crewman
Well-Known Member
My son in law has a tow hitch on his Tesla model 3. He puts a bike carrier on it. No idea of the towing limit
Towing trailers with electric cars
- Thread starter wombat88
- Start date
eddystone
Well-Known Member
CostFit trailers with wheel motors and regen braking, trailer draws power from vehicle battery, speed and braking in sync with tow vehicle, for long distance use the railway as per Euro tunnel.
What's the problem
Brian
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
We've just ordered a VW ID.3. Visually equivalent to a Golf, but electric. It doesn't appear to be approved for towing; all the relevant bits of the spec were blank.
I suspect they aren't type approved for towing because it would be impractical anyway - as others have noted, it has a catastrophic effect on the range, and might actually be dangerous with regenerative braking.
It wasn't an issue for us - we don't tow - but I can see that it is an issue for many. I suspect we're going to see a move away from non-commercial towing.
I suspect they aren't type approved for towing because it would be impractical anyway - as others have noted, it has a catastrophic effect on the range, and might actually be dangerous with regenerative braking.
It wasn't an issue for us - we don't tow - but I can see that it is an issue for many. I suspect we're going to see a move away from non-commercial towing.
earlybird
Well-Known Member
What's the range with that sort of weight behind? There'll be a need for careful planning of stops at super-charge stations and the attached trailer won't be popular with other customers.
TernVI
Well-Known Member
Since it will be possible to buy a new petrol or diesel car for another 9 or 10 years, I expect most people who want to tow things will avoid electric cars for a while.
Electric car makers may choose to engage with this sector of the car market at some point in the future, for the moment I suspect it's not in their interests to get involved.
How many households own only electric cars at this point? Not many.
Electric car makers may choose to engage with this sector of the car market at some point in the future, for the moment I suspect it's not in their interests to get involved.
How many households own only electric cars at this point? Not many.
wombat88
Well-Known Member
In my original post I failed to mention that apart from towing dinghies I also tow a trailer down to the tip. This is the highlight of my social week and essential to my sanity.
A few years ago I chose an Audi S3 as a company car. When we found out that it (and a lot of the other go faster toys) will not take a tow bar I cancelled the order.
A few years ago I chose an Audi S3 as a company car. When we found out that it (and a lot of the other go faster toys) will not take a tow bar I cancelled the order.
CLB
Well-Known Member
That's an interesting point. At the moment, all of the recharging stations I have seen, at services and in town centres, are equipped for a single length vehicle. Most would be completely impossible to use with a trailer of any description attached.
Plum
Well-Known Member
From my experience in the automotive industry, it mostly depends on whether the manufacturer wants to, or believes there is sufficient need for, type approval. It comes down to return on investment. If they think they will not sell enough extra vehicles to warrant the expense then there will not be a towing weight on the vehicle identification plate therefore it will be illegal to tow.
www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
penberth3
Well-Known Member
And, points already covered above, the manufacturers must know the range will be reduced to something embarrassing, and the permissible trailer weight will be so low it's not worth bothering.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
boomerangben
Well-Known Member
If I produced that much methane whilst cycling, the hills would be a lot easier to get up.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Cheaper than buying high end tow vehicles, all you need is a power supply from the tow vehicle. A load sensor in the coupling senses whether the car is accelerating or braking, it then drives or brakes trailer to match tow vehicle. So as there is no no overrun affect, or towing load, there is no additional loading to cars drive train. Might need a bit of work with type approval, but it could be an interesting project and market longterm.
At least when I was designing light trailer undergear we would have seriously looked at it, but back then we had a positive marketing attitude.
Brian
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure that I see the issue with regenerative braking. Any sort of over-run trailer brakes won't car why the car is slowing down, and a bit of trailer load will only look to a regenerative system like harder braking or more people in the car. And there are mechanical brakes too, aren't there? Maybe I am missing something.
alan_d
Well-Known Member
I think one could say the same about all sorts of things, most sport and leisure activities, pubs and restaurants, "non-essential" shopping , holidays and much travel, etc. etc. Think permanent lockdown.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
If only braking systems were that simple, it would have saved years of my life.
Brian
John the kiwi
Well-Known Member
Just a matter of time till its normal
coopec
N/A
Is this the answer?
Battery trailers for electric cars can boost range by hundreds of miles
Battery trailers for electric cars can boost range by hundreds of miles
Battery trailers for electric cars can boost range by hundreds of miles
Battery trailers for electric cars can boost range by hundreds of miles
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JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
I would welcome enlightenment. How does the overrun braking system on my Hunter 490 trailer know whether it's engine or disk braking slowing the car down?
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Do you think we went down the corner shop and bought a damper for the overrun coupling ? we spent days at MIRA testing with the damper engineers testing various valving and gas pressures.
Brian
coopec
N/A
I think there is a bit of confusion here. What has "over-run coupling" got to do with "regenerative braking"?
