Electric vehicles that can tow - but at what cost?

Audi e-tron & Tesla Model X SUVs

The two EVs available now that can tow are the Tesla Model X SUV and the Audi e-tron SUV. The Tesla is rated to tow 5000 lbs (2268 kg) and the Audi e-tron 4000 lbs (1814 kg). Both have longer ranges which is needed for towing with the Tesla having a range of 325 mi (523 km) and the Audi e-tron 204 mi (328 km). N.B. The upcoming Polestar2 has a 3,300 lb (1497 kg) tow rating.

The efficiency of such towing is not great at this stage in the development of EVs. “Audi conducted its own test with the e-tron electric SUV pulling a 4000-pound trailer, which provides some interesting data about how towing affects electric cars. The e-tron went on a 504-mile trip from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Austin, Texas, stopping at 150-kilowatt fast chargers along the way. It averaged a high 769 watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi), which would make for a low driving range of around 105 miles [169 km].” (Car and Driver)

It is expected that the towing efficiency of EVs will improve with the development of pickups (utes) that will be released in the next few years. They include pickups from Ford, General Motors, and Tesla, as well as newcomers like Rivian and Bollinger.

Read more: 

- AudiE-tron tows GM EV1 500 miles: reality check about EV range. Green Car Reports, February 14, 2020. 

– Audi showshow towing affects an EV’s range – and it ain’t pretty. Car and Driver, February 13, 2020.