Hitch Rack and Battery Drop?

[Colorider]

Like many here, I am hopeful that an aftermarket company like Curt will develop a hitch receiver so that I can put a bike rack on. I was thinking about it last night though and came to the realization that the bottom of the car will get dropped for any (hopefully infrequent) battery maintenance. I wonder if a hitch rack will be possible...

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[timbop]

Ford is offering a hitch in the EU/UK, so I expect a hitch must be possible - I doubt the frames are different in north america. As for battery maintenance: there shouldn't be any, but if there was the modules bolt in from underneath.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Any hitch will be attached between frame elements in the rear, behind the batteries.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

Like many here, I am hopeful that an aftermarket company like Curt will develop a hitch receiver so that I can put a bike rack on. I was thinking about it last night though and came to the realization that the bottom of the car will get dropped for any (hopefully infrequent) battery maintenance. I wonder if a hitch rack will be possible...

I think the notion of the "battery drop" for maintenance is perhaps a bit of a misunderstanding. The battery array is expected to last the life of the car. By analogy this is a bit like saying you might need to drop the engine out of an ICE vehicle for infrequent maintenance. The reality is that unless something has gone very wrong with the engine, it should never need to be pulled out of the car. The same is true for the EV battery array.

I have a 14 year old Prius and a 12 year old Escape Hybrid. Neither have ever had any kind of battery maintenance and batteries are still going strong (and these are NiCD batteries!).

I was invited to a Hybrid event at Ford (conveniently I live in Dearborn so it wasn't much of a drive... perhaps 2 miles) ... the chief engineer at the time explained that even with NiCD technology, if you never charge it more than 75% and you never allow it to be discharged to having less than 25% ... the battery will last forever (ok, I paraphrased that, she didn't technically say "forever" but she did say "the life of the vehicle" and that we should never expect to need to replace the batteries.) The computer controls the charge/discharge to keep it in that range.

I recall have cellphones with NiCD batteries and the whole "You have to COMPLETELY discharge the phone and the FULLY re-charge the phone or it will develop a 'memory' and make it more difficult to accept a full charge later." That turns out to not be true. My 14 and 12 year old NiCD battery cars are STILL going strong.



Now onto the hitch. I did hear that there may be a hitch offered and, in particular, for hitch-mounted rack systems for things like bicycles.

The very same Hybrid event I attended had some eye-opener slides presented. They told us they intended to make the slides available ... but that never happened. So while I don't have slides to share, from memory here are some of the things that were shared....

Merely having a bike rack installed on the roof of the vehicle would result in a 10% drop in fuel-economy while traveling at freeway speeds (no bike... just a bike rack). Having a BIKE on that rack would result in a 25% drop in fuel economy (at freeway speeds). Ford's recommendation was to use a hitch rack to "hide" the bike in the draft-zone behind the vehicle to minimize the aerodynamic drag.

They also shared data regarding other aspects of fuel economy. It was very important to regular check tire pressure. Underinflation will result in a reduction in fuel economy. For an ICE engine ... the SINGLE thing that will have the biggest impact on fuel economy is the air-intake filter. A dirty filter can reduce fuel economy by 10% ... just that one thing.

Turning on the rear-window defogger or running the fan on high (never mind the AC ... just the fan motor draw regardless of heat vs. cool) was a pretty big power draw.

Something she pointed out that ICE owners probably don't recognize is that in ALL electrical devices are really getting their power from the fuel. There is no free energy. If every electrical device (radio, fan, headlights, etc., etc.) are switched off then the generator doesn't present much drag to the serpentine belt. But if you have everything running, then it's very hard to spin the generator wheel and that drag costs fuel economy.

There were also comments about general weight. I don't recall the statistic they threw at us. But the take-away point was this: don't store things in the car that you aren't using. If you are driving around with your bowling ball, your golf clubs, your hockey gear, etc. because it's just 'convenient' to leave it in the car ... you are robbing fuel economy caused by the extra friction of moving all that weight around. (This was followed by some humorous comment that you should tell your spouse to go on a diet to save fuel economy (For your personal safety, I recommend you do NOT do that.))

