Can you tow a caravan with an electric car?
ELECTRIC cars used to be a thing of the distant future, but they are becoming more and more popular amongst drivers.
Now electric cars are common place, people want to know if you can use them to tow. Here’s all you need to know.
Can an electric car tow a caravan?
Electric cars can indeed tow a caravan.
According to Buy A Car, towing with an electric car is better than diesel or petrol cars.
Electric cars are at an advantage as they produce a lot more torque, or power, at a low engine speed.
However, a Tesla would produce a lot more pulling power than the more affordable Renault Zoe.
The batteries in electric cars weigh quite a bit, therefore making the car heavier.
So you can have a smaller electric car that is heavy enough to pull a caravan.
Just like petrol and diesel cars, the performance of a charged battery will likely reduce when towing a heavy load.
So be aware if you are towing in an electric car, that you have charge points mapped out on your route to maintain battery charge.
What weight can electric cars tow?
The weight an electric car is able to tow depends on the car passing a process called homologation.
The two key figures you want to look for when choosing a tow car are maximum braked trailer weight, and maximum unbraked trailer weight.
If a model doesn’t have these figures published, the chances are it’s not approved for towing.
The towing capacity of a car is the maximum weight that it can legally and safely tow. All trailers or caravans will also have a maximum authorised mass (MAM).
When searching for an electric car that can tow, the sales person should be able to inform you of the cars’ abilities.
According to the RAC, Tow car experts recommend a process called ‘outfit matching’.
This means first, discovering the maximum technically permissible laden mass (MTPLM).
This figure should not be more than 85% of the car. Divide the MTPLM by 0.85 to find the target weight of the car.
From late 2021, all drivers will be allowed to tow trailers with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 3,500kg without the need to take a car and trailer driving test.
Drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 are allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM.
Here is Car Wow’s top 10 electric vehicles for towing.
- BMW iX: 2,500kg
- Mercedes EQC: 1,800kg
- Hyundai Ioniq 5: 1,600kg
- Kia EV6: 1,600kg
- Polestar 2: 1,500kg
- Skoda Enyaq: 1,000kg (RWD) 1,200kg (AWD)
- Tesla Model 3: 1,000kg
- Volkswagen ID 4: 998kg
- Jaguar I-Pace: 750kg
- BMW iX3: 750kg
Can you tow with a hybrid?
According to the Caravan and Motorhome Club, hybrids are the best choice for anyone who wants to use an alternative-fuel vehicle for towing a caravan.
The following plug in hybrid cars can tow.