SPRING UPDATE - Towing a teardrop camper from Colorado to Virginia - 3,000 miles (through snow) in January 2024 :-D

[21st Century Pony]

Right here ?

FYI - my Boxer's rain / snow insulated Winter poncho comes from Canada Pooch. Since I wear a sweatshirt to minimize cabin heating on long Winter drives, she deserves to stay warm as well and wears her adventure poncho coat.

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[leehinde]

Love the Pika teardrop trailer... it's perfect. Very well-designed and comfortable.

How is it heated? I stepped through the configurator to see but gave up at step 12.

 

[21st Century Pony]

How is it heated? I stepped through the configurator to see but gave up at step 12.

Keep going... it's an option. British Propex propane heater under the cabin floor.
Heat exchanger is inside the heater. A fan pulls the heated clean air inside and back out while carbon monoxide and burned air are exhausted thru separate pipes.

 

[21st Century Pony]

For those members who followed our Summer 2023 Atlantic - Pacific - Atlantic Mach E trip with my European 14-year old nephew who got to race the Mach E on Bonneville Salt Flats while exploring the USA, this teardrop camper is also meant for his three teenager cousins who are now lined up for the next two Summers ?

 

[21st Century Pony]

Can you, or someone tell me where I can get this hitch setup? I’m guessing Uhaul will not have what I need. Ideally, I’d like to tow the same teardrop. I have a 23 performance extended range.

Tim, if you DM me we can have a more involved conversation including Ford towing kit part numbers (not/not available thru Ford of North America or thru UHaul).

I've had this Ford kit for over a year now and learned several lessons which might pertain to committed and interested members but go far outside this one thread. BLUF: this can be successfully and safely done if one wants to gain this capability, albeit with a workaround or two and a bit of self-install wrenching.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

I love that you did this under just about the worst possible BEV conditions (temps, tires, towing). The many photos of your dog are also appreciated

So the big question is do you think the same trip would have been more enjoyable in an ICEV? If not, why?

 

[DYohn]

Thanks for doing this and posting your observations, even if only to prove it can be done and to report on performance results! At my age "camping" means staying at a mid-level hotel, so I especially admire your fortitude to take this trip on in the winter.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Thanks for doing this and posting your observations, even if only to prove it can be done and to report on performance results! At my age "camping" means staying at a mid-level hotel, so I especially admire your fortitude to take this trip on in the winter.

The dog made me do it

 

[21st Century Pony]

I love that you did this under just about the worst possible BEV conditions (temps, tires, towing). The many photos of your dog are also appreciated

So the big question is do you think the same trip would have been more enjoyable in an ICEV? If not, why?

I think an ICEV could have / would have done the trip just as well.

But I chose back in 2022 after living with the Mach E to never have another ICE car (I still have my two early 1990s BMW gas K-bikes) so for me the choice was the Mach E, or no trip and no teardrop camper.

"Enjoyability" is a bit like sex or social engagements... most of it is really in our minds, right? Making full use of the capability of our wonderful cars and figuring out how to do that safely and repeatably is certainly a large part of enjoyability for me.

Besides, Colorado high mountain camping in Winter was a huge motivator as well, and I wouldn't attempt THAT without a good camper and heater haha.

Finally, a decent stress test imho should be done under sustained adverse conditions to really learn the limits or it's not really a stress test at all.

I hope I've answered your question - it's a good one...

 

[geeklifer]

I'm impressed that you managed that high an average mi/kwh while towing in poor conditions/temps. Great report!

 

[21st Century Pony]

I'm impressed that you managed that high an average mi/kwh while towing in poor conditions/temps. Great report!

Thank you.

Managing speed appeared to be the key factor.

We are so conditioned to an abundance of powerful personal vehicles like the Suburban or the F250 on the North American market that we often disregard or plain forget that towing speed limits exist for a good reason.

For example, in California all towing is legally limited to 55 mph. (Ha ha, right?)

With appropriate speeds, trailer oscillation, out-of-control swaying and also fuel burn (of whatever fuel) can all be greatly reduced.

 

[Fremont Kid]

You drove quite a distance north from Wichita, KS to E-Nebraska then continued east. Did you drive north to access chargers or because those roads take you to northern VA?

 

[21st Century Pony]

You drove quite a distance north from Wichita, KS to E-Nebraska then continued east. Did you drive north to access chargers or because those roads take you to northern VA?

We had stayed that previous night at McConnell AFB family RV park because a Ford dealer in west Wichita had a rear wheelwell leading air deflector trim flap I had broken off on ice in the Colorado mountains. Our next planned stop was in Hastings Minnesota at our friends' house. So the Ford Nav wayplot took us from Wichita straight North thru eastern Nebraska.

While refueling in Auburn Nebraska where the temp hit that minus 19 F + a strong North wind, I said to hell with camping that night and just drove straight thru to Hastings Minnesota.

BTW - the Eastbound I-80 between Omaha and Des Moines Iowa is paved with concrete whose expansion joint areas are subtly higher than the centers of those concrete blocks. It's subtle but it induced a really sucky oscillation in my particular car + trailer combo... it made the trailer coupler continuously push back & forth and also upwards on the tow ball.

I think the axle line spacing on the Mach E, the length of this teardrop trailer's front tongue arms and the teardrop's axle position to the rear of center all combined to create conditions for this potentially dangerous oscillation... of course I had to alter speed to change the parameters enough that the oscillation stopped building and diminished. All sucky, and a part of the stress test.

 

[Nikos]

Another one of those interesting posts. This story will melt all of the naysayers negative comments.
I remembered when I towed with my Explorer a 4500lb camper to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Badlands, Mount Rushmore and Mammoth Cave National Parks.
It can be done with planning and tender loving care of the equipment that you use. Yes, it can be risky.
It seems you have done your homework "21 Century Pony".
I enjoyed the post.
I have a TorqueLift made tow hitch, personally installed, which is a sturdy design. These folks at TorqueLift have done their homework. I am familiar with your hitch installation. If you want to go back at the early days of the forum, Mach E owners in Europe, had the same hitch installed on their Mach Es. It had to be done at approved shops meeting Dutch and German regulations. No wonder you seeing the Ford sticker on it. Only for European customers.
This is the post that shows with some planning, a trusty partner that is not complaining, a brave heart and confidence you can traverse our country with an EV.
It seems you are the first doing it with a Mach E. Several Tesla X owners have done similar trips in the past.
Job well done.
What range anxiety?
What charging anxiety?

Enjoy the ride.!!!​

 

[MillerPaints]

FYI - my Boxer's rain / snow insulated Winter poncho comes from Canada Pooch. Since I wear a sweatshirt to minimize cabin heating on long Winter drives, she deserves to stay warm as well and wears her adventure poncho coat.

She looks very snuggy and warm. Thx for sharing!

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