Another car towing report -- pulling trailer with R1T on 21s

[mindstormsguy]

I did another trip from between Seattle and Portland pulling a car hauler. I figured I’d share more data.

- R1T with 21s, with aero caps removed.
- 18’ Featherlite 3182 aluminum trailer (1450 lbs empty)
- 2001 Camaro with no side windows (so presumably extra drag). Full interior removed, but with a cage installed. I have no idea what it weighs at the moment.
- 70mph mean highway speed, down I5. Some city mixed in for charging, etc.

Here’s the efficiency on the way out. This is trailer only. No car. Suspension was in Low setting.

And the way back, with the car in tow. Standard ride height

The rig:

And what the trailer looks like underneath. I suspect this is hurting drag a lot.

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[rhumbliner]

I did another trip from between Seattle and Portland pulling a car hauler. I figured I’d share more data.

What about charging? Were you able to make each leg without charging on the way?

 

[mindstormsguy]

What about charging? Were you able to make each leg without charging on the way?

Nothing interesting to report in that regard. It was a pretty standard affair. As the images show, it was slightly less than a full charge to get down there, and slightly more than a full charge to get back. I charged three times (once before getting there, and twice on the way back), but I could have charged only twice if I wouldn't have left as early as I did on the first two DCFC.

There are tons of DCFC along I5, but EA was not having a good day. So many broken pedestals. I actually stopped my first charge earlier than planned to let another Rivian charge, and had to wait to charge on my second stop (because only one was working).

I did have to drop the trailer once to charge, at a Walmart where they insisted on putting the chargers in the busy area near the front of the store. The other two times I could leave it attached without really causing problems for anyone (though it was certainly not ideal, as you can imagine). I did have one upset ID3 owner tell me I should disconnect my trailer at the first charge of the day, but it seemed to me like he was just being self-righteous. I wasn't impeding anyone .

The trouble with having a trailer charging where they're not designed for trailers is that I never feel comfortable leaving to grab food or use the bathroom. If I leave the trailer attached, I want to stick around to make sure I don't get in anyone's way. If I drop the trailer, I want to stick around so that nobody takes it. It's particularly frustrating when EA makes a station that *could* have been pull through, but then they put a metal bollard in to expressly prevent it. Very frustrating.

 

[Madsen203]

What sort of deterrence could you use when dropping the trailer so it’s “safe”? I’ve chained the wheel before but that’s annoying and a hassle. Just a chain draped through and locked to the frame would prevent them getting too far.

I like how Tesla app I can view live sentry data so when I have mountain bike on back of car, I can monitor live footage. While it only takes a minute to cut the U-bolt, I can honk horn remotely, flash lights, and make a dash back to the car.

 

[mindstormsguy]

What sort of deterrence could you use when dropping the trailer so it’s “safe”?

Probably nothing. I do have a coupler lock I could install. But I don't carry it with me (it's big and bulky), and that doubles the amount of effort for disconnecting/connecting. I really just can't wait until EVSE operators realize that they've made a mistake by not planning for pull-through. It'll be nice when there are more RAN stations. But I have to think that between the Lightning, Hummer, Silverado EV, and an eventual RAM, they're going to be leaning on operators to add better station configs. It can't only be the RAN that ends up supporting pull-through.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I am hopeful it’s just a case of simple economics. More EV trucks means more demand which means more pull through spots. Right now there isn’t even enough EV demand total for electrify America to fix their broken chargers.

You would think an EV charger would be a money maker eventually

 

[Yossarian]

Those are decent efficiency numbers, only a 30 to 40% range hit (though it looks like you didn't have much left "in the tank" on that second leg). Very helpful data points for folks like me who are planning to tow. If I could be sure that the range hit with my teardrop camper would be closer to 30%, I could live with the Large battery and not have to continue to wait for the Max.

On the other hand, the wait gives time for the charging network to get built up and to add some pull-through stations. The irony is that if the wait for the Max really does extend to 2024 (or later), the charging network improvements may mean the extra capacity is no longer really needed.

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