# Watts/hr of Ford Ranger at 60 mph



## snichols (Mar 11, 2011)

I am considering a 89 ford ranger.
Manual 4 speed.
Any know what watts/hr I can expect at 60mph?

I'm trying to figure range at 60mph. The EV Calculator at http://www.evconvert.com/tools/evcalc/ only list the ranger with auto transmission - numbers with that look horrible. I am hoping for MUCH better ones with Manual trany. 
Looking around on EValbum I am seeing a very wide range of numbers. They don't specify a speed, or only a slow speed, with there watts/hr.


144volt system
24-6volt 230Ahr - not purchased yet, considering range
Curtis 1231 controller
ADC FB1-4001A


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

snichols said:


> I am considering a 89 ford ranger.
> Manual 4 speed.
> Any know what watts/hr I can expect at 60mph?
> 
> ...


Hi snich,

What quantity or quality or parameter is described by the unit of "watt/hr" 

Regards,

major


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## snichols (Mar 11, 2011)

*Re: Watts/mile of Ford Ranger at 60 mph*

oops I meant to ask about watt-hours/mile NOT watts/hr sorry about that.


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

bad news: being somewhat of a ranger freak, the transmission in those automatics has a lockup torque converter that is amazingly efficient when the tranny isn't puking it guts out on the street. On my conversion from the a4ld i actually lost a mpg. so a recommendation would be to use the data from the auto as a planning tool and expect a wee better. only 2 ratios for a 2.9 either 3.73 or 4.10. 

somewhere else on this section is a thread talking about watts per mile generated from actual measurements, and they don't seem to vary all that much based on my cursory glance.

good luck


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Watts/mile of Ford Ranger at 60 mph*



snichols said:


> oops I meant to ask about watt-hours/mile NOT watts/hr sorry about that.


Hi snich,

Got your units right now  Not many replies  



snichols said:


> I'm trying to figure range at 60mph. The EV Calculator at http://www.evconvert.com/tools/evcalc/ only list the ranger with auto transmission - numbers with that look horrible.


Let's see what numbers you got, o.k? I also recall recently seeing someone post a calculation using the EPA highway mpg figure to back calculate the wh/m. 

A pick-up truck will be a determent to high speed energy consumption due to the aero package. If range at 60 mph is your objective, you might consider changing your platform. At least you're doing the investigation before hand 

major


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## snichols (Mar 11, 2011)

I drive over 16000 miles a year commuting 30 miles each way. All highway miles over gentle rolling hills. Would like to keep being able to do near 60mph. Could can plug in near work. I'm looking into driving electric to save the money on fuel... if possible.

I started looking into small trucks, because I thought for the range/speed I want that I would need to haul a lot of battery weight. 

I am open to suggestion on an electric vehicle that could handle that range and speed reliably.


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

went and played with the calculator. Nice representation of vehicles. Best vehicles are the well cared for ones down the street with a blown motor for $100 usd.

You can change all the minor stuff like gear ratios to be the same as the 5 speed, motor parameters, battery voltage and what-not. 

Lead acid packs are not the most efficient but I understand the chemistry, and the CFO of the family understands the price.

according to the tables, I can get to work and back on a single charge, so for me, close enough. I will know more when I actually accomplish it.

there is even in the adjustments area a guesstimate of KWH per mile.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

snichols said:


> I started looking into small trucks, because I thought for the range/speed I want that I would need to haul a lot of battery weight.


This is only true when considering lead. If this is what your plan is, then yes. If you just want to go the distance at this speed.... u may want to look at other more aero efficient vehicles as MAjor suggests.

You're gonna be up in the 450+ wh/m area. Slowing down will make a fair bit of difference. Weight is more of an issue with stop/go low speed. Aerodynamics is more of an issue at higher speeds.

Or you could be dumb like me and do a truck with lead then upgrade to Lithium... . Big pack..ya!


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## GizmoEV (Nov 28, 2009)

*Re: Watts/mile of Ford Ranger at 60 mph*



major said:


> Hi snich,
> 
> Got your units right now  Not many replies
> 
> Let's see what numbers you got, o.k? I also recall recently seeing someone post a calculation using the EPA highway mpg figure to back calculate the wh/m.


You must like really small numbers, major.

