Thanks so much for sharing your experience. You’re a huge asset to the EV community to help set expectations and to help vendors see where they need to improve. Thanks for being honest and “no spin”. I really appreciate that you have shared your mistakes and your learning curve. I think you’re great!
I love my Tesla Model Y and ordered it with the tow package. That said I will not be towing anything but a small utility trailer places like Home Depot. I pulled a loaded open 6x10 from NC to OH and the 7 hour drive took 12 hours and cost as much as if I had made the trip in my MB GL350 diesel. 5 hours more of my time and have to hassle with finding a way to pull in with a trailer at every Tesla charger on the route was not worth the cost and the hassle. It pulled the trailer great, but it is a terrible choice for long distance towing travel. I love electric cars but as of today you need to understand their limitations.
We are very clear about their limitations, but want to provide info on making it easier for those who choose to tow with an EV. Our experience has been that with all things considered, like how long charging stops take with 3 kids and a dog, it doesn’t take us that much more time…maybe an hour- 1.5 hours over 500 miles. It’s also been significantly cheaper for us than our diesel was towing our 30’ Airstream. It’s going to be a different experience for everyone, but for us we have really preferred towing with an EV.
On a recent trip I traveled at night. Chargers are less crowded at night so if I ended up blocking a few it was no big deal. One problem with traveling at night is nearby restaurants and more importantly bathrooms are often closed. Fortunately we are towing our own bathroom and kitchen, so if things are closed, no big deal.
Thanks for your video. I’ve been towing a Safari Condo Alto F1743 trailer (18 ft, 2,000 lbs, so no need for a WD hitch) with my Tesla Model X since early 2018 for well over 10,000 miles and find that over 95% of the time I have to unhitch to charge. It takes me about 2 minutes to unhitch and 3 minutes to hitch up, so no big deal. If I see a way to charge without unhitching but blocking stalls I only do that if the Supercharger location is not busy and there are lots of stalls left open while I’m charging. That’s a rare situation.
Expect about 60-80 miles on a full charge with a small to Medium trailer. With a motorhome you’ll be lucky to get 30-40 miles. Charging to 100% at a supercharger is close to an hour. This makes your travel speed about 25-35 mph average at best. Don’t buy a Tesla if you plan on towing anything except around town. I learned first hand. It’s not a good experience.
Question; how many miles can you tow with your R1T before charging, assuming about 60mph on a level dry road? With my Model X I can go about 120-150 miles before charging, depending on conditions. Your trailer is much heavier than what I tow but it is actually more aerodynamic due to the rounded corners.
Seems like a lot of work and planning. With a diesel truck/trailer just fill at truck stops with the big rigs, fill and move on. Maybe one day this will change but right now it seems like it's too much hassle towing outside of local driving (like towing boat to lake) with an EV.
With the size of that trailer there is no way you can manage 60 miles between charges. Probably closer to 40 miles is my guess. But I you didn’t want to talk about that. To even make this feasible you will have to charge close to 100% in order to not be constantly charging which you will be regardless. You may be able to hook up your trailer in three minutes but you didn’t mention the horrid Tesla trailer hitch which makes it PAINFUL to get the safety chain in on the left side where the electric outlet is. Try doing that at night in the rain and the idea of towing a trailer with a Tesla becomes the biggest invitation to leave the green new world. In a nutshell if you want to tow a large trailer don’t do it with an electric vehicle unless you are staying within 30 miles. If you want to tow a trailer of and significance then buy, rent or borrow a proper V8 powered gasoline or diesel vehicle. I’m currently towing an empty small U-Haul trailer with my 2021 Tesla Y. I started with 96% battery charge. By the time I got to 70 miles driving 65 on flat terrain I was down to 34% and wasn’t going to make it home which is 118 miles. The idea that the best you can hope for with a full charge is maximum a 100 miles and towing, that charging to 100% at a supercharger takes closer to an hour makes the idea of towing with an electric vehicle becomes stupid. BTW I’m also on my second battery pack because the first one fried at 31000 miles. Tesla replaced it. At the Tesla dealership I saw a semi full of ‘refurbished’ batteries for others like me. When this car gets close to warranty expiration I’m definitely selling and I’m probably going back to FOSSIL FUEL. Electric vehicles are only great under ideal conditions and that’s just not how life really is. I don’t think it’s right to make a video making towing with a Tesla seem like a sane idea without mentioning the reality.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. You’re a huge asset to the EV community to help set expectations and to help vendors see where they need to improve. Thanks for being honest and “no spin”. I really appreciate that you have shared your mistakes and your learning curve. I think you’re great!
