he best electric cars for towing caravans and trailers – Mercedes, Kia and more

The What Car? Tow Car Awards 2023 ranked the electric cars with the highest towing capacities after 40 percent of drivers believe EVs cannot be used for towing.

A further 75.6 percent say they wouldn’t opt for an electric vehicle if they had to tow something, despite EVs making huge progress in towing capabilities. 

The awards, held in partnership with the Camping and Caravanning Club, found that the Volvo V60 T6 Recharge hybrid was named the Overall Tow Car of the Year.

What Car? and the panel of judges found that it combined muscular performance and “superb stability with practicality, luxury and a big battery that boosts the pure-electric range”.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said the research highlighted how many drivers are still unaware that electric cars can tow caravans and trailers.

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Despite this, more and more EVs can now be used for towing, with some coming with maximum towing capacities equivalent to those found in petrol and diesel models.

He added: “While an electric tow car will already suit some people brilliantly, petrol, hybrid and even diesel models remain better choices for others. 

“No matter what your priorities are, we’re confident you’ll find your ideal tow car among our winners.”

Of the 85 electric cars on the market today, drivers can use 50 to tow, representing almost 60 percent of the total market.

Nine models can tow a staggering 1,800kg including the Audi Q8 e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Volvo C40 Recharge and Kia EV6 GT.

The Kia EV6 can tow an impressive weight of 1,600kg, leading it to be crowned the winner of the Electric Car category.

Rob Ganley, editor-in-chief of the Club’s monthly magazine, Camping & Caravanning, said: “This is the 17th consecutive year we’ve partnered with What Car? on the awards, and the results remain essential reading for our caravanning members especially when they’re considering their next tow car.

“It’s vital we continue to understand how EVs perform when it comes to towing, which also has to be set against a backdrop of affordability, increasing running costs and buying second-hand models.”

Each car in the study was subjected to a range of tests while towing, including a hill start and an emergency lane change, with judges considering practicality and costs.

What Car? Tow Car Awards 2023 winners

Overall – Volvo V60 T6 Recharge Plus

Up to 1400kg winner – Skoda Kamiq 1.5 TSI Monte Carlo

1400-1549kg winner – Seat Ateca 2.0 TDI 150 Xperience Lux DSG

1550-1699kg winner – BMW 3 Series Touring 320i M Sport

1700-1899kg winner – Nissan X-Trail Tekna E-Power e-4orce 213 4WD Tekna Auto

1900kg+  (under £60,000) winner – Volvo V60 T6 Recharge Plus

1900kg+ (over £60,000) winner – Land Rover Defender 110 P400e X

Electric car winner – Kia EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line AWD

Best budget buy winner – Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi 184PS AWD auto (2016-2021)