AAA Study : EVs Lose Significant Range When Hauling Heavy Cargo

[Ez2cDave]

AAA Study : EVs Lose Significant Range When Hauling Heavy Cargo​

https://media.acg.aaa.com/aaa-study-evs-lose-significant-range-when-hauling-heavy-cargo-1-2-3-4.htm

Yes, I know that ICE vehicles also suffer MPG loss, when heavily loaded . . . The problem is the long recharge time with an EV, versus pulling into a gas station, with an ICE vehicle.

QUOTE :

Ford F-150 Lightning Range dropped nearly 25% when loaded to near max capacity ​

13 June 2023


DEARBORN, Mich., (June 13, 2023) — A new study from the AAA Automotive Engineering research team finds that electric vehicles (EVs) lose a significant amount of range when loaded with heavy cargo.

The study tested the Ford F-150 Lightning, a popular electric pickup truck, and found that its range dropped by 24.5% (from 278 miles to 210) when loaded with 1,400 pounds of sandbags - 110 pounds shy of its maximum capacity. For context, 1,400 pounds is the same as hauling around 70 bags of mulch or 20 bags of concrete mix.

"This study is important for broadening our understanding of the limitations of electric vehicles,” said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Range anxiety remains a top reason consumers are hesitant to switch from gasoline-powered vehicles to EVs. While this study may heighten concerns, it’s worth remembering that excess weight reduces fuel economy in gas-powered vehicles too.”

"Our testing revealed a significant range reduction, but it’s important to note that the Lightning was loaded to near its maximum capacity," said Greg Brannon, director of AAA Automotive Engineering. "Most buyers will likely use their Lightning with a lighter load, resulting in a much smaller range reduction."

Refer to the full report for methodology details, including specific testing equipment and test track characteristics.

Physics and Driving Behavior Play a Role

Extra weight requires more energy to move. The type of driving also plays a role. Highway driving, which typically involves higher speeds and less regenerative braking, will further reduce range. Unlike gas-powered vehicles, which perform more efficiently at highway speeds, EVs thrive in urban driving conditions due to regenerative braking from more frequent stops. Regenerative brakes capture the energy from braking and convert it into the electrical power that charges the vehicle’s high-voltage battery. This electricity can then be stored in the car’s battery or power other electrical components.

In the case of battery electric pickups used as work vehicles, permanent loads (such as equipment racks, toolboxes, and equipment trays built into the vehicle) will reduce the range at all times, even without additional cargo.

END QUOTE :

Dave F.

 

[Funkworks]

I’ll just point this out:
“gas-powered vehicles, which perform more efficiently at highway speeds”
… compared to gas powered vehicles in the city that is.

And I don’t agree with this always being a problem:
“The problem is the long recharge time with an EV …”
Because people have eat too! Since having an PHEV, the only time I ever wait is when I gas. Otherwise, the car charges while I sleep, work, eat or do errands.

 

[tsmith1315]

Yes, I know that ICE vehicles also suffer MPG loss, when heavily loaded . . .

Is there an analogous efficiency rating for EV's? Miles per coulomb, or such?

 

[Funkworks]

Is there an analogous efficiency rating for EV's? Miles per coulomb, or such?

That would be miles per kWh.

 

[tsmith1315]

That would be miles per kWh

The only metric I've noticed was range, as in the thread title.

We don't usually talk about range with ICE. Is MPKWh commonly quoted for comparison?

 

[Funkworks]

The only metric I've noticed was range, as in the thread title.

We don't usually talk about range with ICE. Is MPKWh commonly quoted for comparison?

For ICEs, we talk of:
mpg and tank size in gallons. One times the other gives range.

If you want to compare with EVs for range, you can talk of:
miles per kWh and battery size in kWh. One times the other gives range.

The "kWh" ("kilowatt-hour" and NOT kilowatt PER hour ... ugghhh) is a unit of energy like BTU, Joule, Calories. Examples:
- PHEV batteries are anywhere from 5 to 20 kWh,
- Nissan Leaf batteries are from 25 kWh to 60 kWh,
- Tesla batteries are from 50 kWh to 100 kWh (or 200+ for the Semi and mythical Roadster)

 

[Rob Campbell]

Just tow a big diesel generator to keep your EV charged. Problem solved.

 

[Funkworks]

Just tow a big diesel generator to keep your EV charged. Problem solved.

Or battery.
... with solar panels.

 

[Raythain]

We don't usually talk about range with ICE. Is MPKWh commonly quoted for comparison?

I haven’t really seen it used much for comparison, likely because one kWh isn’t a meaningful number to your average vehicle owner.

Talking total range is something an average user can understand and compare with their current ICE vehicle, since most vehicle owners know how far they can get on a tank of gas. We don’t talk as much about total range in ICE vehicles because we don’t have any range anxiety, just concerns about efficiency. When MPkWh is a common metric, EVs have cleared the range anxiety hurdle.

