1200 lbs of compost… over a mountain? Need advice

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1

Got a 2023 ER Lariat and planning to do an 80-mile round trip to pick up about 1200 lbs of compost. The company gave me that weight estimate. My door sticker says max payload is 1577 lbs, so with me (about 200 lbs) and nothing else extra in the truck, I’m right up against the limit.

The part that’s making me nervous is the mountain in the way. It’s about 1900 feet at the top, so I’d be climbing roughly 1400 feet. Just wondering if the truck can handle that kind of load uphill.

Is there a better way to estimate what this trip will be like? Has anyone done something similar? Or should I just find dirt on this side of the mountain?

Edit: Thanks for all the replies! I’m obviously a rookie at this, but I appreciate the different perspectives. No more range anxiety! I’ll report back.

Edit 2: Now that I’m thinking clearly (and not overthinking at night), I realize my mistake—I was treating max payload like max towing, but it’s nowhere near the same impact on range.

2

Dude, it’s an 80-mile round trip in an ER. You’ll be totally fine.

Go get your compost.

3

River said:
Dude, it’s an 80-mile round trip in an ER. You’ll be totally fine.

Go get your compost.

Hah, thanks. I’ve just seen so many posts about range issues that I psyched myself out. Appreciate the gut check!

4

@Tully
You’ll get most of that energy back on the way down anyway.

5

@Tully
Wind resistance is your real enemy, not weight. Keep your speed reasonable, and you’ll be fine. :+1:

6

I do 160-mile round trips for 2000 lbs of firewood through the mountains in my Lightning. You’ll be fine, lol.

7

The big range killer is aerodynamics, not weight.

1200 lbs in the bed is nothing. Probably about the same impact as having five big dudes in the cab.

8

Quill said:
The big range killer is aerodynamics, not weight.

1200 lbs in the bed is nothing. Probably about the same impact as having five big dudes in the cab.

Just don’t put five big dudes and a full load of mulch in the bed at the same time. Even these trucks have limits. :joy:

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@River
Fair point. :joy:

10

You’re going up the mountain… but you’re also coming down, right?

The truck will use extra energy climbing, but you’ll gain a lot of it back with regen on the way down.

Your truck will climb the hill. It won’t even break a sweat.

Just ignore the range estimate when going up—it always freaks out on steep inclines, but it balances out over the trip.

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Your door sticker payload is specific to your truck’s trim and options.

12

Taylor said:
Your door sticker payload is specific to your truck’s trim and options.

Yep, if your sticker says 1577 lbs, that’s what it is for your truck.

13

Elevation doesn’t affect EVs like it does gas engines. Extra weight will impact range a little, but nothing like towing a trailer.

And you’ll regen a bunch of energy going downhill.

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Yeah, your efficiency will suck on the way up, but regen will help on the way down. You got this.

15

Honestly, you’d be fine even in a standard-range Lightning.

16

Charge to 100% before the trip if you’re nervous, but you’ll be fine. Regen braking will charge you up on the way down.

You can also use ABRP to plan the trip and set efficiency to 0.8 mi/kWh to see a worst-case estimate.

17

@Hollis
0.08 mi/kWh wouldn’t get you anywhere! I think you meant 0.8.

With an ER battery, that still gives you over 100 miles of range, so you’re solid.

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Ben said:
@Hollis
0.08 mi/kWh wouldn’t get you anywhere! I think you meant 0.8.

With an ER battery, that still gives you over 100 miles of range, so you’re solid.

Yep, good catch! Fixed it.

19

Nothing to stress over. Let us know how the haul goes!

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Your truck already weighs ~7000 lbs with you in it. Adding 1200 lbs isn’t going to make a huge difference.

If you can make the trip with more than 15% battery left unladen, you’re golden.