DomB
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2020
I hear ya.
I have not researched it, but from a common sense perspective I would bet the ski racks that go on the back of cars and tilt the head of ski in further than the tails on each side of the rack and have the topsheets perpendicular to the direction of travel (lie a T) are probably much more efficient on drag.
I haven't looked into it because almost 40,000 miles in, this is the only time I didn't quite hit my ideal destination. And in this go around, it was barely sub - ideal - the clifton park location had food my kids and their friends wanted more (chik and chipolte), and the tesla charger started pulling 197kw in 8-15 degrees.
I am sure some of the folks here are engineers, but for EVs where drag is so important, I don't know how aero the boxes can get - yes for sure they can be more aero, but certainly for a Rivian that is just a giant box, you would get dinged with anything on the roof that will stick out. And then height starts to come into play for loading and unloading. Rivian kneels but I don't want to deal with that in the parking lot.
Something like this link: That said, I don't think I want to drop 300 on it when my thule ski rack is good enough from our CRV days, and this is the first in multi-dozen ski trips where I put the rack up. If I start having to use the rack 10-20x round trips a season, then it will make sense to drop the cash on that for me.
Rando rack link: https://www.sonsonlinepartsmarket.c...oLPBalhDZ45dSDQrAT4-Ej6WGNX56sSAaAnnsEALw_wcB
The AI machine says ski roof rack costs you about 20% (I said I saw 22% but I left out we were driving fast - I knew I was losing range, so I just drove fast to maximize stopping time and distance) and than a tailgate rack may only penalize you 5%:
Yes, hitch-mounted ski racks are significantly better for EV driving efficiency than roof racks because they create much less aerodynamic drag, preserving your electric vehicle's battery range, though they can expose skis to road grime. Roof racks disrupt airflow, causing a substantial efficiency penalty (sometimes 10-20%+ range loss), while hitch racks sit in the vehicle's turbulent wake, minimizing impact, making them the superior choice for maximizing range on ski trips.
Why Hitch Racks Win for EVs:
- Reduced Drag: Hitch racks are placed behind the car, largely staying out of the clean airflow over the roof, which dramatically reduces wind resistance.
- Preserved Range: Less drag means your EV's battery drains slower, giving you more miles per charge, a critical factor for EVs.
- Lower Efficiency Loss: While still impacting efficiency, hitch racks cause a much smaller range reduction (often 5-15%) compared to the much larger hit from roof racks.
- Road Grime: Skis and bindings are exposed to road spray, dirt, and salt kicked up by your rear tires, requiring more cleaning.
- License Plate/Taillight Obstruction: Some designs might block your license plate or taillights, which can be a legal issue.
- Trunk Access: Some hitch racks might hinder opening your rear hatch or trunk, so check compatibility.
- Major Aerodynamic Disruption: They act like a sail, catching the wind and creating significant drag, which severely impacts EV range, sometimes by over 20%.
- Higher Speed Penalty: The efficiency loss from roof racks becomes much worse at higher speeds, according to this YouTube video.