My Gizmo uses about 0.087 Wh/m or about 140 Wh/mi for normal town driving.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

*Re: Watts/mile of Ford Ranger at 60 mph*



GizmoEV said:


> You must like really small numbers, major.


It isn't the size of the number that counts, or is it 



> My Gizmo uses about 0.087 Wh/m or about 140 Wh/mi for normal town driving.


Busted by the units cop  Driving a Gizmobile no less 

As long as you brought it up, is that figure average? At a constant speed? Battery energy? Wall energy (input to the charger)? It can mean different things to different folks. What do you feel your equivalent mpg would be, just for kicks? Like for the price of a single gallon of gasoline, that much electricity would take you about 400 miles in your Gizmo?


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

snichols said:


> ...commuting 30 miles each way. All highway miles over gentle rolling hills. Would like to keep being able to do near 60mph. Could can plug in near work. I'm looking into driving electric to save the money on fuel... if possible.
> 
> I started looking into small trucks, because I thought for the range/speed I want that I would need to haul a lot of battery weight.
> 
> I am open to suggestion on an electric vehicle that could handle that range and speed reliably.


If you use Li cells, you won't need a truck.  My little swift got 35 miles on 15 x 8v (96) lead batteries when they were new... for about a year and a half-ish, then started losing range pretty steady. Is less space I now have 120v worth (38) of 100ah Thunderskies, and range looks like a pretty safe 50 miles without pushing too close to the bottom. If you can plug in at work for 8 hours, you would be in great shape.... and Li is less expensive than gas when gas goes over about $2.25/gallon by my calcs, including cost of batteries plus electricity.


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## ElectriCar (Jun 15, 2008)

I have a 91 S10 and it's probably close to yours performance wise. I can get about 30 miles keeping it around 35-45 with US Battery XC2200 (232Ah). Last time I made a trip that was mostly interstate I only got about 16 miles before it started to limp but that was with temps in the 40's I think. I live in a fairly hilly area so that uses a good bit more power. 

From what I've seen on ev album it appears Trojan's perform better for a given size so you might want to look at them though they are likely the most expensive option.


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## lou-ace (Jul 21, 2009)

I just finished a 1994 mazda b2200 conversion that would look quite like your configuration. ( see lou-ace in the garage!) NOT happy!, my goal was 28 mi one way, with charging oppurtunity at work. Not achieved. Erronious assumptions #1: 225 20 amp/hr x 120 volts =27.0 Kwt/hr ../ .3-.5 kwt/hr/mi =54-81 mile range, wrongo! it's almost like the lead acid makers have a liscence to lie, when you hit your leadies hard you get a serious drop in potential power probably like 1/2 or less so 27 Kwt/hr now looks more like around 12-13 kwt/hr furthermore lead doesn't like to give up the last 20 % so now were looking at 9-10 Kwt/hr, my truck does use around .3kwt/hr/mi juice at 25-35 mph and .5+ Kwt/hr/mi at freeway speeds. The math has emperically worked out, I get around 30 mi range at 23-35 mph, 15-20 at freeway speeds. Lesson #2: voltage sag is a drag! my 120 volt pack quickly sags to around 106-110v while under way this makes for a lumbering acceleration, and a struggle for highway speeds and hills. Now I do think that my build is solid and I've had no overheating or melting problems for 500 miles. I understand that the new lifepo4's will give a c3 rate with no appreciable sag whooopiiee, I frequently pull 200-300 amps while cruising, if I had no sag I'd have alot more power. so If I could envoke shuda-wudda-coulda,,, *forget the truck, forget the lead*, go for a nice aero-designed chassis like mazda Z models, honda civics ect, use lithium and go faster and farther.................. good luck


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## drivin98 (May 9, 2008)

If you just need a commuter, a truck is the wrong answer. Go aero, go lithium. Save yourself some headaches and probably some money over a few years.

If you do need a truck, consider a (pre-2005) Toyota Tacoma 2wd. It's relatively light and there's room to install battery box between the frame rails. Use a tonneau for the bed to help with aero.

My 2 cents.


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## lbaird (Mar 7, 2011)

*Re: Watts/mile of Ford Ranger at 60 mph*

I just got an 88 Ranger from a friend that uses 18 8 volt batteries and was told he was getting 60 miles at 40 MPH or 40 miles at 60MPH. Not sure if this is correct but he did drive it for 5 years and it has a 5 speed trans, now waiting for a deal on new batteries.


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