Cannonball Run EV record attempt in a modified R1T

[VandalSibs]

Seems dumb to select a EV with poor efficiency, poor charging curve and speed limiter for a cannonball run. Seems like Lucid Gravity would be a much better option for vehicle to attempt the run.

The point in the video is to modify an EV to try and get the run done quicker - lots of the ICE vehicles that do this are heavily modded (bigger fuel tanks, performance tweaks, etc.), while all of the EVs that have done it are stock.

Its (most likely) easier to have an R1T carry more batteries & wire things into the vehicle than a Porche or a Lucid.

In the end, even if they don't set a new record this is fun to watch (for me) from an engineering point of view.

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[ElGuano]

Seems dumb to select a EV with poor efficiency, poor charging curve and speed limiter for a cannonball run. Seems like Lucid Gravity would be a much better option for vehicle to attempt the run.

As a shoestring-DIY project, one of the things they mentioned was that they wanted to use Rivian batteries, and went to a crash test yard to source battery packs from 3+ year old carcasses. I assume at this point in time, it is probably much harder to find Gravity packs easily/cheaply purchased.

Also, there's the real fact that they're just dudes trying to run the race, and the R1T is the car the main guy owned. This didn't look like a corporate-sponsored event with an unlimited budget to choose whatever vehicle they wanted.

 

[R1Thor]

...unless you have a bladder that is only good for 150 miles tops...

I don't know why you're calling me out, man...what'd I ever do to you?!?!

 

[Cycliste]

So, my physiological range is roughly two hours which is about my experience.

So these guys might want to look into Texas catheters or other engineering solutions. Do we still call them that?

https://medshun.com/article/how-much-liquid-can-a-human-bladder-hold

https://medshun.com/article/what-is-a-normal-urine-output-per-hour

 

[mkhuffman]

As a shoestring-DIY project, one of the things they mentioned was that they wanted to use Rivian batteries, and went to a crash test yard to source battery packs from 3+ year old carcasses. I assume at this point in time, it is probably much harder to find Gravity packs easily/cheaply purchased.

Also, there's the real fact that they're just dudes trying to run the race, and the R1T is the car the main guy owned. This didn't look like a corporate-sponsored event with an unlimited budget to choose whatever vehicle they wanted.

And two of those guys work for Rivian, so I imagine their experience with the truck really helped when doing the modifications.

They made it clear in the video that this effort has nothing to do with Rivian corporation, so it is definitely just a bunch of guys trying to do something nobody else has done before. And I think it is super cool, especially if they can beat the Taycan. I am rooting for them! (I suspect the second attempt has already been made...)

 

[KootenayEV]

If the spacing of suitable chargers works out, I suspect they would have gone as fast as reasonably possible and run SOC down to ~10-15%, and only charged up to about 60-65%, keeping the SOC envelope there should yield >400kW avg charging, spending about 20-25 mins per stop (assuming they were able to refine the plug-in procedure for the aux pack to keep overhead low). That would give you about 300 miles between charges and ~2.5hrs. It is faster to drive faster and stop for one or two more charges over that kind of distance (assuming the charger is right off the interstate) then to try and hypermile. (I've got plenty of experience figuring out trade-offs between travelled speed and charging speed from my road-trips in a 2014 Leaf! https://kootenayevfamily.ca/trip-report-kelowna-and-back-part-1/)

 

[MountainBikeDude]

I'm surprised no one has touched on the tidbit about the auxiliary port on the Gen 1 Rivian batteries touched on in the video which coincides with the winch option/functionality they were looking to implement early days. Most wondered how it would be powered etc, but I guess this clarifies that.


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...-rock-rails-spotted-on-this-rivian-r1t.18006/
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...umper-and-winch-not-coming-from-rivian.10323/
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...-preview-a-breakdown-of-future-services.2176/

 

[@joshdance]

I'm impressed and terrified by the amount of high voltage these guys are hauling around, cooling with ice. Can't wait for part 2.

 

[CharonPDX]

I'm impressed and terrified by the amount of high voltage these guys are hauling around, cooling with ice. Can't wait for part 2.

As they say, the add-on pack only needs to work for about 3000 miles. Who cares if it's stressed to hell and "only" can go ~500 charge/discharge cycles before dropping to 70% max capacity, when it's only going to be used for maybe 10 charge/discharge cycles?

 

[technerd]

I thought it hilariously entertaining and will definitely watch the follow up. Guessing they ended up with an R1T as it seems at least 1 works for Rivian, so it's what they know.

 

[downranger12]

If they can go 500-600 miles between charges, and charge at an average speed of 400-500 kW, they should win.

I'm familiar with the Canon ball competition. Participants are allowed to select their own route as I recall.
The race is not sanctioned by any highway patrol.

 

[skyguyscott]

yeah so I caught this independently the other night, it was an amusing and entertaining watch

The host so reminds me of a crazy-smart autistic friend of mine, like former DOD contractor working on hypersonic missile-interscept calculus smart - like has to take medication for mental stability crazy. Crazy-smart. And definitely on the spectrum (but aren't we all?)

I think it's obvious that these are just guys fooling around with what they have in their spare time for "fun" in a manic-obsessive sort of way. The "record" is just whatever, they are doing this for exactly the same reason adolescent males will do just about anything just to see if they can do it/watch what happens/get away with it, etc. They are not seriously attempting to break a record with the most efficient-possible, most elegantly engineered vehicle possible -- they don't have time or budget for that, and besides, then it would be work.

It reminds me exactly of a similar video about a guy powering his house with scavenged vape batteries.

 

[ElGuano]

If the difference between victory and defeat in Cannonball Run is just the willingness to pee into a bottle to avoid stops, they should get the local airport Uber drivers to compete.

Oh hey, those Amazon delivery drivers have Rivian vans right? A match made in heaven!

 

[mkhuffman]

If the difference between victory and defeat in Cannonball Run is just the willingness to pee into a bottle to avoid stops, they should get the local airport Uber drivers to compete.

Oh hey, those Amazon delivery drivers have Rivian vans right? A match made in heaven!

Think of how large an auxiliary battery you could fit in a Rivian delivery van!

 

[MountainBikeDude]

Part 2!

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