Electric car range ‘will be reduced by up to 50 percent’ when towing a caravan

Electric vehicles can be used to tow trailers and caravans, but experts are warning drivers that they should take precautions before starting towing.

The main issue is that towing can limit a vehicle’s performance because of the load, and only a handful of electric cars are legally allowed to tow.

Electric vehicles are heavier given the weight of the battery and often have a smaller towing capacity as a result of the power of the car.

Another potential concern can be brake pressure with a lot of EVs using regenerative braking which puts energy back into the battery.

This can have an impact on any trailer that’s being towed, with an excess of kinetic energy created by the car and trailer potentially damaging the powertrain.

Given that electric cars have only been manufactured in large quantities in the last 10 years, many brands do not put the vehicle through towing testing.

Many also prefer to focus on maintaining range and efficiency, hence why many aren’t made for towing.

A spokesperson for LeaseLoco said: “Another potential issue is the range. Most electric vehicles will only travel for a couple of hundred miles on a single charge of their battery anyway. 

“But now imagine that you’re hauling a great big caravan on the back of one, and you can imagine how the range might go down by a fair bit. 

“General rule of thumb: when towing, an electric car’s regular range will be reduced by up to 50 percent.” 

Most electric vehicles that are suitable for towing can tow anywhere between 1500kg and 2500kg worth of weight, although this does not mean they are capable of towing all caravan types.

Hybrid vehicles are also able to tow large weights including caravans and trailers, with the backup internal combustion engine making towing slightly easier.

The spokesperson added:  “Whilst it’s a fact that the majority of electric cars on the market today aren’t legally permitted to tow a caravan, the range of electric cars on offer is expanding at a rapid rate, particularly with the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars on the horizon. 

“As such, it’d be reasonable for you to expect more (and more affordable) electric cars capable of towing caravans to pop up within the next few years.”

Electric and hybrid vehicles legally approved for towing

Land Rover Range Rover Sport Hybrid (Towing Capacity 3,000kg)

BMW iX (Towing Capacity 2,500kg)

BMW i7 (Towing Capacity 2,000kg)

Mercedes-Benz EQC (Towing Capacity 1,800kg)

Genesis GV70 Towing Capacity 1,800kg)

Audi e-Tron (Towing Capacity 1,800kg)

Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Towing Capacity 1,600kg)

Volvo XC60 Twin Engine/Recharge Hybrid (Towing Capacity 1,600kg)

Volkswagen Golf GTE Hybrid (Towing Capacity 1,600kg)

Polestar 2 (Towing Capacity 1,500kg)

Tesla Model 3 (Towing Capacity 1,000kg)