Noticed a 2016 leaf on a trailer behind a Monaco Signature the other day. Curious how many others are thinking of going this route. We are towing Angelas Smart Electric down south this year (as opposed to my diesel smart) but it was easy for us as we already had the trailer for the other smart. We'll bring both our 120 volt and 240 volt EVSE's for convenience on our lot. I would have like to talk to the fellow in the Monaco but by the time we got back to the mall he was gone. IT looked like a nice combo, matching rims on the trailer, similar colours on the motorhome. Wonder if he signed up for the Model 3 Tesla. :) We didn't as we will probably replace our old diesel burner smart with the Gen 4 electric smart as we want to stay with a two seater convertible and we don't need any more than a couple hundred kilometers of range...and its cheaper. :) Any one else going to tow their EV?

I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!

Rbertalotto wrote:I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!Cool idea. I am not a scientist so not sure how the physics would work out on that one but neat idea. I think the stumbling block would be finding a manufacturer that allows towing four down with an electric car. The leaf has an option available that would allow it to power your house when there is a power outage so much of the engineering is done. 30 KW would last a long time dry camping. :)

Rbertalotto wrote:I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!The only problem with this theory is there are no 4-down towable Hybrid vehicles made.

I wasn't suggesting that it exists. But someone should develop such a vehicle.

The drag regen braking would put on the tow will cost more than running the hybrid engine or a generator. Kinda like attaching a wind turbine to the RV so you can recharge batteries while driving.

Using an Electric Vehicle as a Toad (on a trailer)

16 Replies

dicknellen
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2016
lryrob9301 wrote:
Rbertalotto wrote:
I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!

The only problem with this theory is there are no 4-down towable Hybrid vehicles made.

No true see the Ford 2016 Rv & towing guide, at least 4 Hybrids available for 4 down towing from Ford & Lincoln. Dick
GordonThree
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
The drag regen braking would put on the tow will cost more than running the hybrid engine or a generator. Kinda like attaching a wind turbine to the RV so you can recharge batteries while driving.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
I wasn't suggesting that it exists. But someone should develop such a vehicle.
lryrob9301
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
Rbertalotto wrote:
I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!

The only problem with this theory is there are no 4-down towable Hybrid vehicles made.
John___Angela
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
Rbertalotto wrote:
I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!

Cool idea. I am not a scientist so not sure how the physics would work out on that one but neat idea. I think the stumbling block would be finding a manufacturer that allows towing four down with an electric car. The leaf has an option available that would allow it to power your house when there is a power outage so much of the engineering is done. 30 KW would last a long time dry camping. :)
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
I always though an Hybrid electric vehicle, with it's huge LI battery pack, and having its wheels on the ground, using regenerative braking to charge the battery would be a great toad. Once at the camp site, plug the RV into the toad and have enought battery power to run the AC all night. While sight seeing the next day in the toad, the battery could be recharging for the next night. Brilliant!

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Using an Electric Vehicle as a Toad (on a trailer)

16 Replies

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