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 friendly 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.