Tesla Model 3 Towing: Efficiency Versus Model S, Taycan, More

It's important to note, the other EVs being compared to the Model 3 are not towing, which makes this intriguing.

By: Steven Loveday

Jul 21, 2021 at 11:04am ET

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Every once in a great while, we come across a compelling EV-related question that it seems has yet to be answered, or at least not widely publicized. This is usually because it's related to some weird corner case or situation that's abnormal. The video above addresses one of these questions, and we found it quite fascinating.

The Tesla Model 3 is one of the most efficient production cars available today, and while there are a few other EVs that come close, many Model 3 rivals aren't nearly as efficient. What if we test the Model 3's efficiency while towing another EV, and compare it to other electric cars traveling the same route at the same time? However, the other EVs aren't pulling a load. What a novel idea!

YouTube influencer and EV aficionado RSymons RSEV writes:

"As we travel to an event called EVs In The Park in Coventry we take a selection of our vehicles and this gives us the opportunity to see exactly what the Model 3 is like for towing. How is the efficiency and charging? This is a brand new 82kwh version - how many miles will it be able to cover? How will it compare with our other vehicles traveling that day?"

The Model 3 mentioned above is towing a Renault Twizy. The other vehicles on the trip include a Porsche Taycan 4S, a 2014 Tesla Model S 85, and a Mercedes-Benz EQV electric van.

There's a lot of neat info in the video, but we'll jump to the part you've been waiting for. In the end, the Model 3 pulls off about 2.5 miles per kWh while towing, and it was capable of about 170 miles at 60 mph. Meanwhile, the Taycan averaged just over 3 miles per kWh, and the seven-year-old Model S averaged just under 3 miles per kWh.

As far as the Mercedes van is concerned, it averaged 2.3 miles per kWh while completely loaded with gear and wearing large tires. In a previous test, the van pulled off an impressive 2.7 miles per kWh without the cargo and while wearing smaller tires.