New Ford F-150 Lightning EV Finally Strapped To A Dyno

Before we get to drivetrain loss, a big crisp digital high five to Raupe for the lengths he went to in order to test the Lightning. The main issue was not the eAWD system.

There are loads of all-wheel-drive dynos available, but they're normally used to test the power output of cars like the Subaru WRX, Audi R8, and Lamborghini Huracan. All of the available AWD dynos maxed out at 125 inches, which isn't nearly enough to accommodate the Ford's 145.5-inch wheelbase. The second issue was weight. An Extended Range Lightning weighs roughly 6,500 pounds, further limiting the dynamometer options.

Raupe roped in the help of Dynocom Industries, who custom-built a dyno just for this task. Dynocom used one of its DC-6000 units, which is essentially two 1500hp/195mph dynos that are linked by a proprietary AWD gearbox linkage system to ensure the rollers stay in sync. This unit also wasn't long enough, so Dynocom fabricated a custom shift extension to reach the required 145.5-inch length.

The EV drivetrain also presented a challenge. A dyno normally uses revolutions per minute to calculate the dyno graph, but the team got around this problem by measuring wheel speed instead of RPM. Naturally, Dynocom needed a final drive ratio.

That's particularly tricky since most EVs use a direct-drive system, but there is still a gear reduction between the motor and the wheel. They calculated the drive ratio on-site, using the wheel speed and tire height.

In case you were wondering, the Lightning uses a 2:1 ratio on each motor.

Finally, the Lightning would cut power at around 70 mph. The power output dropped from above 500 hp to less than 200 mph. The power would eventually ramp back up at a speed of 107 mph. Interestingly, the Lightning's smart ECU thought that all four wheels had left the ground, so it cut the power.

The solution was to use Dynocom's virtual road simulator, which applies resistance to the rollers. This accurately simulates wind and road resistance, and finally, the Lightning provided consistent power.

According to Raupe, the EV truck lost three percent of its power. The recorded torque figure was roughly one percent higher than claimed. The difference between the dyno figures and claimed figures can be blamed on drivetrain loss, which is expected. This is essentially power lost due to the friction of a car's various drivetrain components.

It's pretty standard in the automotive industry. Even a car as mighty asthe Bugatti Chiron suffers 8% drivetrainloss. On the odd occasion, manufacturers also get caught out forpotentially underclaiming the power outputof their vehicles.

There is no authoritative figure for drivetrain loss, but 10% is the commonly accepted figure for AWD ICE cars. Taking that into consideration, the Lightning did exceptionally well.

现在我们只需要Rivi绝妙的数据an R1T, Hummer EV, and then the Tesla Cybertruck, if it ever arrives.