Pickup trucks are excellent for carrying and towing things — otherwise, why bother splurging on a giant truck? Unfortunately for Ford, though, large payloads do a number on battery range for electric trucks.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) recently tested out Ford’s fancy F-150 Lightning battery-powered truck and found that with a near-max payload, the truck’s range was cut by nearly 25 percent.
Wondering how AAA got that number? Here’s the breakdown. To start, the test version of the F-150 Lightning has an EPA-rated range of 300 miles (roughly 483km), but in AAA’s testing, the truck had a range of 278 miles (447km) with no payload, 7.3 percent less than the EPA range. AAA then loaded the truck up with 1,400lbs of sandbags, dropping the range to 210 miles (338km), 24.5 percent less than AAA’s unloaded range and 30 percent less than the EPA’s range.
Figuring out the maximum payload for the Lightning is a little tricky since it changes based on the range option and other factors. Ford lists the Lightning’s max payload at 2,235lbs with the standard 98kWh battery and 1,952lbs with the long-range 131kWh battery. However, those numbers are for the Pro trim, and the max payload can vary based on the trim, accessories and configuration.
Because of that, AAA opted to use the gross weight rating (GVWR), which is the maximum weight, including everything attached. The test truck used the Platinum trim with a GVWR of 8,550lbs (3878.215kg). The total weight of AAA’s payload test was 8,440lbs (3828kg), 110lbs (49kg) shy of the GVWR.
So, with a nearly maxed-out payload, the F0150 Lightning’s range drops by nearly 25 percent. That could put a damper on any potential customers hoping to do more environmentally friendly hauling.
Source: The Verge
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