Range, tow load limits, trailers, and EVs - SOLVED

[Daemoch]

It's not that hard to solve all of it if you just stop treating it like an ICE vehicle and EMBRACE the differences rather than insisting that all the traditional ICE solutions/methods work. Think outside the box. Found this today while looking into EV range extension solutions and (modern) trailer assist technology.

 

[AZFox]

That solution costs a quarter-million dollars and the tongue weight is 750 pounds, so I wouldn't say it's solved quite yet.

 

[KevinRS]

Not going to spend 45 minutes watching that video, looks like an RV trailer with solar? Tongue weight is usually supposed to be 10% of the trailer weight afaik, so should only be 100 lbs on anything the Slate tows, putting 750 on the hitch would probably bottom out the rear. Even assuming that thing has it's own drive motor, that's not going to work well.

 

[atreis]

Kind of a nit, but ... People in EU, where tow speeds are much more limited, will do 10% tongue weight, but in the US it's much more common to go with 13-15% for better stability at higher speeds. So, 150 lbs.

One would want to know the rear axle limit, and the rear axle weight without any load.... A weight distribution hitch can shift some to the front axle too. FWIW, there are only two weight limits that are legally enforceable: axle and tire. The others are manufacturer's guidelines, but GVWR is usually calculated off of the lower of the axle or tire limits and GCWR off of the tongue weight, GVWR, a driver in the vehicle, and some margin. In this case, perhaps also with an SUV kit? With the weight of batteries, I expect this vehicle won't have a high payload capacity, and it also has a relatively short wheelbase. Not a good tow vehicle for anything bigger than a popup or a small boat.

 

[E90400K]

So, you'd have to charge two EVs at every stop...

 

[Driven5]

It's not that hard to solve all of it if you just stop treating it like an ICE vehicle and EMBRACE the differences rather than insisting that all the traditional ICE solutions/methods work. Think outside the box. Found this today while looking into EV range extension solutions and (modern) trailer assist technology.

So the 'solution' we should all be embracing is to dump an inordinate amount of money and natural resources into something that typically gets extremely limited annual use, doesn't actually move the needle on any capability requirements other than range, and is still considerably worse for travel time and complication outside of its home range radius?

It might not be as impressive friends, family, and strangers on the internet... But a much more wallet, earth, and time conscious solution is a reasonably priced late model used truck, reasonably priced late model used travel trailer, and modest size/range EV.

 

[Dorbiman]

Lightship and Pebble make super cool trailers, but to say this is the solution to towing with an EV is silly, especially in the context of a mid $20K EV with 150 mile range.

Now, if I was rich, I'd totally buy one. They're insanely cool.

 

[Whitesands]

Biggest problem is that no EV allows charging while driving, so it won't matter if you tow batteries if you need it to get somewhere.

 

[atreis]

Biggest problem is that no EV allows charging while driving, so it won't matter if you tow batteries if you need it to get somewhere.

They don't just have batteries. They also have motors to assist.

 

[FunkyFinch57]

I've said it for years now, and I'll say it again because I want some company to do it...

U-Haul has a pretty good business model. You can stick one anywhere, really. A gas station, a local grocery store, mechanic shop, you name it. Hook up a trailer, take it from your starting point to destination, and leave it at your destination. It's all one big mesh network, and you can financially incentivize customers to do your dirty transportation work for you (50% off if you drop it off here instead of there!).

What if we had this same model for range-extending batteries? I'm talking as small as the iddy-biddy 4'x8' trailer. Optimize for aerodynamics, since we know that's the biggest range factor for EVs, and you instantly have an extra 500 miles with you, plus maybe a hard-shell topper's volume of extra storage. Decorate it with solar panels to regain ~3 miles of driving per full day of sunlight to make it look "cool." Pick one up at your local "U-Haul Our EV Battery Pack," drive nonstop for 15 hours, drop off your depleted battery pack trailer at your destination, etc.

This should address many of the very valid concerns above. Too expensive? A 26' truck sure is expensive, but renting one isn't (even if it is worn out and smells of wet Ron Mexicos). Too environmentally impactful for a once-a-year use? Rent it out with (ideally) 100% usage either charging or discharging.

Please don't pick apart the fine details of this proposal, I'm painting in broad strokes and I could go on for hours about minute details...

I will concede that, to my knowledge, there is no way to concurrently charge your vehicle while driving. Seems like a good way to nuke the battery, especially with power demands at highway speeds. I'm a biologist, not an engineer, but it would be interesting if you could tell the car you're doing external battery pack shenanigans, and it would cut off maybe a third of the cells and charge them, and switch between which cells are getting charged and used to drive.

Again, please, if someone is reading this and is in a position to happen, please just do it, I promise I won't sue - the world needs a solution like this to ease the "pains" of ICE to EV transition. Thank you for reading!

 

[AKrietzer]

I've said it for years now, and I'll say it again because I want some company to do it...

U-Haul has a pretty good business model. You can stick one anywhere, really. A gas station, a local grocery store, mechanic shop, you name it. Hook up a trailer, take it from your starting point to destination, and leave it at your destination. It's all one big mesh network, and you can financially incentivize customers to do your dirty transportation work for you (50% off if you drop it off here instead of there!).

What if we had this same model for range-extending batteries? I'm talking as small as the iddy-biddy 4'x8' trailer. Optimize for aerodynamics, since we know that's the biggest range factor for EVs, and you instantly have an extra 500 miles with you, plus maybe a hard-shell topper's volume of extra storage. Decorate it with solar panels to regain ~3 miles of driving per full day of sunlight to make it look "cool." Pick one up at your local "U-Haul Our EV Battery Pack," drive nonstop for 15 hours, drop off your depleted battery pack trailer at your destination, etc.

This should address many of the very valid concerns above. Too expensive? A 26' truck sure is expensive, but renting one isn't (even if it is worn out and smells of wet Ron Mexicos). Too environmentally impactful for a once-a-year use? Rent it out with (ideally) 100% usage either charging or discharging.

Please don't pick apart the fine details of this proposal, I'm painting in broad strokes and I could go on for hours about minute details...

I will concede that, to my knowledge, there is no way to concurrently charge your vehicle while driving. Seems like a good way to nuke the battery, especially with power demands at highway speeds. I'm a biologist, not an engineer, but it would be interesting if you could tell the car you're doing external battery pack shenanigans, and it would cut off maybe a third of the cells and charge them, and switch between which cells are getting charged and used to drive.

Again, please, if someone is reading this and is in a position to happen, please just do it, I promise I won't sue - the world needs a solution like this to ease the "pains" of ICE to EV transition. Thank you for reading!

I'm just wondering if it would be easier and cheaper to just stop and recharge more often? I was worried about range, but the more I read about it, the more people seem to say to just plan your trip and use an app to tell you where stations are.

 

[atreis]

I'm just wondering if it would be easier and cheaper to just stop and recharge more often? I was worried about range, but the more I read about it, the more people seem to say to just plan your trip and use an app to tell you where stations are.

For the most part, range anxiety is one of those things that affects people that don't yet have, or who have just gotten, EVs. It goes away with experience. Charging at home is great, day to day.

Imagine if you had charged a car at home all your life, and someone said there's a new type of vehicle that can re-fuel faster with liquid fuel, but you can only do it at these special stations ...