Comments by "ke6gwf - Ben Blackburn" (@ke6gwf) on "Doug DeMuro"
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I am an F350 guy (diesel, crew cab 4wd, and yes, I actually use it ;) ), but I am also a Tesla lover.
I think this is the best designed non Tesla EV yet, if I were back in construction, this would be an amazing truck, with lots of good quirks and features, and the familiar Ford feel.
So kudos to Ford, I was not expecting to be this impressed with it, based on all the other "Tesla Killers" so far lol.
That said, I expect that the Cybertruck will also be a good worktruck, and will be cheaper for the same capabilities.
Since the CT is still "subject to change" in design and specs, I won't at all be surprised if they add in some of the Ford features so they are equal on features.
For instance, bed lighting and under body lighting is just an extra lighting kit, easy to add.
The 40 amp 220 v inverter with lots of outlets is a pretty basic thing to match or exceed, as is being able to power your house. (the Tesla charge port already has this capability, it just needs to have the right wall hardware).
I like the easy access front truck, and I don't know if the CT will have that, or does already, but I hope it gets added.
So basically it would be easy for Tesla to put the extra window dressing on, and maybe make a specific "Work Truck edition" with built in saw horses or whatever, and none of it takes major engineering work, except maybe the easy access front trunk.
The concerns I have with the Ford are production capacity, how many they will actually be able to mild, between factory ramp, battery supplies, 3rd party parts shortages, etc. I expect it will end up being delayed, and then probably not easily available for quite a while.
The other concern is how these features will work in real life, what practical range will be as a work truck, how reliable the inverter will be, and how much repairs will cost, and all the other details that Ford doesn't really have experience with, that may bite them and the buyers.
So if the early adopters are having lots of problems, the demand may dry up, or if it's not enough capacity to drive to the job across town and then run some tools for a few hours and make it home, the benefits of the system may not prove a good investment.
So IF Ford can execute this smoothly, than I see a good market for it, but I don't see it being competition to the Cybertruck particularly either, because they are so different in appearance lol
I know a lot of guys who see pulling up at the jobsite in a Ford is part of their carefully crafted image, but I also know a lot of people where pulling up at the customer in a Cybertruck will be part of their Brand, and specifically to set them apart from the competition.
Imagine the yard care companies in the Bay Area or Florida getting fleets of Cybertrucks as the company calling card, etc.
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I picked one of these up by the engine once lol
A cherry red one got completely high centered on top of a rock wall, right side wheels hanging in space, at Meadowood Resort in the Napa Valley a few years ago, and one of the other tow truck guys who got called out to it called me over from another city because he had no idea how to get it off...
The guy had launched it coming out of the tennis court parking lot, and managed to basically fly it onto the top of the rock wall with only a little damage to the front air dam, and some undercarriage damage, and so we had to try to figure out how to lift it off without damaging anything else, so we couldn't just drag it off, and lifting anywhere would damage body panels. (we don't have those spreader bars like they use in Europe to lift by the wheels....)
After looking all over from every angle and trying to find some option, I stepped back and looked at the car, and got an idea.
So I went and popped the back window (hood) open, and looked in, and sure enough! Just like Honda likes doing, the engine had lifting eyes on it.
After checking the geometry, I found that the window opened just far enough that I could get the cable straight down to the engine without hitting it.
So I went and grabbed my bag of tricks that all the other drivers always made fun of because I loaded way too much on whenever I went on duty, and sure enough! I had a selection of various shackles and clevises and screw links and some short pieces of chain etc, and I put small screw links on the lifting eyes, and then stacked up different sizes until I could make a chain bridle between the lifting eyes.
I remember I had to use multiple sizes because of clearance issues around the manifold or whatever. It was NOT pretty, and NOT rated for overhead lifting lol
Then I got my tow truck positioned on an angle with the boom over the engine (this was on a narrow one way lane, so I couldn't get next to the car), got the cable past the window, chained the front end of the car loosely to the flatbed tow truck (the air dam and bumper were already damaged, so there was no loss), and then gingerly lifted, and picked the rear of the car up via the engine (I figured the engine was the heaviest part lol) and then retracted the boom to swing the car a few inches off the rocks. Since I was on an angle, I had to repeat this process several times, moving the tow truck in between each time, but we finally got the rear swung over onto the road, and then we were able to run the flatbed under the front end at an angle, lift it up and pull it over as well.
And all this was in front of a Live Studio Audience, because the car was owned by a rich and well known local, and all the other rich guys thought it was more interesting than playing tennis lol
Too bad it was before camera phones!
Our company (Carl's, in St Helena), who was also the best body shop in the area, so was also doing the repairs, got a letter from the guy a while later, saying how great a job we had done not causing any more damage, and how much money we had saved him by being so careful.
After this, I got less flack about all the junk I carried, because they realized I actually had it for a purpose! Lol
I also have been to the guys house to jump start it, and THAT was nerve wracking, trying to avoid dragging the cables on the paint...
