Efficiency tonneau closed vs. open. Has anybody reported this yet?

[av8or]

I’ve seen quite a few range and efficiency tests done, but 2 I’m still waiting for are no tonneau and 21s without aero covers. Anybody know if these have been done?

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[CommodoreAmiga]

I’ve seen quite a few range and efficiency tests done, but 2 I’m still waiting for are no tonneau and 21s without aero covers. Anybody know if these have been done?

21's without aero can already be done. Just order the 21's and they'll be delivered with aero covers, which you can remove in 2 minutes. The service centers sell center caps too.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Mythbusters tackled it.


Go to 6:40 for the results..
Cliffs notes, it doen't make any difference.

 

[Andystroh]

Anecdotally I went from tonneau always closed, to no tonneau because it’s broken, to rooftop tent- haven’t seen much of a different in any of the scenarios. Maybe a .1mi/kWh difference with the tent. But all about the same, 2.1-2.2 with the 20” tires.

 

[kylealden]

No difference noted with tonneau open/closed or a rooftop tent on the back for me, even north of 70mph. Maybe a tiny impact when I pair the tent with my swingout hitch bike rack + MTB.

I noticed a minor (10-15%) hit with two bikes upright on the bed crossbars, and with a motorcycle in the bed with the tailgate down, but nowhere near as bad as the hitch bike rack on my Model Y (30+%).

 

[Nexus]

Depends on who you ask:

Consumer Reports says it decreases efficiency whereas AutoAnything says it will increase and Realtruck.com says it depends.

 

[domoplaytime]

haven’t seen much of a different in any of the scenarios. Maybe a .1mi/kWh difference with the tent. But all about the same, 2.1-2.2 with the 20” tires.

Not counting towing, it seems the big efficiency killers are alignment, tire inflation / balance, speed >60 mph, and mountainous terrain. I was shocked that my 20" ATs could get 2.51 mi/kWh on a round trip on I-5 between Seattle and Everett (AP drive mode, tonneau open). I was testing efficiency by driving as steady a speed as possible in the right lane, with occasional bursts to pass or merge. A/C was on low, Billie Eilish radio was on high, and the outside temp was 50⁰F with no wind.

 

[IdahoNativeNate]

It's on YouTube. Aerodynamics seem better with closed. Big surprise...

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