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Re:Tesla Cybertruck Loses to Model X in Towing Range Test – ... by aziaziazi on Friday June 07, 2024 @05:18AM (#40606814)
Doesn’t weight have a massive effect on power needed for acceleration ? To go from A to B You need to get up to speed but also acceleration for regulating your speed after taking a turn, crossing a traffic light, passing someone over…
Re:Tesla Cybertruck Loses to Model X in Towing Range Test – ... by seadan83 on Friday June 07, 2024 @02:48PM (#40611665)
If we ignore air resistance, then weight and time are the only variables needed to determine the power needed for a given acceleration. Force is related to mass through "F=ma", and power is effectively force over time.

Though, neglecting air resistance is a huge deal. A cyclist traveling over 20mph is spending something like 90% of their energy at that point overcoming air resistance. For objects travelling faster, it's a square low of how much more power is needed. Air resistance is a very huge effect. With that said, if travel is dominated by accelerating and decelerating (eg: urban or mountainous environments), then yeah - weight is a huge big deal.