Anyone else skeptical of the coming EV trucks?

[Rebel2022]

With todays announcement of the electric Silverado and much of the north enduring an extended extremely cold spell it got me thinking about what all these new EV’s would be like this time of year? (winter) I mean its so cold here now -30c that a lead acid battery has just one main job for like 3 seconds to start your IC engine and it struggles. What will come of these massive lithium batts? You can’t charge a frozen battery, your 400 mile range will be what, maybe 200-250 tops? Hook up a trailer, throw a snow machine in the bed? Forget about it, you won’t make 100 miles. My city got a warning yesterday to lower power consumption or some rolling brownouts will have to be done. Throw in 20000 EV’s constantly plugged in all day then what? I’m not trying to be negative towards EV’s I’m just realistic. I really don’t think we’re there yet. Sure they have their place, maybe densely populated southern climates? As for EV trucks, for me its a head scratcher. I guess you could hook up your 10000lb camper and pull it to the campground in the mountains but then how do you get back with a dead battery? Oh thats right you fire up your diesel generator, take an extra week off work and charge it up duhh!

 

[AV8OR]

With the currently installed charging spots how do you recharge pulling a trailer?

Unhitch the trailer and park it in the parking lot every time you want to recharge?

Pull in hood first and leave your 35’ trailer blocking the rest of the parking lot?

 

[Nova90]

There will probably be a time, I just don't think it's now. I've gone thru enough cell phones to know that no matter what, after about 2 years...the battery no longer holds the same charge. I'm not convinced it's any different in a vehicle.

 

[SD Rebel]

Well you got to start somewhere, this is the first steps of a future EV world. These upcoming trucks are impressive in a lot of ways, but the current limitations of battery technology and charging infrastructure is a big question right now.

The biggest is the charging networks, only Tesla seems to have a reliable network where you can count on the chargers working most of the time with little fuss. Once they open up their full network to non-Teslas, I think it will go a long way to getting more acceptance and hopefully competing networks time to get up to speed.

Then there is all the people who can't charge at home, because they live in an apartment or condo. That's a huge issue for EV ownership. I remember when the Honda-E came out, it had short range but was a "city" car, so it wouldn't be a problem. They forget that there is very little home charging for city people, and it hasn't been a big seller so far.

But these are just growing pains, it's going to happen, and based on my experiences with modern EVs, I'm fine with it. I will miss the sound however. This kinda reminds me about what happened in the RC industry. RC cars (boats & planes too) went to brushless electric and lithium batteries. It revolutionized the industry and hobby. Faster, more convenient, better in just about every way. The only thing missing is the sound, which is why I still keep a couple of my 1/5th scale gas trucks gas, so I can enjoy the sound once in a while. That's probably what will happen to full size cars.

 

[Rebel2022]

With the currently installed charging spots how do you recharge pulling a trailer?

Unhitch the trailer and park it in the parking lot every time you want to recharge?

Pull in hood first and leave your 35’ trailer blocking the rest of the parking lot?

Haha true. I think the big 3 would have been better off starting out with compact or mid size electric trucks and go from there. Must be reason why Tesla has been working on their ‘pick-up’ for what seems like forever

 

[John Brereton]

They're trying to make the biggest bang for the buck (their buck) from the start. If they can prove a truck can be viable as an EV then the car EV sales should be easy. Thats why you are seeing EV penetrate the racing market (experimentally). Dakar, Isle of Man...; if they perform respectively regardless whether or not they win, then the EV concept has proven itself

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[theblet]

EVs are cool, but they have they’re place, like in big cities where smog is an issue and there are charging stations galore. Not down here imo. Imagine everyone evacuating for a hurricane in bumper to bumper traffic for hours. There’s gonna be dead vehicles everywhere.

 

[OCD Solutions]

That's where I believe Hybrid still has an edge. They get great mileage and can still produce heat for the occupants. They just need to improve the electric portion so it could be run solely on electric, should you actually run out of gas.