The problem is the long recharge time with an EV, versus pulling into a gas station, with an ICE vehicle.

Level 3 charging takes < 45 minutes for a Lightning, that’s shorter than it takes my family to make a road trip stop.

 

[tsmith1315]

Talking total range is something an average user can understand and compare with their current ICE vehicle, since most vehicle owners know how far they can get on a tank of gas. We don’t talk as much about total range in ICE vehicles because we don’t have any range anxiety, just concerns about efficiency. When MPkWh is a common metric, EVs have cleared the range anxiety hurdle.

I'm looking for something the typical math-avoidant consumer would relate to. We're so trained to look at MPG as a guide to cost of daily operation.

I guess my question should have been, "Are EV manufacturer's marketing their efficiency at all, or are they simply marketing range?" I assumed that, like you point out, range has been the major issue. And once that is less of a concern, I'm wondering what else would/could be used as a comparison of efficiency in marketing.

 

[Funkworks]

I'm looking for something the typical math-avoidant consumer would relate to. We're so trained to look at MPG as a guide to cost of daily operation.

I guess my question should have been, "Are EV manufacturer's marketing their efficiency at all, or are they simply marketing range?" I assumed that, like you point out, range has been the major issue. And once that is less of a concern, I'm wondering what else would/could be used as a comparison of efficiency in marketing.

As a person who sees "efficiency" used for many kinds of ratios, I'm not sure what kind of efficiency you have in mind here, MPG?

Some people use "MPGe", which is based on miles per kWh, but then multiplied by gasoline's kWh per gallon, so it can be compared with familiar MPG. By this measure, EVs are always in the 100-300 MPGe range so I'm not sure how useful that is. Comparing EVs to each other is more useful.

FWIW: gasoline has 33.41 kWh/gallon. Or "each gallon of gasoline contains 33.41 kWh of energy". However, in an ICE, over 50% is lost as heat. The exact value changes with temperature but for many approximations it can be considered a constant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_gallon_equivalent

 

[tsmith1315]

I'm not sure what kind of efficiency you have in mind here, MPG?

Yep, I was wondering if there was a metric similar to MPG already in use to relate how well an EV makes use of its charge, in order to compare to other EV's.

Miles per KWh would be it, but does anyone tout theirs at this point in the game? That's all I was asking.

 

[Raythain]

And once that is less of a concern, I'm wondering what else would/could be used as a comparison of efficiency in marketing.

I imagine it will depend on how the charging infrastructure bills for energy. I’ve not used a public charger yet, and I haven’t really watched the space much.

Ultimately I expect it will be something in the form of distance per base billable unit at the charging station. So on the order of MPkWh or kmPkwH. Again, a shorthand for cost of operation.

Some people use "MPGe", which is based on miles per kWh, but then multiplied by gasoline's kWh per gallon, so it can be compared with familiar MPG. By this measure, EVs are always in the 100-300 MPGe range so I'm not sure how useful that is. Comparing EVs to each other is more useful.

TIL what MPGe actually means. Thanks!
I still think it’s a generally useless and confusing metric. I’m not a math-averse consumer, and I had no idea what the potential energy in a gallon of gasoline is. It does a poor job of conveying system efficiency of movement, and conveys no information about the cost of owenership. It really is only useful for relative information between EVs, and then trying to piggyback off of MPG just adds unnecessary confusion.

 

[FredA]

I only need enough range to match my bladder.
BUT - I want my battery recharged in the time it takes to empty said bladder.
Certainly don't want to start eating gas-station [recharge-station] food.

 

[Peartree]

I'm surprised that AAA wasted their time and money on a study. Seems like every guy with a truck and a trailer has been cranking out YouTube videos about that ever since electric trucks started rolling off of showroom floors.

It's been said before, but as a truck owner that pulls a trailer, needing a charge every 100 miles (or less) and needing an hour break for charging after every 90 minutes of driving is definitely a deal killer.

 

[GlenP]

You can swap out empty propane tanks for a full one at many gas stations for your gas grill. Why not have a rechargeable battery pack exchange program, like at every Cracker Barrel? If we had a standardized hot swappable battery pack, or partial range extender battery pack for longer road trips.

 

[BEC]

Mile per kWh is a common point of comparison, yes, when comparing the efficiency of one EV over another. It's usually in the write-ups somewhere if the review/writeup is more than just a click-bait headline. Compare a Kia EV6 or Tesla Model 3 to that gosh-awful Hummer EV for a shock (pun slightly intended) along those lines. Our 2016 Soul EV runs around 3.3-3.5 miles/kWh generally as we use it, which is pretty good.