I love my Tesla Model Y and ordered it with the tow package.
That said I will not be towing anything but a small utility trailer places like Home Depot.
I pulled a loaded open 6x10 from NC to OH and the 7 hour drive took 12 hours and cost as much as if I had made the trip in my MB GL350 diesel. 5 hours more of my time and have to hassle with finding a way to pull in with a trailer at every Tesla charger on the route was not worth the cost and the hassle. It pulled the trailer great, but it is a terrible choice for long distance towing travel. I love electric cars but as of today you need to understand their limitations.
We are very clear about their limitations, but want to provide info on making it easier for those who choose to tow with an EV. Our experience has been that with all things considered, like how long charging stops take with 3 kids and a dog, it doesn’t take us that much more time…maybe an hour- 1.5 hours over 500 miles. It’s also been significantly cheaper for us than our diesel was towing our 30’ Airstream.
It’s going to be a different experience for everyone, but for us we have really preferred towing with an EV.
On a recent trip I traveled at night. Chargers are less crowded at night so if I ended up blocking a few it was no big deal. One problem with traveling at night is nearby restaurants and more importantly bathrooms are often closed. Fortunately we are towing our own bathroom and kitchen, so if things are closed, no big deal.
Thanks for your video. I’ve been towing a Safari Condo Alto F1743 trailer (18 ft, 2,000 lbs, so no need for a WD hitch) with my Tesla Model X since early 2018 for well over 10,000 miles and find that over 95% of the time I have to unhitch to charge. It takes me about 2 minutes to unhitch and 3 minutes to hitch up, so no big deal. If I see a way to charge without unhitching but blocking stalls I only do that if the Supercharger location is not busy and there are lots of stalls left open while I’m charging. That’s a rare situation.
thanks for updated video, looking at the 2023 X so wondering if the towing range has changed any or if charging stations while towing are easier
Expect about 60-80 miles on a full charge with a small to
Medium trailer. With a motorhome you’ll be lucky to get 30-40 miles. Charging to 100% at a supercharger is close to an hour. This makes your travel speed about 25-35 mph average at best.
Don’t buy a Tesla if you plan on towing anything except around town. I learned first hand.
It’s not a good experience.
Question; how many miles can you tow with your R1T before charging, assuming about 60mph on a level dry road? With my Model X I can go about 120-150 miles before charging, depending on conditions. Your trailer is much heavier than what I tow but it is actually more aerodynamic due to the rounded corners.
how did the car do towing it !
Seems like a lot of work and planning. With a diesel truck/trailer just fill at truck stops with the big rigs, fill and move on. Maybe one day this will change but right now it seems like it's too much hassle towing outside of local driving (like towing boat to lake) with an EV.
If pulling a major trailer you will average 2hrs of supercharging for every hr of driving. It’s only feasible for around town.
So rewire the trailer or 5th wheel to charge your ev. Both drivng and set up at a camping site.
Ford has stopped production on the F150 lightning
Temporarily.
For good reason
With the size of that trailer there is no way you can manage 60 miles between charges. Probably closer to 40 miles is my guess. But I you didn’t want to talk about that.
To even make this feasible you will have to charge close to 100% in order to not be constantly charging which you will be regardless.
You may be able to hook up your trailer in three minutes but you didn’t mention the horrid Tesla trailer hitch which makes it PAINFUL to get the safety chain in on the left side where the electric outlet is. Try doing that at night in the rain and the idea of towing a trailer with a Tesla becomes the biggest invitation to leave the green new world.
In a nutshell if you want to tow a large trailer don’t do it with an electric vehicle unless you are staying within 30 miles.
If you want to tow a trailer of and significance then buy, rent or borrow a proper V8 powered gasoline or diesel vehicle.
I’m currently towing an empty small U-Haul trailer with my 2021 Tesla Y. I started with 96% battery charge. By the time I got to 70 miles driving 65 on flat terrain I was down to 34% and wasn’t going to make it home which is 118 miles.
The idea that the best you can hope for with a full charge is maximum a 100 miles and towing, that charging to 100% at a supercharger takes closer to an hour makes the idea of towing with an electric vehicle becomes stupid.
BTW I’m also on my second battery pack because the first one fried at 31000 miles. Tesla replaced it. At the Tesla dealership I saw a semi full of ‘refurbished’ batteries for others like me. When this car gets close to warranty expiration I’m definitely selling and I’m probably going back to FOSSIL FUEL.
Electric vehicles are only great under ideal conditions and that’s just not how life really is.
I don’t think it’s right to make a video making towing with a Tesla seem like a sane idea without mentioning the reality.