Ain’t heavy

[MikeTz]

Kyle Connor on Out of Spec motoring recently did an efficiency test on a Rivian R1T with an empty bed and then with a giant water tank filled to the maximum towing capacity the vehicle has. The unweighted truck got 2.1 mi/kWh, the weighted one got 2.0 mi/kWh. This strongly suggests aerodynamics is the biggest contributor to range and weight only has a marginal impact. I think pulling an empty much lighter trailer behind the R1T much more dramatically reduces range. So I’d be surprised if weight had much impact on the Lucid unless it’s a LOT.

I was surprised to see Kyle did not test the Rivian using the conserve mode. In my experience the conserve mode delivers 10-15% better m/kWh.

 

[Steveinarizona]

That weight sits at the top of the car, which is one of the worst places to have it, of course. However, the much larger mass of the battery pack at the bottom of the chassis still gives these cars a low center of gravity that ICE cars struggle to approach, even with such complicated stratagems as dry sump oil systems.

Very true. That is why the German car companies on their high end cars offer a carbon fiber roof option. But the skateboard chassis offer far more benefit by keeping so much of the weight low and between the front and back axles.