Hold it! Tesla is coming out with a F150 style pick-up truck? When can I make a reservation? Do I have to cancel my Model-X reservation or can I transfer it to the pick-up? Is it expected to be available in 6 months (I think I can wait that long)? Wait, I already did this 3.5 years ago with the Model-S. I'm not going to make that mistake again...
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Hold it! Tesla is coming out with a F150 style pick-up truck? When can I make a reservation? Do I have to cancel my Model-X reservation or can I transfer it to the pick-up? Is it expected to be available in 6 months (I think I can wait that long)? Wait, I already did this 3.5 years ago with the Model-S. I'm not going to make that mistake again...
Cottonwood
Roadster#433, Model S#S37
The VIA Motors Pickup Trucks and Vans exist on the web but are not shipping. They are "range extended" electrics like the Volt, but do have the very nice feature of a 240V/14 kW inverter standard and claims of a 50 kW inverter option. They could become the perfect Tesla "out of energy" rescue vehicle when they start shipping!
Yeah, I'm not waiting that long, I don't want to risk driving my 1998 F150 for that long. I don't understand why VIA is using a 4.3L V6 if its only being used to charge the batteries. Seems like overkill. And whatever happened to the Phoenix pickup truck, announced 10 years ago.
scottf200
Well-Known Member
A friend of mine used to tow small sailboats up and down the eastern US coast going to races most summer weekends. He had all kinds of "stupid trailer stories" he swore were true. Two that stick out were:
- Coming upon a U-haul dual axle trailer, upside down in the median, with a bumper hanging from the trailer tongue.
- Hitting a major traffic jam on I-95 on the CT coast, as 2 lanes merged to one for an accident. After the merge was a ~35 ft cigarette boat, sitting on the pavement in the right lane. In front of it was a dually pickup with an empty 3 axle trailer.
Aww... I'm to late to make the "soft Corinthian leather" reference. Well, at least I can provide it in Ricardo's voice (0:21):
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Red Sage
The Cybernetic Samurai
For the same reason that the Tesla Roadster, Model S, and now Model X went after a 'tiny niche of use capability'. Tesla Motors is a small company with limited resources. They cannot wait until they have the manufacturing capacity to build 400,000+ pickup trucks per year to compete against F-150 and Silverado 1500 any more than they could have waited for the capacity to build 300,000+ replacements for Accord and Camry.
Little Brother always wants to play with Big Brother's Toys. You show a Tesla Model P 220DD Crew Cab Dually outpulling an F-250, F-350, or F-450 -- and doing it easily -- and the line will form to the left. You go the other route, with a small or medium pickup that barely holds muster with Ranger, Colorado, and Tacoma, and your reputation will be set in red clay mud banks while people go buy something else.
Go BiG or go home.
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
There is also the huge range hit which will happen when towing loads as you describe, at least with any battery technology likely to be ready for production in the next 5 years or so. That is not likely to impress the market much. I think Tesla will have enough to do creating a half ton pickup with impressive range when towing a 5K+ load, let alone a 10K plus load. Towing campers and such usually means longer trips where range will matter.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Excellent point. We often talk about how well suited our cars are for day-to-day driving, but, on the other hand, find that trips take more careful planning. Add a trailer to that trip and I just don't know...
I'm presuming you are implying that a 4.3L V6 is required to provide 50 kW output. I don't see why a smaller engine can't provide 50 kW. That's 67 hp. Even with significant conversion losses, you don't need a really big engine to provide that much power.
scottf200
Well-Known Member
There are probably multiple reasons. It also can charge the batteries on the go (on the way to a 2nd, 3rd, etc job sites use), and can power that 190 kW motor under load (pulling or full bed) for a long time.
Image: http://i.imgur.com/b5y39fd.png
Why does this thing have a driveshaft? Apparently they didn't want to spend any more money on engineering.
scottf200
Well-Known Member
When remove the transmission you obviously have a big open cavity. Differentials work well already for cornering as an example.
Understand the towing angst and the range Impact, but I have a slightly different challenge.
I want/need a tow bar but I don't want to tow anything !? I also don't worry too much about the range impact.
I need to carry 2 X Electric MountainBikes and Thule have a fantastic solution with a Tow Bar based Carrier,which carries 2 X EMTB perfectly on my 5 series BMW 2.0 m.
does anyone have any experience of this. My questions to Tesla Uk re Tow Bars simply go unanswered.
I want/need a tow bar but I don't want to tow anything !? I also don't worry too much about the range impact.
I need to carry 2 X Electric MountainBikes and Thule have a fantastic solution with a Tow Bar based Carrier,which carries 2 X EMTB perfectly on my 5 series BMW 2.0 m.
does anyone have any experience of this. My questions to Tesla Uk re Tow Bars simply go unanswered.
goneskiian
Active Member
Do you have access to the X configuration page? Just curious if you have the same options for the Accessory Hitch and/or Tow Package.
Knowing how popular the use of small camper trailers are in the UK and Europe I would wager you would have the Tow Package option. I too plan on carrying mtb bikes (human powered though) on a hitch mount and I am opting for the full Tow Package to guarantee a tow bar capable of handling high tongue weight.
You may also want to check out the Accessory Hitch/Tow Package threads.
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