JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
What difference does it make to the damper - and the overrun braking system generally - whether the car is slowing by friction braking, engine braking or regenerative braking?
Towing trailers with electric cars
- Thread starter wombat88
- Start date
langstonelayabout
Well-Known Member
My friend’s Tesla Model X tows very well, but he mentioned a recent trip with a couple of tons of straw on the trailer literally halved his range. Not to worry as it’s something he doesn’t do very often.
And as an aside, when I bought my new Camry earlier this year, Toyota didn’t mention that the hybrids (all of Europe) can’t tow anything or have anything on the roof, but for non-hybrids (rest of the world) both these are fine. As such, I’ve only seen US spec tow bars available, not EU homologated bars. Damn...
And as an aside, when I bought my new Camry earlier this year, Toyota didn’t mention that the hybrids (all of Europe) can’t tow anything or have anything on the roof, but for non-hybrids (rest of the world) both these are fine. As such, I’ve only seen US spec tow bars available, not EU homologated bars. Damn...
halcyon
Well-Known Member
I made a comment in #32, it was then a thread drift i #38
Hope that solves your worry.
Brian
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Stops brake snatching each time you take your foot of the accelerator, there is a bit of work in designing these things, not just pulled out of thin air or bought of Ebay.
Brian
HissyFit
Well-Known Member
The only reason that other motorist don't gripe about boats being towed is that there are relatively few of us.To be fair, only those that own caravans would be furious. The rest will be relieved
Alicatt
Well-Known Member
Oh now that is news, must check it out, Mrs Catt is looking to replace her BMW Touring and was thinking of a Merc C300 hybrid diseasel estate. She regrets getting the BMW she does not like it at all, and much preferred her old Focus estate.
We had a Merc C300 diseasel as a hire car and were mightily impressed with it, great driving position and very frugal and it could pick up it's skirts and hustle if needed.
There are a few battery positions in the C300 estate where they are placed, one of them is under the boot floor.
EDIT: Phew!
from here: Guide to towing with an electric car, hybrid or plug-in hybrid - Automotive Daily
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HissyFit
Well-Known Member
Nice solution for long distance, but the problem is that nobody in the rail industry will provide the service due to the current lack of capacity in the rail network, which will only be solved when HS2 is delivered.Fit 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
According to the article posted by someone else, the reason it can be dangerous is because the extra weight of a trailer can provide too much kinetic energy for the regenerative braking system to handle.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
By the time we build HS2 it will be obsolete, plus we have spare capacity, but lack the ability to use it.
But then that's another thread.
Brian
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Hence regen braking on trailer, as you have a motor you may as well use it to drive, vehicle then becomes single 6 or 8 wheeled vehicle, also help with trailer stability.
Brian
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
You are - perhaps unintentionally - missing the point of my question, which was not about the role of a damper but "what difference does it make to the damper - and the overrun braking system generally - whether the car is slowing by friction braking, engine braking or regenerative braking?"
I realise that your experience in this area predates regenerative braking by half a century or so, but engine braking should appear much the same to the trailer, shouldn't it?
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JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
That claim surprises me for three reasons.
(1) How would additional KE from the trailer differ from additional KE due to speed?
(2) How would additional KE from the trailer differ from additional KE due to a heavy load in the car?
(3) Given that there are friction brakes as well (aren't there?) why can't they do the extra braking?
A one ton car travelling at 80mph has the same KE as a one ton car plus one-and-a-half ton trailer travelling at 50 mph.
Alicatt
Well-Known Member
While that article came from an Australian magazine, it is a reprint from an article in a British magazine almost word for word
halcyon
Well-Known Member
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Probably comes under drive train loading for towing, electronic stability control systems with non standard loading, cooling under regen and fade if using mechanical brakes, depends how close to regs they run. Two more passengers weight 150 Kg trailer more like 1,500 Kg or a lot more.
Brian
TernVI
Well-Known Member
Those of us towing dinghies don't tend to hold up the traffic very much.
Towing a wide heavy RIB is more like a caravan. Although booting it up hill is good for cleaning out the DPF or catalyser.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
Again, according to the article, it's also because EVs are considerably heavier than equivalent IC engined cars - up to twice the weight.
I suspect that, as others have speculated, it's also a commercial decision based on a large loss of range, which would make towing over any substantial distance unattractive.
HissyFit
Well-Known Member
The motor industry will be up in the air for sometime, trying to work out the best strategy to satisfy all needs. Maybe hydrogen fuel cells would replace the IC element of current hybrids, giving EVs the range and refuel-ability required.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
OK, I'll assume that you don't know the answer.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
Now that does make sense. Thanks.
