Tips for Extending Vehicle Range

ep4 dm 10.02.005

A driver can take a number of actions to extend the range. These can be broken out into three areas: trip preparation, driving style choices, and cab environment decisions.

Trip preparation tips:

  • Allow the vehicle to fully precondition before the trip.

  • Make sure the tires are properly inflated and that all aerodynamic components are intact.

  • Position the fifth wheel as far forward as possible without overloading the front axle.

Driving style choices:

  • Avoid rapid acceleration or deceleration when possible.

  • Avoid using boost mode.

  • Avoid heavy usage of the friction brakes.

  • Use recuperative braking whenever possible. Recuperative braking increases range by charging the high-voltage batteries.

  • Lower the vehicle speed just before the crest of a hill and regain the speed on the descent.

  • Set the recuperative braking lever to the appropriate position (1-3) to maintain the desired speed on downward grades.

  • Reduce the vehicle top speed.

  • Use economy or range mode when driving. Range mode has the larger efficiency benefit.

  • Activate adaptive cruise control whenever possible to maintain a steady speed.

Cab environment decisions:

  • Reduce heating and air conditioning usage. Using heated seats consumes less energy than heating the cab.

  • Keep the side windows closed.

Note:
Parent topic: Operating the Vehicle
Document Number: 0000087158
Manual Publication Date: 2024-03-21
Topic Publication Date: 2025-02-13