If I'm being completely honest and review my last 2 years of travel, as advertised, the Rivian or Chevy EV's could 100% replace my daily driver tomorrow if needed.
The only difference for me would be what hotel I stay at for work since there's one down the road that actually has a charging station, (albeit a Tesla).
And that changes if I install a charging station at work for the one time that I require a top-off in the middle of the week.

My current truck is paid for and my "new truck account" is pretty healthy so I'm watching for any details on the new Ram EV. I was saving for the next SRT style street truck but an EV would be pretty badazz as well. I convinced my wife to get a Hybrid and she loves it so I may be willing to dip a toe into the EV field depending on what actually get's released.

 

[djevox]

I was all about the EV before I got the ecodiesel. Now I’m not going EV until the charging time is 30mins or less and there’s enough infrastructure in place.

@Rebel2022 EV’s don’t use flooded batteries, and they all have battery heating and cooling systems on board. Temp and towing still play a factor, but that’s true of all trucks no matter the powertrain. Electric is the most efficient of all our powertrain choices right now, and that still holds true for large vehicles like semi trucks. It’s just not feasible yet.

 

[SpeedyV]

EVs are cool, but they have they’re place, like in big cities where smog is an issue and there are charging stations galore. Not down here imo. Imagine everyone evacuating for a hurricane in bumper to bumper traffic for hours. There’s gonna be dead vehicles everywhere.

You mean, just like everyone that runs out of gas (including stations) now...

 

[LaxDfns15]

Gotta start somewhere. Remember these? A long ways away from where we are now.


I personally can't wait for either a Hybrid electric/V8 or a full EV that can get 600+ miles of range. Just have to be patient. Fusion reactors are going to be the best bet for power infrastructure in the next couple decades allowing greater use of electricity to charge mass amounts of EV's. Tesla didn't start out with a $30k sedan everyone could afford.

 

[SpeedyV]

That's where I believe Hybrid still has an edge. They get great mileage and can still produce heat for the occupants. They just need to improve the electric portion so it could be run solely on electric, should you actually run out of gas.

You hit on something there that has bothered me for a while. For many years now, plug-in hybrids have held advantages that would have made them ideal for pickup trucks...more power (way more torque) potential than internal combustion, longer range potential than internal combustion, etc. The size of a pickup would make it viable to incorporate 3 or 4 electric motors with more than 1,000 lb-ft of combined torque and a small gas or diesel generator providing 1,000+ miles of range.

But they don't exist, strangely, and we sit here discussing EV limitations. Some will suggest it's just a cost thing, i.e. such vehicles would be too expensive. But I disagree, especially if produced at scale. And it's not like the technology is new...see every ship and locomotive produced over the past couple of decades.

I'm very interested in the EV transition. I'd like my next purchase to be an EV, but it's going to have to "tick all of the boxes". I'm not sure we're there yet.

 

[SpeedyV]

Gotta start somewhere. Remember these? A long ways away from where we are now.
View attachment 116044

I personally can't wait for either a Hybrid electric/V8 or a full EV that can get 600+ miles of range. Just have to be patient. Fusion reactors are going to be the best bet for power infrastructure in the next couple decades allowing greater use of electricity to charge mass amounts of EV's. Tesla didn't start out with a $30k sedan everyone could afford.

Fusion has some challenges, too (beyond the inability to make it happen and be energy positive). Through neutron activation, high-energy neutrons emitted from the fusion reaction can cause surrounding materials to become radioactive. I wonder if "dirty" reactors (those that burn spent fuel rods) will take hold first.

 

[Finn5033]

These electric trucks for now are going to be bought and used by people that don’t tow and mostly use their trucks as a car. For that use they will be very cool and useful I think. For those of us that tow campers or anything with some beef it’s just not going work especially if you’re in the colder states.

For example I pulled my RV / Fishouse that weighs in at 7,200lbs 5hrs away from home last week to go fishing in the middle of no where. The first night I was there it was -18F. There is absolutely no way I could use an elecctric truck to do that.

