2008 Ford Ranger vs Slate

[KevinRS]

If you are never leaving your county, you aren't road tripping. Remember we are talking in the context of a road trip, not local driving. Maybe road trip means something different to me than most?

Never said I was road tripping in county, though this county has 310 miles of interstates. 6 miles of which are 70 mph. I can and do drive on other highways with 70 mph, but would have to recharge the Slate twice mid trip to get to the next state and possible 80 mph limits.
The Slate isn't made for real road tripping. If you road trip all the time, get something else, if occasionally, rent something with longer range.

 

[Susan]

Remember we are talking about road trips, not cruising locally. Speed limit on much of the US Interstate system is 70-80 mph (with some as high as 85 mph). And top speed is not a vehicle's cruising speed (which is usually engineered to be around 80% of top speed.) A Toyota Corolla's top speed is around 110 mph and from personal experience, the car feels mighty squirrelly at the posted 75 mph speed limit around here (and you will get passed by almost everybody if you are only doing 75.)

Thanks.

Yeah, I'm talking about road trips too, usually going a couple hundred miles or so each way, and stopping along the way to explore little towns and fun looking places. I guess I've never been to the parts of the country with an 85 mph speed limit. It sounds like something I'd want to avoid.

Plus, with kayaks on the roof, I won't be able to go that fast, and there are parts of my trips where the highway is the only way across a mountain pass. Sigh. I really hate fast cars. Especially the ones who think "they own the whole damn road" and weave in and out of traffic and pass on the right, etc.

 

[sodamo]

Ah yes, road trips. Does Maine to Ca count? The 95 corridor or 81, the even number interstates east and west? Maybe the Autobahn? Wonder how many here drove Maine to NY in the 70’s when the enforced speed limit was 55. Yes, today I don’t leave the county, but 90 miles to Costco counts as a road trip. Too far for std battery.

 

[Luxrage]

Highway speed limits are 65-70 here, and most do about 6-9 over. That's still less than the Slate's top speed, but depending on how hard you hit that, that top speed may feel low if the truck is "wheezing" by the high 70s. I have a feeling the truck will be fine, and the top speed is there to ensure you don't stress the battery/motor too much. The amount of power needed to keep a higher speed is an exponential curve.

This is something I'm curious about and will probably go find out on a test drive (if I can get on the highway). Will it run-out gradually like an underpowered ICE car or will it simple keep climbing until it stops? I'm assuming the top speed is limited electronically for the motors, so it might just be a hard stop. Just weld it to the floor and send it till the truck says no more!

I will admit the traffic back from the Ft. Worth Slate showing on 35W was hitting 85+ as a group so at least around here in the land of straight, flat, highways it'll be useful to know.