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Teslas Are Arguably Bad At Towing: Will Cybertruck Change This?

Is it fair to say Tesla vehicles are "bad" at towing?

tesla cybertruck towing trailer

Steven Loveday Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Dec 6, 2019 at 1:12pm ET

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As is expected, Jason Fenske (Engineering Explained) banks on the title of his recent YouTube video, which clearly aims to bring increased, potentially negative attention to the recently unveiled Tesla Cybertruck. However, his end-goal is not necessarily complimentary. Fenske reveals that in the video's subhead, which specifically notes "today" as an indirect disclaimer.

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We could say that he's stretching here by saying Tesla vehicles are "bad" at towing. However, we know full-well that in order to get the necessary attention to the subject, this is, sadly, what works these days with the advent of Google and website metrics. Take it or leave it as it "is what it is."

Are Tesla vehicles outright "bad" at towing?

No, that's not the case. In fact, the instant and reliable hardcore torque of electric powertrains works to assure that these cars can tow an incredible amount of weight. In fact, most can confidently tow substantially more weight than almost any comparably equipped gas-powered vehicle, as well as more than most torquey diesel configurations.

However, it gets dicey in terms of range when considering today's EVs. While Tesla's lineup offers better overall range and efficiency than all other current EVs, they're still going to take a hit when it comes to towing, but that's the case with ICE trucks, too.

That said, if you're towing your boat to the nearby shore or going to a local campground with your heavy camper, you should be more than fine. But, if you are one of the few folks who plan to tow a monumental load cross-country, you're expectedly going to experience some range issues.

Not only is your Tesla (or any other EV) going to need charging on a more regular basis, it's also going to prove difficult to pull into a fast-charging station with your trailer and easily access a spot, at least without pissing off a bunch of others.

While some may argue that this is a problem in comparison to ICE trucks, we argue that the situation is much the same. Some ICE trucks may get 8-10 mpg with a heavy load, which may mean many tanks of gas on long trips. Pulling a large truck into a gas station with a huge trailer attached is surely ok, but still difficult and problematic on many levels.

Fortunately, the upcoming Cybertruck's crazy range, as well as Tesla's plan to produce pull-through and rural-based Superchargers should help alleviate the issues.

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Check out the video for all the details. Then let us know your concerns.

Video Description via Engineering Explained on YouTube:

Why Teslas Are Bad At Towing (Today)

Can Tesla's Cybertruck Actually Tow Long Distances?
Physics can explain why today's electric cars are bad at towing.

Electric cars are great for many things. They're fast, they're insanely efficient, and they can start with a full charge every morning, eliminating your need for "fuel stops" depending on your daily commute. Unfortunately, electric cars do come with their problems. The two main issues holding back electric cars from a much larger market share, in my opinion, are price, and energy density. Battery packs are massive, heavy, and don't store all that much energy. As a result electric cars are very heavy, and don't have much energy on board.

Thankfully, electric cars make up for their lack of energy by being insanely efficient, so electric cars can still travel very far distances before needing to recharge. But what if we add a trailer into the mix, and tow with our electric vehicle? In this video, we'll work on the math on whether or not towing with today's electric cars is feasible.

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