 

[generaltso]

I have a 14 year old Prius and a 12 year old Escape Hybrid. Neither have ever had any kind of battery maintenance and batteries are still going strong (and these are NiCD batteries!).

Are you sure those use NiCD batteries? I thought earlier hybrids usually used NiMH, which weren't as susceptible to the memory effect NiCD batteries were known for.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Merely having a bike rack installed on the roof of the vehicle would result in a 10% drop in fuel-economy while traveling at freeway speeds (no bike... just a bike rack). Having a BIKE on that rack would result in a 25% drop in fuel economy (at freeway speeds). Ford's recommendation was to use a hitch rack to "hide" the bike in the draft-zone behind the vehicle to minimize the aerodynamic drag.

I can confirm having seen this in our Prius.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

Are you sure those use NiCD batteries? I thought earlier hybrids usually used NiMH, which weren't as susceptible to the memory effect NiCD batteries were known for.

Sorry, yes ... NiMH.

 

[Colorider]

I have a 13 year old MMH (the Merc FEH) and the battery is starting to show its age. Every 3-4 days my SOC will drop to 30% and it doesn’t like “L” regen as much as it used to. Still, that’s a solid 5 years longer than the warranty and I credit that to Ford’s conservative battery management. I expect similar from the Mach E.

That being said, my hitch was a total PITA to put on my Mariner and I don’t ever want to take it off. I would hate to need to take it off the MME if they ever need to get to the packs...

 

[dtbaker61]

Merely having a bike rack installed on the roof of the vehicle would result in a 10% drop in fuel-economy while traveling at freeway speeds (no bike... just a bike rack). Having a BIKE on that rack would result in a 25% drop in fuel economy (at freeway speeds). Ford's recommendation was to use a hitch rack to "hide" the bike in the draft-zone behind the vehicle to minimize the aerodynamic drag.

They also shared data regarding other aspects of fuel economy. It was very important to regular check tire pressure.

There were also comments about general weight. I don't recall the statistic they threw at us. But the take-away point was this: don't store things in the car that you aren't using.

exactly.... roof racks are 'to be avoided' in my book, check tire pressure monthly, eliminate extra weight.... although the weight mostly matters in stop/go rather than highway speed.

This is exactly why I installed a hitch on my eMiata, replaced the seats, and don't carry a spare tire (since all of it's miles are 'around town', I could just pull the wheel and take it to the tire shop for repair if I ever got a flat)

 

[RonTCat]

https://www.ford-accessoires.nl/tra...r-achter/1782519?model=mustangmache&year=2020

 

[eltonlin]

https://www.ford-accessoires.nl/tra...r-achter/1782519?model=mustangmache&year=2020

I was wondering - having the hitch rack located where it is, like this example - wouldn't it obscure the reverse light?

 

[ChasingCoral]

I was wondering - having the hitch rack located where it is, like this example - wouldn't it obscure the reverse light?

Yes, to some extent, depending on the bike rack.You could always add an accessory backup light to the rack if you are really concerned.

 

[dtbaker61]

https://www.ford-accessoires.nl/tra...r-achter/1782519?model=mustangmache&year=2020

looks like the Thule EuroRider940 rack.... the trick is the receiver is not available as a US option as far as anybody knows, and no after-market rack mfg has gotten their hands on a real Mach-e yet to measure.

I *should* be getting mine delivered in Feb, and probably the first thing I'll do is pull the bumper off and measure/build myself if nobody beats me to it.

 

[ChasingCoral]

For option to get a free hitch built and installed in Kent, WA or Sugar Hill, GA, see https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/mach-e-towing-hitch-option-now-available.275/post-84641

 

[jhalkias]

https://www.ford-accessoires.nl/tra...r-achter/1782519?model=mustangmache&year=2020

When you look at that thing in Europe, it looks like a "ball mount", and not a standard 2" receiver mount. I'm still keeping my Escape with my hitch for those times I want to go to a trail that is not rideable to, but would really like to see what you come up with @dtbaker61 . I'm not at the confidence level of ripping off the bumper myself.

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