Tonneau removal range impact?

[Bobthebuilder352]

Couldn’t find any official data. anyone know anything about highway range being affected by the removal of the tonneau cover? Should hurt it but I’m unsure by how much. Hopefully negligible as I think covers are going to brake a lot but I’ve got a LE coming so I will probably just leave it open all the time.

I remember a mythbusters test on this for a gas truck and some random info elsewhere. https://tundraheadquarters.com/the-tonneau-cover-fuel-economy-myth/

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[Forager]

Someone will need to do a range test with it open and closed. It would maks
a good YouTube story for someone.

I’ve read that open truck beds are generally better than covered beds or open beds with tailgate down. However, Rivian has paid more attention to aero than any previous truck manufacturer, so it’s reasonable to expect it to behave differently.

 

[Bobthebuilder352]

Someone will need to do a range test with it open and closed. It would maks
a good YouTube story for someone.

I’ve read that open truck beds are generally better than covered beds or open beds with tailgate down. However, Rivian has paid more attention to aero than any previous truck manufacturer, so it’s reasonable to expect it to behave differently.

my understanding is that there is pretty clear evidence that tonneau is better than a closed tailgate which is better than an open tailgate. Obviously this is a generalization for all trucks and designs vary but hopefully someone will do a test but there so many variables you’d need to try a bunch of times to get an accurate answer. Anyone have a RT1 and a wind tunnel to test?

 

[Zoidz]

Google it, there are tons of studies. In general most studies show a small increase (0.5 to 1 mpg) with a cover. One or two studies show slight decrease. It will vary based on truck/bed design.

If the bed is open, it's well proven that the tailgate should be up, not down. With the tailgate up, a cushion of air is trapped in the bed, reducing drag. With the tailgate down, air flows turbulently through the bed, creating additional drag.

 

[Riviot]

FWIW, I got better mi/kwh with tonneau closed on my 20 mile run to Home Depot than with tonneau open... But I also had a 300lb aerator loaded and strapped in ??‍?

 

[Bobthebuilder352]

Google it, there are tons of studies. In general most studies show a small increase (0.5 to 1 mpg) with a cover. One or two studies show slight decrease. It will vary based on truck/bed design.

If the bed is open, it's well proven that the tailgate should be up, not down. With the tailgate up, a cushion of air is trapped in the bed, reducing drag. With the tailgate down, air flows turbulently through the bed, creating additional drag.

Can you provide me with a mpg conversation to Rivian range?

 

[Zoidz]

Can you provide me with a mpg conversation to Rivian range?

Only indirectly. If an ICE truck gets 15 mpg, and increases to 15.5 mpg, it's roughly a 3% increase. Rivian probably did their EPA estimate with the tonneau cover closed, so subtract 3% from the 314 EPA estimate to come up with around 305 miles with no cover. Obviously a lot of assumptions made to do the math, your mileage may vary.

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