Sadly, both the area where his house was, and Meadowood Resort (along with a bunch of my friends houses...), burned in the latest fire storm, but I would guess he was dead by now, so the car is probably long gone, since that's what the people here care about! Lol
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@Canadian_Gamer I agree with you that EVs don't make sense WHERE YOU LIVE, because the infrastructure isn't there yet.
But in most of the US they do make sense because you can drive nearly anywhere with no concerns (if you have a Tesla anyway lol).
If you have a house where you can charge overnight, especially if you have solar, than it is really good.
And a lot of people are switching to Tesla because they actually save money. A lot of people have long commutes, and since the average Tesla price is pretty similar to the average ICE car price, if you can charge at low rates at home, the cost savings in fuel and oil changes etc can add up enough to be saving considerable money every year, even when gas ISN'T 6 bucks a gallon.
So your comments are accurate for remote Canada until Tesla covers it, and it's accurate for a Model S Plaid, but not for a Model Y or 3, if you have a lot of commuting and can charge at home.
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I see you bought the Nikola Checks title I mean Chevy sales talk lol
This is a prototype that doesn't even have a functional power train, and is using a new battery system that's yet to be used in a vehicle, and you are saying that it's closer to production than the cyber truck, which actually is running around on the street?
You have a LOT of faith in the company line lol
It's also interesting how similar this is how Trevor Milton allegedly did things, showing off prototypes when they didn't actually have key components, such as motors and drive axles like that this one, but making it sound like they were ready to go into production.
While they might actually have the motors almost ready, it's a little risky to be making big promises about things they don't even have designed yet.
So, we shall see if the stuff they are promising actually gets built and works, and then have to remember that this is the first time they have tried making something like this electric, and it's quite a bit different than anything they have done before, whereas, Tesla has been exclusively building electric vehicles for years, and are currently building the factory to build the CT, and the last vehicle they unveiled was in production within like 7 months, so CT should be pretty much on schedule, or close to or with Elon time, getting the batteries perfect lol
And your comment that this might be the go-to electric pickup? At that price point? LMAO!
This might be in your price range, but the Venn Diagram of people who play off road, and the people who can afford that, doesn't have much overlap lol
This will mostly be seen at movie premieres and at the club, not in Normal People's driveways with a half sheet of plywood in the back.
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What a horrible job on the traction control system!
And Doug, a fully kitted out rig is a sign of someone with too much money not of skill. Body damage is the sign of someone with actual experience! Lol
Since those are quad electric motors, they have instant torque response and control, so there is zero reason to have them slipping and digging alternating holes like that, except developer laziness.
As soon as a wheel starts to slip, it should have the torque dropped or the brake applied BEFORE it turns far enough to dig a hole. This is old technology people.
Sometimes you have to spin and dig, but you should only let it do that if at least both wheels on the axle are doing it together at the same speed.
The way it was controlling each wheel separately causes the diagonal rocking that we saw, and just digs useless holes, just like with a totally open differential.
It has the "capability" to electronically lock all 4 wheels together and keep them moving in sync.
Even if it takes using brakes as well as torque, it is possible if they put the work into the software.
So I see this as a very underwhelming rig, but then I remember that your "off roading" is basically fancy factory stock vehicles, so by that metric I guess this is pretty impressive, but compared to even slightly modified vehicles this is not impressive.
And likely will break in very expensive ways when people discover that the undercarriage and suspension and various other parts are easily damaged and expensive to replace, and that a lot of stuff is going to start breaking and jamming when exposed to actual dirt and dust and sand and mud.
Imagine the tonneau cover once it gets sand in the rails, or the gear doors when they get muddy, or the first aid kit the first time it starts raining a little bit with the gear tunnel open.
And the first time you catch the front corner on a rock or branch and you have to get it towed home because it shattered the charge port, and it ends up being a $10k repair bill replacing the front end, you are going to start keeping it to the pavement....
This truck looks like it was designed by someone who subscribes to the Bespoke Post and shaves with a Damascus hatchet, or maybe looks like Jack Dorsey with the big beard...
It's a great rig for a small market, a certain type of person, and it will sell a few, but I don't see this being a popular hit outside that Bespoke group, and I expect long term reliability and quality issues with a high cost of ownership as a result.
I also can't stand the looks! Lol
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I am surprised how well Ford has done here. It may not be as good an "EV" as a Tesla, but the functionality looks great, and SOOO much better than the poser Rivian.
I am all in on Tesla, and laugh at the Mach E, and especially the Blue Cruise, but I am also a Ford diesel owner who actually uses my trucks as trucks, and I would enjoy this I think.
Unless I am towing further than across town, in which case I want my diesel f350 crew cab 4wd long bed!
Now, I am hoping that the CT will have a lot of the useful features like power outlets, an easy to access frunk, extra lighting, etc, so that I can get the Tesla technology advantage, with the useful features we see here, and also avoid the $10k+ Ford dealer "EV tax", but I am still rooting for Ford and Tesla to continue being the only two US car companies NOT to go bankrupt!
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