Do you suffer from range anxiety?
If so, then a new report probably isn't going to make you any better.
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For the record, range anxiety is not something a cowboy feels when he's gone too long without seeing the deer and the antelope play.
Rather, according to the dictionary, range anxiety is "worry on the part of a person driving an electric car that the battery will run out of power before the destination or a suitable charging point is reached."
Those can be some pretty discouraging words for a driver who isn't home on the range.
A recent query on Twitter asking "What % triggers your range anxiety?" garnered more than 250 responses.
"5%. Trip planner for me has often been off by 5%+ on long-range highway driving, so anything less than that is a valid concern for me," one person responded.
"Depends where I am. Out West with large charger gaps, big elevation changes and variable weather.... 20%," another tweet read.
Range Anxiety Worries Consumers
"Under 10% Especially if the charging situation at my destination is unclear," another person said.
The American Automobile Association said it conducted a study on how the payload effects the driving range of a battery electric truck.
"As battery electric pickup trucks and SUVs become more common, it is important to consider the potential impacts of real-world use cases on range and efficiency," the association said.
For its study, AAA said its researchers drove a 2022 Ford (F) F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck with a 1,400-pound load of sandbags. The load was 110 pounds less than the truck's maximum capacity.
"Range anxiety remains a top reason consumers are hesitant to switch from gasoline-powered vehicles to EVs," Adrienne Woodland, an AAA spokeswoman, said in a statement. "While this study may heighten concerns, it’s worth remembering that excess weight reduces fuel economy in gas-powered vehicles too."
Greg Brannon, director of AAA Automotive Engineering, said that “the testing revealed a significant range reduction, but it’s important to note that the Lightning was loaded to near its maximum capacity.”
“Most buyers will likely use their Lightning with a lighter load, resulting in a much smaller range reduction," he said.
The Ford Lightning had a combined driving range of 278 miles when it was unloaded, AAA said. With the added payload of 1,400 pounds, the driving was reduced by 68 miles, or 24.5%, to a combined driving range of 210 miles.
Better Fuel Economy in Cities
The test was conducted on a 7.5-mile oval test track and a dynamometer at The Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center in Los Angeles.
The report noted that gas-powered vehicles typically get better fuel economy on highways than in cities, which are noted for slower speeds and frequent deceleration and acceleration.
This tends to be reversed for electric vehicles due to regenerative braking during deceleration and the inherent advantage of electric motor torque when accelerating after a stop.
Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The auto manufacturer recently said it was reducing customer wait times for the F-150 Lightning as the company is on track to increase production at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center this fall to 150,000 trucks a year.
Tesla (TSLA) recently cut a deal enabling General Motors (GM) car owners to use its network of charging stations.
The partnership, which follows a similar deal with Ford, means all three U.S. automakers will now use the same network of 12,000 fast chargers based on the Tesla North American Charging Standard, which comprise around a third of U.S. charging stations.
