Effortless would be the right word. Also, having precise, instant throttle response is also great for maneuvering...both with and without the trailer (i.e. hitching up).

If you need to regularly tow more than 150 miles at a time, then by all means, get some other truck. For everyone else (including those that don't need to tow), we all know who's the winner...

^ This. So many haters miss this. I have an F350 for my fifth wheel and tow 150+ miles. It's that simple. You can't compare an F150 to an F350, either. It just isn't the same thing. Haters want to take all of the various ICE trucks out there, combine their capabilities, and then put all of that on the Cybertruck. It's just hate.

But really, in the end, who cares? Like the Truck? Do you.

 

[GuyV]

I tried explaining to people in the other thread that CT, or any EV for that matter, will struggle with range while towing. Even if you double or triple the battery size, it’s still going to struggle!

Compared to ICE, EVs don’t have much energy on board and thrive on efficiency. When you add weight and drag, it’s like filling an ICE vehicle with 1/4-1/3rd of a tank of gas!

More or bigger batteries isn’t the answer we’re looking for. That will just add weight and push you close to 10,000+ lbs. Not to mention adding 10s of thousands of dollars more in cost to an already expensive vehicle.

What we need are more energy dense batteries. That’s probably the 2030s or beyond. You can’t beat physics!

What we need are trailers with batteries and motors. Someday this will be the norm. The batteries just have to keep getting cheaper.

 

[firsttruck]

What we need are trailers with batteries and motors. Someday this will be the norm.

Yup

The batteries just have to keep getting cheaper.

They are getting cheaper.
After prices increased last two years due to pandemic economic disruption, battery prices ARE going down again on long-term downward trend they had before the pandemic.

Besides cheaper and more energy dense LFP batteries there will be Sodium-ion based batteries with no lithium, no nickel, no cobalt.

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Electric Vehicles | Big Ideas 2024
After increasing in response to supply chain disruptions, battery costs now are falling in line with Wright’s Law, leading to lower electric vehicle (EV) sticker prices.
Jun 13, 2024
ARK Invest


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[Crissa]

I think I read every single comment and reply and I don’t see anywhere the weight you were pulling. What was the total weight in tow???? Seems way more useful info than the wind residence of the trailer ramps

It isn't.

Weight only applies when you start, or go up hill - the weight needs more energy. But once you're cruising, only the aero applies. And unlike with ICE, you get a large portion of your energy back when you're braking via regen.

So weight is just not an issue.

In fact, my motorcycle has the same range with a passenger - even for doubling the weight of the load - because I get that energy back when I go down hill or come to a stop. In fact, often when I'm on my own on the bike, my regen is too weak to charge the battery, so I get alot more regen with a passenger!

-Crissa

Okay, okay, weight applies a little bit. But it shouldn't be increasing your rolling resistance by much, if it is, your tires don't have enough pressure.

 

[Tony2times]

Silverado EV on paper looks like it checks all the boxes. However, the tech is questionable.

The great thing about Tesla is the continuous updates. I cannot say that with any other manufacturer other than Rivian.

Also purchasing anything other than a Tesla is horrible under the dealership model. Just give me the price and be done with it. Sure people are going to say it will be the same or cheaper than the cybertruck, but once you get to the dealer you get hit with a “market adjustment”.

Yep, never again for me. I can’t stand the sleezebag car dealerships! Tesla was a pleasure, I was driving my CT within 30min of arriving at the dealership and didn’t have to talk to a single person if I wanted to just get the hell out of there. The Tesla dealership model is underrated!

 

[Crissa]

I wouldn’t call 14x12’ commercial roll up doors exactly a garage door. ?

Dude, you could fit my house in there! ?

I can see why the range hit was so notable. But yeah... Glad this triggered such a good discussion! A trailer with a smooth underside, hidden ramps, fold down railing, even a more rigid tarp over the load - not to mention tech things like batteries or motors - hopefully they'll start showing up to make towing less painful with an EV.

-Crissa

 

[cyber_moonlight]

Dude, you could fit my house in there! ?

I can see why the range hit was so notable. But yeah... Glad this triggered such a good discussion! A trailer with a smooth underside, hidden ramps, fold down railing, even a more rigid tarp over the load - not to mention tech things like batteries or motors - hopefully they'll start showing up to make towing less painful with an EV.

-Crissa

Well said! and HAHAHA it looks like you're in Cali so you must not be use to Texas size! Thanks for all your help pointing out areas to improve the towing...

 

[ebytez]

Another data point...

I currently drive an F-150 Lightning and last year I towed my '73 Ford (probably around 4000 lbs+) ~36 miles (~80% highway) and got around 769.23 wh/mi (1.3 mi/kwh). Trailer is a 20' metal trailer.

Terrain was mostly "San Diego" flat. I kept it 60mph and under.

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