Electric vehicles (EVs) brought major changes to the automobile industry. One of these paradigm shifts is the frunk. While some older vehicles also had a front trunk, EVs made the frunk mainstream. But what is the frunk? What does it do for the EV? Why does the term sound familiar?
What Is a Frunk?
Frunk refers to the enclosed storage area found near the EV’s front. The term is a portmanteau that blends two words: “front” and “trunk.”
The idea of putting the car’s trunk in its front isn’t new. Rear-engine vehicles lack room in the back because they mount their power plant there. Instead, engineers moved the trunk of these vehicles to their front, taking up residence in the space vacated by the engine.
Some well-known examples of cars with their trunk in front are the DMC DeLorean, Porsche 911, and Volkswagen Beetle.
Frunk: What’s Its Meaning?
People referred to the frontal storage compartment of rear-engine vehicles as the “front trunk.” However, no one thought to shorten the term until the 2010s.
Along came Tesla, which put the word “frunk” in the public consciousness. The EV manufacturer didn’t have much room in the back for a traditional trunk that could meet the needs and expectations of drivers. Fortunately, the Model S possessed plenty of open space under its front hood since it didn’t have an internal combustion engine (ICE). Tesla turned that free real estate into a cargo compartment and dubbed it a frunk.
Other car manufacturers followed Tesla’s lead of putting the trunk in the EV’s front. They also called it the frunk, spreading the term through usage.
Today, the frunk is a standard-issue feature on many EVs. Also, more and more EVs offer a traditional trunk alongside the frunk for increased storage space. As battery packs decrease in size and sit lower in the car body, more space becomes available in the rear to accommodate the return of the trunk.
What Does a Frunk Do?
The frunk serves as the EV’s primary storage space. Many drivers want a vehicle that can carry everything they need, so they often look for an EV with a sufficiently large frunk. If they need lots of cargo space or separate compartments, they’ll go for a model with a frunk and a rear trunk.
A novel way of using the frunk is converting it into a makeshift icebox. It needs a waterproof trunk with a drain hole and plug on its floor. Fill the compartment with ice and drive your laden EV to the picnic area or party place. Once there, you can use the frunk to preserve perishables and keep drinks cool. Once the event’s over, throw out the ice and drain the water.
Some EVs have small frunks that can barely fit anything substantial. Older EV models will generally have smaller storage spaces because their larger battery packs sit higher in the vehicle, taking up more room.
Other EVs put their windshield washer reservoir in the frunk. Depending on the model, the EV might also hide the A/C ports for the A/C system under a cover.
Additional Frunk Features
Storing cargo isn’t the only thing that frunks can do. Car manufacturers have been tweaking the concept by adding convenient features that expand what the storage space can do. Here are several features that you might find in your EV’s frunk:
Charging Ports
Do you often store items that need charging in the frunk? Some EV frunks have charging ports for USB and 120-volt AC connectors. You can charge electronic devices, emergency lights, power tools, and other items in the frunk.
Car Dividers
The frunk can quickly fill up, leading to a cluttered mess. Fortunately, car dividers let you split the frunk into multiple smaller compartments. They help you organize the contents of the storage space, preventing clutter and making it easier to find specific items.
Removable Inserts
Inserts offer another way to organize the things in your EV’s frunk. They’re great for storing items that might leak or make a mess, such as ice and frozen meat. Some inserts have drain holes, making it easier to clean them.
Slide-Out Drawers
Some manufacturers opted for drawers that slide out of the EV’s frunk. Simply pull out a drawer, drop the item inside, and then slide it back in.
Underfloor Storage Compartment
In some EVs, the frunk’s floor panel covers another storage compartment. You can use the underfloor compartment to hide items and valuables that you don’t want to be seen.
Interior Lighting
No more blindly fumbling in the dark or grasping with your free hand while holding a portable light source in your other hand. Interior lights illuminate the frunk even when it’s dark outside.
EV Models With Great Frunks
Check out these EVs for their standout frunks:
Ford F-150 Lightning
The F-150 Lightning has a 14-cubic-foot frunk. It fits plenty of features in its roomy storage compartment. There are enough charging ports to simultaneously connect four 120-volt AC devices and two USB devices. A sturdy mat protects the floor from bad weather while loading and unloading the frunk, and a drain hole can help clean the compartment afterward. Grocery hooks and strap tie-down points help secure the contents. Finally, the interior lights use LED bulbs for power-efficient lighting.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
The Mustang Mach-E’s 4.7-cubic-foot frunk features an all-weather floor mat and drain hole that help keep it clean. Its storage compartment can pull double duty as a cooler for tailgate parties.
Lucid Air
Among EV sedans, the Air enjoys the largest frunk, a whopping 10 cubic feet of storage space.
Rivian R1T and R1S
While not as big as the Lightning, the R1T and R1S have 11.1 cubic feet of storage space in their frunk. There’s a 12-volt outlet for charging tools, and you can organize the contents with a combination of cover, hook points, and storage net. Some trims even have an off-road recovery kit in case your EV truck gets stuck.
Tesla Model X
Get the most out of the Model X’s 6.6-cubic-foot frunk by organizing the storage space with its standard-issue car dividers.
Hopefully, you’ve gained a better appreciation of the frunk. Whether you own an EV or plan to get one, you’ll get lots of use out of it.
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