The electric cars and trucks intrigue me. We are planning to keep my Wife’s Grand Cherokee 5 more years and I am fully expecting her next vehicle will be an EV

 

[LaxDfns15]

These electric trucks for now are going to be bought and used by people that don’t tow and mostly use their trucks as a car. For that use they will be very cool and useful I think. For those of us that tow campers or anything with some beef it’s just not going work especially if you’re in the colder states.

For example I pulled my RV / Fishouse that weighs in at 7,200lbs 5hrs away from home last week to go fishing in the middle of no where. The first night I was there it was -18F. There is absolutely no way I could use an elecctric truck to do that.

The electric cars and trucks intrigue me. We are planning to keep my Wife’s Grand Cherokee 5 more years and I am fully expecting her next vehicle will be an EV

Same. We plan on keeping my wife's Pathfinder for another 5 years or so until the powertrain warranty runs out, then it'll probably be an EV.

 

[theblet]

You mean, just like everyone that runs out of gas (including stations) now...

not exactly. ive never run out of gas. Plus i can find a gas station fill up in 5 min as opposed to driving 1 hour and charging for another hour when i get there lol

 

[jimk hunt]

Gotta start somewhere. Remember these? A long ways away from where we are now.
View attachment 116044

I personally can't wait for either a Hybrid electric/V8 or a full EV that can get 600+ miles of range. Just have to be patient. Fusion reactors are going to be the best bet for power infrastructure in the next couple decades allowing greater use of electricity to charge mass amounts of EV's. Tesla didn't start out with a $30k sedan everyone could afford.

The greenies will fight any new power source that's not solar or wind. Right now there is only 1 nuclear plant under construction in the US and exactly ZERO proposed. In fact we have lost most of our knowledge on building nuclear plants and would have to rely on other countries to supply the brains to get it done. So for all the vehicles being proposed, they will have to be charged via our current power generation methods. It would take a sea change in public sentiment to get any type of nuclear plant built. I'm not saying the EV's aren't coming, just that there are many challenges that will take decades to work out.

 

[LaxDfns15]

The greenies will fight any new power source that's not solar or wind. Right now there is only 1 nuclear plant under construction in the US and exactly ZERO proposed. In fact we have lost most of our knowledge on building nuclear plants and would have to rely on other countries to supply the brains to get it done. So for all the vehicles being proposed, they will have to be charged via our current power generation methods. It would take a sea change in public sentiment to get any type of nuclear plant built. I'm not saying the EV's aren't coming, just that there are many challenges that will take decades to work out.

Agreed, which is why I said decades. As much as people would like to make blanket statements on requiring X thing by Y date, this is a world change that will happen, and it's going to be 20+ years before it does. The powers at be are currently too bought and paid for by the ones that don't want the status quo to change to get major results out of new tech right now.

 

[sdramsey24]

Meh. No thanks. I saw one of those Hoonigan videos recently with the new TRX and the bro was like "STOP PUTTING V6's in TRUCKS!" For me it's so much of this and more so on the EV topic for trucks.

As a recovering engineer, I get it. Mom had a Prius for 10 years. Great car, for her. However, I like my truck sounding how my father and grandfather's trucks sounded. I could see perhaps one day getting a plug-in hybrid for the family to use for running around town. I agree with those that have said the infrastructure isn't quite there for a pure EV yet. On the other hand, the grocery getters are paid for and well maintained. As a wise old master mechanic told me "you can buy a ****load of gas for the cost of one of these new efficient cars"

 

[SpeedyV]

not exactly. ive never run out of gas. Plus i can find a gas station fill up in 5 min as opposed to driving 1 hour and charging for another hour when i get there lol

You missed my jest. Every time there’s a hurricane (the example you used), all of the gas stations go dry because they can’t get resupplied, or they go dark from power outages. Then everyone trying to evacuate in traffic jams start running out of fuel. You can’t fill up in 24 hours in that situation, let alone 5 minutes.

Granted, your point about a quick fill up is totally valid under “normal” conditions. It’ll take time for EVs to reach that level of convenience.