Electric vehicles and towing

[trevbouy]

As I understand it an electric vehicle cannot be used for towing. Given that Volvo have just announced cessation of fuelled vehicles in 2025 and others announcing dates due to government edict, what are they contemplating for towing of loads?

 

[Bouba]

Not true. The Tesla comes with a towbar option and can tow (I think) 1000kg

 

[trevbouy]

Ah well then, my duff information Seems its more to do with type approval of the vehicle.

 

[Ian h]

The Volvo Polstar can also have a towbar as an option

 

[ontheplane]

Tesla model x will tow 2000kg

The new cyber truck 14,000lbs (just shy of 7000kg.........)

It will come soon, there has been little demand so far but it will come

 

[Dino]

The new Volkswagen ID4 has a Towbar option too

 

[PCUK]

Still nothing for legal limit towing and even the light trailers quoted will drastically reduce vehicle range so not really feasible in the real world.

 

[Poignard]

Do electric cars have some system of 'engine braking'?

 

[Bouba]

Do electric cars have some system of 'engine braking'?

Yes, regenerative braking. It’s supposed to be so good that you hardly ever need new brake pads. It also increases your range (the internet says upto 30%)

 

[Poignard]

Yes, regenerative braking. It’s supposed to be so good that you hardly ever need new brake pads. It also increases your range (the internet says upto 30%)

When going down hill, does the motor function as a generator and put some charge into the battery?

 

[Bouba]

When going down hill, does the motor function as a generator and put some charge into the battery?

I think so. They say that it is like one pedal driving, no need to press the brake pedal.

 

[ontheplane]

When going down hill, does the motor function as a generator and put some charge into the battery?

Yes massively. My Soul has 3 levels of regen braking, when going down a 2 mile long steep hill the other week it put 1.8 miles of range back in the battery. On the highest level. I complete 90% of drives without touching the brake at all. Mine also has “intelligent regen” which will slow you gently unless the car in front brakes harder then it increases the regen, I have it turned on but tend to follow the car further away with max regen on, I find I do a better job as I can see traffic slowing further up the road whereas the auto only uses the car in front to judge.
My car is now 8000 miles in, and last time it popped in the workshop I asked them to check levels etc, I also asked them about what the wear was on the brake pads and they said they were 99.6 % left - so assuming they are linear in wear, should be good for 900,000 miles

 

[ontheplane]

I can see the Shogun being relaunched as a towing 4x4 - Mitsubishi were first with a mass selling PHEV and the Shogun is outdated and now not selling at all well, so I can see it happening.
Land Rover also desperately need to halt their massive slide in sales so that is an option.
The truth is though that people who actually use a full 3500 kg tow limit are rare, not enough to worry about in car makers terms.
Also I think you would need a good 400 mile range to make the towing range about 150-200 which is what you would need for it to be viable.

 

[Bouba]

I can see the Shogun being relaunched as a towing 4x4 - Mitsubishi were first with a mass selling PHEV and the Shogun is outdated and now not selling at all well, so I can see it happening.
Land Rover also desperately need to halt their massive slide in sales so that is an option.
The truth is though that people who actually use a full 3500 kg tow limit are rare, not enough to worry about in car makers terms.
Also I think you would need a good 400 mile range to make the towing range about 150-200 which is what you would need for it to be viable.

The tow bar will be important to me because the car I’m interested in is a Tesla Model 3. It’s a smaller car than I would normally choose so being able to tow my trailer means I can take things to the boat or to the tip. The towbar also means I can use a bike rack and even a storage box that connects to the towbar

 

[ontheplane]

I believe you can do that on a Model 3 but I am not sure what its tow limit is. Have to ask on a tesla forum but check its for UK as American type approval will be different

 

[Easticks28]

Then there's the cost......
Expensive public chargers drive up the cost of electric car ownership

 

[Caraway]

As I understand it an electric vehicle cannot be used for towing. Given that Volvo have just announced cessation of fuelled vehicles in 2025 and others announcing dates due to government edict, what are they contemplating for towing of loads?

You are better asking the question of Google and getting some replies that have facts. Can you tow with an electric or hybrid car? | Auto Express.

Very few electric vehicles are certified for towing very heavy caravans or trailers. The Tesla Model X is an exception as this SUV can tow an impressive 2,270kg, and Tesla has built it with a ‘trailer mode’, which shuts off some of the car’s drive-assistance features that wouldn’t work as well with a trailer. An Audi e-tron can manage a respectable 1,600kg, a Jaguar I-Pace can tow 750kg and there are other electric car options out there that can also tow.

 

[Bouba]

I believe you can do that on a Model 3 but I am not sure what its tow limit is. Have to ask on a tesla forum but check its for UK as American type approval will be different

The towbar on the Model 3 is only available in Europe (€1500). I won’t be pulling a boat or caravan, just the garden trailer.

 

[Poignard]

The towbar on the Model 3 is only available in Europe (€1500). I won’t be pulling a boat or caravan, just the garden trailer.

No Frenchman feels complete unless he owns a garden trailer

 

[Bouba]

No Frenchman feels complete unless he owns a garden trailer

C’est vrai