Electric-only people get in here! Who's going full EV only? 🔋

[joewilk45]

https://carnewschina.com/2025/11/27...2027-hybrid-system-for-existing-ev-platforms/

 

[TrueNorthSolar]

So back in the summer, I leased a new 2025 F-150 Lightning Flash. It has the medium range battery pack at 123 kWh usable. Advertised range 300 miles.

Over the last several months I have learned some things about these BEV pickup trucks.

- In cold weather, I've already lost 20% of my range and it's not even winter yet. We'll fall another 50 degrees over the next two months. I may end up at 30% loss of range during winter.

- When towing my camper, I lose 75% of my range. That's not a typo. In PERFECT weather conditions back in September, I did a test run with my camper (4,700 lbs.) and saw 0.7 mi/kWh which by the hand math worked out to a 75% decrease in range compared to what I was seeing running unloaded to and from work all week.

- The climate control system sucks. Ford did add a heat pump to the system after 2024 to try and help keep the cabin comfy and free of moisture but I find that it still sucks. Windows fog all the time. Takes a good drive down the road to start getting any heat. And again, it's not even truly winter yet.

- Camping trips have become such a chore due to lack of level 3 charging and the logistics of getting a truck and trailer physically close enough to a charger that the wife and I have just not been going on any trips. The lack of towing range and poor logistics of charging on the go have made a once fun activity no fun. To rectify this situation, last week I brought home a new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the new 5,000 lb. tow rating. I will use it for long trips, especially when going camping or boating.

For these reasons, I almost certainly will never buy or lease another BEV pickup truck. For local trips and commutes to work this truck is amazing. But its drawbacks on longer trips really show, and it simply doesn't get the job done. From now on, I will get EREV or ICE trucks/SUVs only.

I’m going to get shredded for this but, you know who’s figured out the towing range, climate control and charging infrastructure and done a great job of them all? Yup, that’s Tesla. If the Cybertruck wasn’t so ugly I’d be driving it now.

 

[PMurphy]

I’m going to get shredded for this but, you know who’s figured out the towing range, climate control and charging infrastructure and done a great job of them all? Yup, that’s Tesla. If the Cybertruck wasn’t so ugly I’d be driving it now.

OR a Rivian. Pretty well sorted engineering BUT need an alternative front end style. Really can’t consider buying one when I can’t stand to look at it (personal opinion not shared by all - shredded opportunity #2?).

 

[WXman]

Funny y'all say that, because I watched a video on YouTube where they took ALL the electric trucks and towed long distance with them. The Rivian and Tesla were the least favorite of the bunch. GM trounced the others in towing range, and Ford won "favorite overall" almost unanimously.

 

[joewilk45]

Once again once battery technology advances to mass production and it's not impacted by weather as current batteries are and range and charging are advaced where it's 500 miles of range 10 min charge times V2 capabilities towing an RV or large trailer Will always be a job for a V8 or Diesel's But for an suv to haul people and off road capability EV's are the future in my opinion and that's why I own one and look forward to owning a Scout EV

 

[TwoJacks]

Have owned an EV for a year and can’t ever see going back to ICE. EREV sounded interesting at first, but when you really break down how will work towing on a long trip, and look at the reduced tow rating to 5,000 lbs, it doesn’t really do much for me. Also decided we’re going to sell our camper, so no more long distance towing trips needed. The camping scene is all but ruined pretty much everywhere with trashed out public sites, and crazy crowded campgrounds so we’re done with all that, and we have no issues doing long trips with EV’s now. The idea of hauling around a gas engine for 95% of our typical drives when we don’t need it at all just seems so useless.

 

[Goose]

I'm all in on BEV assuming Scout actually releases some real information soon. I need to know price and a more solidly estimated release date to be announced in the next few months.

 

[joewilk45]

Listen if China can develop battery technology (solid state ) so can we by the time these are manufactured they hopefully have a battery accessibility engineered so cells can be accessed and swapped. In that case they can be produced waiting for battery packs to be installed . I can see VW delaying EV versions till battery tech comes to fruition. Just tell us when so we don't go elsewhere. And thank us for waiting. There's already enough arrogance in the world. Facts and truth still matters to some.

 

[WXman]

Also decided we’re going to sell our camper, so no more long distance towing trips needed.

Yeah I agree with that. If a guy has no need to tow heavy weights long distances, then an EV pickup truck is perfect. With 300 miles of range in good weather, it’s plenty for weekly commuting or trips to the lake or Lowe’s for lumber or whatever. And the power, low cost of charging at home, smooth linear acceleration, onboard generator for powering devices and tools, etc. etc. etc. are all super nice.

But, if a guy isn’t towing heavy then the argument could be made that he doesn’t really need a truck to begin with.

Here’s my only other concern: technology changes so fast. TVs, video game systems, computer software, etc. are all things that get outdated within 5 years, let alone 10 years. And since these EV pickup trucks are essentially rolling computers, I personally think it’s highly likely that in 10 years it will be virtually impossible to find critical parts for these. I do not expect that in 10 years I’ll be able to walk into a Ford dealership and get an electric motor, or a battery module, or an AC/DC convertor, or a 15” infotainment screen to control it all. It’s going to get difficult to keep these on the road at some point, and PRICEY. It’s a totally different ballgame. I have a 20 year old gasoline F-150 in my driveway right now and I can walk into any auto parts store in town and get what I need for it. That ain’t happenin’ with these $80,000 electric trucks. You’ll drive an EV until it suffers a critical failure and then buy another one. That’s going to become a rich man’s game.

That’s another reason why when my lease is up on this Lightning, I’ll likely consider my choices with a lot of thought going forward.

 

[Joe]

Saw @DaveM's Harvester EV+Gas thread so thought us Electric only people should have a thread too So who put order deposit down on the Electric only model and why'd you forgo the Gas Range Extender option?

I still plan to keep an ICE vehicle around even into 2027 when the Scouts will hit the market, so figured I've got both bases covered anyway.

I’m waiting

Saw @DaveM's Harvester EV+Gas thread so thought us Electric only people should have a thread too So who put order deposit down on the Electric only model and why'd you forgo the Gas Range Extender option?

I still plan to keep an ICE vehicle around even into 2027 when the Scouts will hit the market, so figured I've got both bases covered anyway.

I reserved EV+Gas but I’m thinking of changing to full EV. I wish I knew the price because that would make my decision a lot easier. If I can get more features and sacrifice the generator I wouldn’t mind at all.

 

[joewilk45]

Here ya go article on Chinese batteries
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/solid-state-battery-technology-advancements-ev-manufacturer/