We just came back from Lowes with fourteen retaining wall blocks in the back of our Soul EV. I suspect that the extra weight did cost me a little efficiency but I didn't look (the car can tell me if I ask it). What I DID notice is that from an acceleration/driveability standpoint, the car didn't really feel like it cared about the extra weight. This is one of the characteristics of electric power — strong torque off the line (an electric motor develops the most torque at stall!) so even if I used an extra kWh or two on the round trip, it sure didn't feel like it.

 

[BEC]

You can swap out empty propane tanks for a full one at many gas stations for your gas grill. Why not have a rechargeable battery pack exchange program, like at every Cracker Barrel? If we had a standardized hot swappable battery pack, or partial range extender battery pack for longer road trips.

There is a maker in China that is trying this idea out. It will be interesting to see where it goes, if anywhere. Stocking and safely storing charged batteries would be a bit more complicated than the Blue Rhino rack at the home improvement store.

Swappable would require some interesting design compromises in a vehicle. Not all of them (Tesla Y as the poster child) treat the drive battery as a mass to be carried, supported and restrained, but instead as a structural member.

 

[Ez2cDave]

Certainly don't want to start eating gas-station [recharge-station] food.

I just got a mental image of "roller hot dogs", of unknown age, cycling back and forth on the machine.

 

[BEC]

I just got a mental image of "roller hot dogs", of unknown age, cycling back and forth on the machine.

I have only a little experience with public chargers but the few public chargers I have used with any regularity over the last six years have at least a Starbucks in very close proximity. The one I've probably used the most is at a shopping mall. Yeah, old hot dogs....not appealing in the slightest.

As @Funkworks almost all of the charging I do happens while I sleep, with the car in the driveway.

 

[Steven]

It's charged:

 

[MClark]

My truck, (GMC 3500 crew cab long bed) the mileage will drop with load. I have had it drop to 8 mpg towing a big trailer.
Can pass everything but a gas station.

I think because the e truck is more efficient unloadEd it takes a bigger mileage hit hauling inefficient load.

 

[jderimig]

1/2mV^2.

 

[DEmery]

More concerning to me than decreased range with load is decreased range with cold weather. But that’s because I live in Montana.

 

[KennB]

What's the rush? Once you know the characteristics of your vehicle (and bodily functions) you can plan the best way to get from Point A to Point B with whatever stops you need to make. I've had a couple of vehicles that suggested taking a stop after two hours of continuous driving; not a bad idea but not one I often heeded especially on a three hour drive.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

It’s no surprise that towing with an EV cuts into range. EVs are great for torque, but most don’t have the range of most ICE vehicles. So they aren’t good for towing something like a travel trailer on a long trip, but they are great for towing something like a work trailer or a utility trailer around town. A small EV has enough torque and vehicle weight to tow and control a much larger load than a comparable-sized ICE vehicle.

I saw a video in one of the forum‘s other EV-related threads about a concept travel trailer that was being developed by, I believe, Airstream. The trailer had its own EV battery system on board and drive wheels with motors and regenerative brakes. So as you tow it, it helps push itself down the road, extending the range of whatever is towing it (whether EV or ICE). It also had some great features that other regular trailers don’t. For one, since it has its own drive wheels, you can unhitch it from the tow vehicle and then “drive” it into and out of its parking spot using a remote control. No need to back the trailer into difficult spots using the tow vehicle, and no need to back the tow vehicle up to the trailer to hook it up again. That would be awesome! Also the trailer is full of all-electric appliances and amenities — no propane.

Regarding gas station food and hot-dogs on rollers, I have a friend who has taken some trips in his Tesla, and the car can show you where the charging stations are on your route and the nearby stores and restaurants. He also has apps and websites for that. So he can plan out the trip and pick chargers based on what he wants to do while waiting, which is usually to take a pee and get a bite to eat. On a Tesla supercharger, the car can charge up to 80% or more in something like half an hour or 45 minutes, so it’s a nice little break.

 

[SDramstad]

And in other news, the sky is blue, water is wet and the wind blows.

I'm getting really tired of the "It doesnt work on the edge cases so dont bother" EVs have their place. At this point in time large loads going long distances dont work real well for EVs. Get over it

 

[Ez2cDave]

And in other news, the sky is blue, water is wet and the wind blows.

I'm getting really tired of the "It doesnt work on the edge cases so dont bother" EVs have their place. At this point in time large loads going long distances dont work real well for EVs. Get over it

 

[BEC]

My truck, (GMC 3500 crew cab long bed) the mileage will drop with load. I have had it drop to 8 mpg towing a big trailer.
Can pass everything but a gas station.

I think because the e truck is more efficient unloadEd it takes a bigger mileage hit hauling inefficient load.

Just out of curiosity, what is your truck’s “normal” gas mileage?

 

[James Duffy]

This is just a hunch, guys, but hear me out: I'm beginning to suspect that Fitch does not like EVs.