What Is a Frunk and Why Do You Need It?

Frunks go way back. Rear engine Volkswagen Beetles, Chevrolet Corvairs, Porsche 911s and even the short-lived futuristic Tucker 48 all had frunks.

Telsa came up with the moniker “frunk” in 2012 for the extra space at the front of their electric vehicles (EVs), and now the term has caught on for other EVs, too.

“Electric vehicles do not have engines, so there is a large cavity under the hood, making a frunk a trunk but on the front of the vehicle,” says Chris “Moose” Pyle, an automotive expert with JustAnswer. “It is another place to store things outside the cab and out of the weather.

The term comes from combining the words “front” and “trunk.” They’re most common on truck EV vehicles, but are also found in other models. Most of them are also larger than ever, making them practical for trips to Costco or hauling large suitcases.

Here’s everything, and probably a bit more than, you ever wanted to know about frunks.

What Is a Frunk?

Frunk simply combines the terms “front” and “trunk.”

There’s no consensus about why a trunk is called a trunk. Some believe it goes back to the 19th century, when people placed “travel trunks” on the back of a horse and carriage to transport goods or personal belongings. Some car owners in the 1930s attached actual steamer trunks to the rear of their vehicles. Eventually automakers incorporated storage into the vehicles themselves, and the name “trunk” stuck.

Why Would You Need a Frunk?

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Like a traditional rear trunk, a frunk is great for carrying groceries, sporting gear, tools or a first aid kit.

Originally, EV frunks were smaller than the traditional trunk in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. As ICE vehicles became smaller to increase fuel economy, their trunks shrank as well, making EV frunks comparable in size to today’s trunks.

Though EVs have a conventional rear trunk, manufacturers eventually realized adding extra, practical space at the front of the vehicle just made sense. This helped “normalize” EVs into what car buyers have been accustomed to for decades.

Frunks are getting larger; newer full-size EV pickup trucks can accommodate two full size coolers. Innovative features are also being added, such as:

• Dividers, which can be removed to create one large cargo area;
• Removable, composite water-resistant inserts with a drain hole, making cleanup easy;
• USB and 120-volt chargers;
• Slide-out drawers or tool boxes;
• Hidden storage compartments;
• A 400-pound payload capacity;
• Built-in interior lighting to make nighttime loading and unloading cargo easier.

One downside of a weatherproof frunk: A lack of air circulation. This would make long-term storage of certain items (food, water, clothing or a battery jump starter) questionable.

How To Open and Close a Frunk

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Like a conventional hood, most frunks open by pulling on a lever/cable from inside the cabin. Depending on the year, make and model, you can open a frunk with the key fob, a switch inside the vehicle, touchscreen controls, or even your phone if your vehicle’s manufacturer offers an app.

Closing and latching a frunk lid is the same as a regular hood:

• Lower the lid to about six inches above the latch.
• Remove your hands and let the lid drop until it catches the safety latch.
• Firmly press down two or three times with the palms of your hands resting on the front edge of the lid until latched.
• Pull up on the lid to make sure it’s securely latched and locked in place.

If your EV lacks a lever/cable to open the frunk, it may not open if the 12-volt battery dies. Some manufacturers place a connector behind a removal bumper plug to power the battery, allowing you to access the frunk or open the doors.

Additional Benefits of a Frunk

Besides the extra storage space, a frunk can also contribute to driver and passenger safety. It behaves like a crumple zone, absorbing some of the energy generated during a crash, thus protecting cabin occupants.

Placing stuff in a frunk can distribute vehicle weight more uniformly to improve handling. However, never exceed your vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This includes the weight of the vehicle, occupants, fuel and cargo, The GVWR can be found on the tire and loading information label or in the owner’s manual.

FAQ

Are frunks always smaller than trunks?

Usually, especially in regards to depth, since the typical vehicle shape tapers in the front for aerodynamics.

But “Their size is dictated by the size of the vehicle, the amount of electronics stored behind the panels and other vehicle constraints,” says Frank Scandura, owner of Frank’s European Service.

Do frunks have any impact on vehicle safety?

Yes, but in a good way.

“Frunks can make vehicles safer, especially in frontal collisions, by adding an extra crumple zone that can absorb some of the impact force and potentially protect the driver and passengers,” says Xavier Sabastian, an auto expert with Way.com. “In some cases, a well-designed frunk can also make pedestrians safer by reducing the force of impact in a collision with a pedestrian.

About the Experts

• Chris “Moose” Pyle is a master-certified technician with 20-plus years of automotive experience. He has also worked as an expert for JustAnswer since 2006.
• Frank Scandura is owner of Frank’s European Service in Las Vegas, Nevada, has 45 years of automotive experience and has written dozens of articles for AutoTechIQ, a resource for car owners who want to educate themselves about car issues and find trusted repair shops nearby.
• Xavier Sabastian is an author and auto expert with the Way.com auto app.