Over the decades, technology has evolved to the point where electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are reliable and environmentally friendly alternatives to their gasoline and diesel counterparts. Several 100% electric cars are now available in Canada. However, which one do you really want to tow, or rather, which one is capable of towing a trailer? At the time of writing this article, there are few vehicles that actually have the ability to tow a trailer.
However, this does not mean that all electric vehicles or OHVs are suitable for certain tasks. So here is the list we've identified to allow you to tow without affecting the warranty.
Officially
- Tesla Model X 4960 lb
- Tesla Model Y 3500 lb
- Audi e-tron quattro 3968 lb
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 1650 lb
- Kia Ev6 3527 lb
- ID.4 traction intégrale 2700 lb / 2200 lb
- Ford F-150 Lightning 10000 lb.
- Tesla Cybertruck 7500 lb / 10000 lb / 14000 lb
- Polestar 2 3307 lb
- Rivian R1T 11000 lb
- Nissan Ariya 3300 lb
While there are some electric vehicles that offer towing capability, depending on the trailer you wish to tow, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- The aerodynamics of your trailer (big impact on the autonomy much more than the weight and give)
- The weight on the drawbar
- The electric brakes
* Some vehicles offer the integrated brake module and others do not.
Tesla Model X: The 2021 Tesla Model X electric gets an electric under the hood that makes 670 hp and - torque. The SUV can tow a total of 4960 lbs and has a payload capacity of - lbs, which means you can tow your daily activities with comfort and ease.
Tesla Model Y: The Tesla Model Y 2021 did not have a hitch for towing. However, less than a month after its release, Tesla updated and added it. It's now an additional $1300
Results vary on each trip, but some owners of the car have said that carrying the trailer at such speeds has had a significant impact on range. The power of the Model Y makes it feel like you're not pulling at all, with almost normal acceleration. A very good feature!
The Audi: The 2021 electric Audi e-tron is one of the highest performing cars in its class at the moment. It offers a total towing capacity of 4000 lbs. That's a far cry from the 2021 Tesla Model X electric, which has a towing number of 4960 lbs.
The silence may be a bit worrisome at first when switching to an SUV like this. However, it's something you'll really appreciate later on, especially on long drives.
What makes an electric car weak at towing?
The energy density of electric cars leaves too much room for improvement. The current state of battery technology is such that only a certain amount of energy can be stored in a package that is not too large for a passenger car. With these electric vehicles, they will not be practical towing vehicles until their energy capacity increases significantly.
Towing capacities vary considerably. The extra weight of a trailer could cause the car's motors and brakes to struggle. Electric cars are already heavier than conventional vehicles, which puts more strain on some parts. Overall, this will significantly reduce the car's overall potential range.
While some vehicles are expected to tow well, this does not necessarily mean absolute performance. This is especially the case with different types of cars like SUVs versus pickup trucks. When buying a Tesla for towing, it was not successful and led to the discovery of electric pickup advantages.
The others cannot tow
Here is a list of vehicles that can't tow, even though they work well in other ways regarding electric battery and weight.
- BMW i3 : not available
- Chevrolet BOLT : not available
- Ford Mustang Mach-E : not available
- Hyundai IONIQ Electric : not available
- Hyundai KONA Electric : not available
- Jaguar I-PACE : not available
- Kia Niro : not available
- MINI Cooper SE : not available
- Kia Soul Electric : not available
- Nissan LEAF: not available
- Smart fortwo Electric : not available
- Tesla Model 3 : not available
- Tesla Model S : not available
- Volkswagen e-Golf : not available
For my part, I use a brake module without complex installation, an electric brake system "bluetooth", CURT Echo available at DRTV
I also prefer to use an original trailer hitch as well as the 7 pin connection. This ensures full functionality of the more advanced cars. radar deactivation, driver assistance etc.
If you think I've missed any 100% electric vehicles approved in Canada by the manufacturer, feel free to write to us!
Sources used:
https://www.trailerlife.com/towing/tow-vehicles/will-your-next-tow-vehicle-be-electric/
https://www.carindigo.com/audi/e-tron-electric/towing-capacity
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a30121167/electric-car-towing-range/
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/tips-advice/352864/can-you-tow-electric-or-hybrid-car
