I’m a huge booster for renewables and energy storage, so this real-world test of towing capacity by the electric F150 is disappointing.
It should not cause anyone to doubt the future viability of an electric tow rig, but looks like they don’t have the technology dialed in yet.
Not surprised at all. Not to mention the issues with batteries holding a charge in cold weather?
No thank you!
I love my electric car, but no, we aren’t ready make the jump to an electric truck. The electric trucks that are coming out right now are perfect fleet vehicles. Perfect for deliveries, township trucks, etc. They aren’t meant for hauling horse trailers several hours each way for horse shows. They aren’t meant for towing boats several hours to remote fishing cabins. Etc.
I’m confident that the technology will get there though.
Yes, it’s important to understand that “lithium ion battery” is not just one thing. It’s like saying “gas engine car” – think of the huge variety that term encapsulates, in terms of size, power, acceleration vs towing torque, etc. Similarly, different chemistries and electrolyte membrane types within the Li-ion category will produce dramatically different results-- some are faster charge/discharge, some are designed for steady/slower output, some have greater energy density so they take up less space, etc etc
So we shouldn’t take this current failure as a failure of all batteries, or even all li-ion batteries. They just haven’t hit on the right chemistry given the current design and cost constraints. Yet
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