How come no tonneau options?

[TF1000]

In the FAQ, they state that if the truck has bidirectional charging it charges the traction battery. They have an option to select the F150 Lightning when ordering (you can’t actually order yet but you can reserve an order for $50…a process which sounds a little too familiar, unfortunately).

I assume it can't charge while you are driving though. I don't think any EVs let you drive with something plugged into the charge port.

Sponsored

 

[LightningShow]

Honestly, I don’t see the point of a solar tonneau cover. Put solar panels on your house if you want free energy.

 

[LightningShow]

I assume it can't charge while you are driving though. I don't think any EVs let you drive with something plugged into the charge port.

if you could charge while you were driving you could just put a big ass portable generator in the bed and extend your range to 400+.

 

[CoyoteJim]

I assume it can't charge while you are driving though. I don't think any EVs let you drive with something plugged into the charge port.

I don't know, but I emailed the company with some additional questions, I'll report back here if they respond. Also, I put in a "reservation" for an order and they are supposed to start shipping around the same time my Lightning would be delivered, assuming everything goes through without any problems. So I will test it out and report the results back here as well.

As far as charging while driving, there is a video that a Youtuber did where he drives the Model S while it's being charged from a portable battery pack in the trunk (with a little bit of trickery):



But this would not be really useful, there would have to be a way to charge the battery through another port or adapter. I'm sure it is just a software setting that would allow the car to be charged while driving. Case in point, there is a company that is working on a solar roof for the Model 3 that would charge the battery while driving and it would not require something to be plugged into the charge port:

https://www.evsolarkits.com/

For me, the solar panels are interesting for the truck because
a) it's on the tonneau which makes use of something that improves range anyway and doesn't change the look of the vehicle from a standard tonneau and
b) peace of mind - no matter how far out in the country I go, I may have to wait a while for enough charge but I will never be completely stuck anywhere (as long as I can get sun).

 

[LightningShow]

I’m a tech geek so that kind of stuff is inherently cool to me, but a $2k generator will add 15 miles per hour instead of 8 miles per day.

 

[CoyoteJim]

I’m a tech geek so that kind of stuff is inherently cool to me, but a $2k generator will add 15 miles per hour instead of 8 miles per day.

True, but after you buy the generator you have to keep buying the gas. You don't have to keep buying the sun.

 

[Pilot2022]

I recall seeing in another thread that tonneau covers are not available in the build and price tool but you can choose one of the 3 offline options and dealer can add them to your order.
Anyone else remember the source?

 

[RickLightning]

Scoff you may, but this company claims they have a tonneau cover with 800w of solar cells (long bed), good for adding several miles a day - for western and southern states, anyway. The example they give is for an EV Truck with a 76KW battery the 800 Watt solar tonneau cover will generate 29 Km (18 miles) of added range with 6 hours of solar charging. That sounds like it might be optimistic but still good for 8-10 miles for the Lightning's 98kWh battery and shorter bed. Let's see:

98,000kWh/230 miles = 426Wh per mile
600W (shorter bed) x 6 hours = 3600Wh
3600Wh/426Wh per mile = 8.45 miles

8-9 miles per day from the sun. Say what you want about the drawbacks of charging vs. filling up with gas, but there is no way to park your ICE truck in a driveway and absorb a half gallon of gas into your tank a day.

I think it's just a matter of time before several companies are offering even better systems, including Ford. This is part of the reason I'm not real concerned about the 230 mile range of the SR. You will be able to "trickle" charge your battery off of solar plus have an "auxiliary tank" comprised of a mobile battery array you can load in the bed of your truck for trips.

https://goterravis.com/trucks/

https://www.motortrend.com/news/worksport-terravis-solar-tonneau-cover-truck-bed-power-system/

There is zero chance that this will pay off in your lifetime. At an Electrify America charger, in a state where the charge by the kWh, and without buying their discount plan, you'd pay $0.43 per kWh. for those 3.6kWh, it would cost me $1.55. How much is this cover going to cost?

Of course, if I charge at home, instead of $.43 I pay $.125. Some pay less. So now for those 3.6kWh, I would pay $0.45.

Let's assume the cover is $1,500. Therefore, breakeven on the EA rate would be 968 days of charging at 6 hours per day. The breakeven at home would be 3,333 days at 6 hours per day. And I suspect the cost to be above $1,500.

This is one of those "boy, that won't work" solutions.

 

[REDHORSECA]

I assume it can't charge while you are driving though. I don't think any EVs let you drive with something plugged into the charge port.

You can however charge another BEV with a dead battery while towing it though. As shown in this TFLTruck's video.

TFLTruck Level 2 charged a trailer towed Chevy Spark when they were doing a Spark range test to 100% to 0% battery, via an F150 PowerBoost Hybrid bed's 240V bed power point.

 

[LightningShow]

There is zero chance that this will pay off in your lifetime. At an Electrify America charger, in a state where the charge by the kWh, and without buying their discount plan, you'd pay $0.43 per kWh. for those 3.6kWh, it would cost me $1.55. How much is this cover going to cost?

Of course, if I charge at home, instead of $.43 I pay $.125. Some pay less. So now for those 3.6kWh, I would pay $0.45.

Let's assume the cover is $1,500. Therefore, breakeven on the EA rate would be 968 days of charging at 6 hours per day. The breakeven at home would be 3,333 days at 6 hours per day. And I suspect the cost to be above $1,500.

This is one of those "boy, that won't work" solutions.

Agree here. If I wanted to solar charge my truck remotely I'd build a portable solar array with a much larger area than the bed, something like four 3x5 panels. You'll be able to get more efficient panels and, obviously, the area of panel is a huge factor. You might be able to get 20-30 miles a day out of an array that wouldn't be to too ridiculously sized. Of course you'd have to set it up every time you want to use it...which would suck.

It's just hard for me to grasp the net benefit of any type of portable solar charging for automotive use.

 

[REDHORSECA]

For Tonneau cover I'll probably purchase a BAK Revolver X4S (~$1k).

I like how low profile it is - flush to the bed's plastic side rail protectors, the cover's bed security with a aluminum bed cover - sides 100% fully locked in when closed, doesn't take any internal space from the bed when rolled up, you can see out the back window when it's rolled up, easy to remove from the bed when it isn't needed - four thumb handles, and of course the way it looks clean on the bed.

I like the improvements that BAK has done with this generation of the Revolver tonneau covers, looks like the last of the design issues have finally been resolved. Super easy to DIY install process.

 

[LightningShow]

That's nice! I really like that.

 

[wheelz2000]

Yeah thanks for posting the video of that cover. Had I not gotten a ford tonneau on my powerboost last year, I would seriously ponder this one, however, it's paid for, so I can't justify an extra grand for this fancy aluminum roller one....or....can I? ??

 

[LightningShow]

Being able to remove it without too much hassle is nice. The retractable style are cool but seem like they would be a PITA to deal with if you needed to take it off regularly.

 

[wheelz2000]

Not really. My cover isn't difficult to remove, just a couple slide bolts up underneath. It's a ford version of a truxedo cover. It has the bars in the fabric like the bakflip but mine has the angled velcro rail on the sides and clicks into place at the tailgate. Think I gave 450 for it at the stealership. It was one that came with the ford emblem in the fabric and I thought that was cool.

Sponsored