Why Tesla's are bad at towing!

At the current high rates of charge these lithium batteries do taper current significantly toward the top. A larger battery would be better able to utilize the higher rates for longer time. Just saying a 300kWh battery will not take 3x as long as a 100kWh battery. For a long day the charging will still make it a very long day so still an issue.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
I've ordered a Cybertruck to pull my RV and if I get 150 to 200 miles between charge, I'll be happy because that my normal stop for gas, lunch and toilet breaks anyways.

You might get close to 150-200 miles depending on how big your RV is. IIRC the Model X consumes about 700-900 w/hr per mile on the flat and up to 1800 w/hr per mile on a steep grade towing a 4500 lb horse trailer. I'm assuming the bigger, heavier Cybertruck towing a bigger, heavier trailer will consume more power, say 1 kwh per mile depending on speed and terrain. The 200 kwh battery in the Trimotor Cybertruck might get you close. As battery tech improves, so will capacity. If an electric pickup could get up over 300 kwh in battery capacity it would seriously be in business for RV towing. Of course, the more juice a battery holds the longer it takes to charge. You're looking at two hours for a full charge on a battery that big.

Reisender wrote:


Meh. Most people around here tow their trailer or boat to the lake on the weekend. Usually Friday after work. Set up and drinking beer by 7 or 8. Most round trips are probably less than 200 km towing. I suspect a cybertruck will tow double that. Most trailers are 25 foot or under or they won’t fit into the provincial or forestry sites. Maybe 7000 pounds. Buy what suits your needs. Most legacy pickups (if any) couldn’t touch a cybertruck for facility unless you start buying caps or tonneau covers or lift kits or inverters or compressors or aftermarket lockable tool boxes not to mention having to chip them to get any kind of performance out of them. And then they still cost 7 or 8 times as much to drive them the same distance.

Regardless. If a gas or diesel truck scratches your itch then get one. Buyers choice.

For ourselves I can’t think of a single compelling reason why I would pick a gas or diesel 1/2 ton truck over a cybertruck. Not to mention legacy trucks are all freakin UGLY. To each his own.

meh. Most people around here don't just go to one lake. They take it to Canyon lake with is 50 miles away, Choke Canyon which is 95 miles away or Amistad which is 200 miles away(Texas is a big state) On top of that, they tow their RV's 150+ miles down to the coast every summer. During the winter, we drive to our deer camps like mine which is 140 miles to get to the gate in Encinal and then another 8 miles off road to get to the camp house. Oh, and there is no electricity there either.

And can't find a compelling reason why I would buy a Tesla for my towing needs because it doesn't have enough energy to do the job, but as you say to each his own.

mooky stinks wrote:
We haven't even begun to discuss what happens when it's goes down in the teens for months on end. We have 3 months a year that the highs are in the low 30s and lows are mid teens. Just curious, how do you warm the car/truck and keep it warm, and how much does that cut into your range?

It’s called a heater or heat pump depending on manufacturer. Doesn’t take much to heat a car or truck. Once ours is warm I seldom see the draw go over 500 watts. Seats are also heated...and steering wheel. Even mid range cars have 60 KWH batteries now. A 200 kWh battery in a truck wouldn’t see much impact.

Our car is programmed to pre-heat 10 minutes before I step out the door. Car is always toast and warm and defrosted when I get to it. :).

ShinerBock wrote:
There are many reasons why a particular vehicle may be bad at towing. Not enough capacity, not reliable, not stable enough, not enough tow rating, not enough power, not enough range. Take your pick on what is important to you and how/what you tow.

In the case of the Telsa and other BEV's today, there are several reasons such as their low energy density which severely limits their range versus many ICE tow vesicles. The other reason is recharge time which adds a lot more time to your trip since you could fill up to 100% full much faster in an ICE than a BEV can even with a mega-charger(if you can find a level 3 along your route). There is also the factor of not having enough room at most chargers so you are likely going to have to disconnect what your are towing to recharge. Talk about inconvenience. You may also be limited on recharging options depending on where you are at. Take your pick, but these are all limitations that hinder a Tesla being a good tow vehicle for trips over 100 miles as it stands today.

What is the point of a Tesla that can tow quick and fast if it can't get you to your destination without adding hours of recharging time? Tesla fanboys want to talk about how quick and fast a Tesla can tow, but then cry foul when you use the same tow speeds that you would in your ICE into the Tesla's range calculations. How Ironic is that?

Meh. Most people around here tow their trailer or boat to the lake on the weekend. Usually Friday after work. Set up and drinking beer by 7 or 8. Most round trips are probably less than 200 km towing. I suspect a cybertruck will tow double that. Most trailers are 25 foot or under or they won’t fit into the provincial or forestry sites. Maybe 7000 pounds. Buy what suits your needs. Most legacy pickups (if any) couldn’t touch a cybertruck for facility unless you start buying caps or tonneau covers or lift kits or inverters or compressors or aftermarket lockable tool boxes not to mention having to chip them to get any kind of performance out of them. And then they still cost 7 or 8 times as much to drive them the same distance.

Regardless. If a gas or diesel truck scratches your itch then get one. Buyers choice.

For ourselves I can’t think of a single compelling reason why I would pick a gas or diesel 1/2 ton truck over a cybertruck. Not to mention legacy trucks are all freakin UGLY. To each his own.

There are many reasons why a particular vehicle may be bad at towing. Not enough capacity, not reliable, not stable enough, not enough tow rating, not enough power, not enough range. Take your pick on what is important to you and how/what you tow.

In the case of the Telsa and other BEV's today, there are several reasons such as their low energy density which severely limits their range versus many ICE tow vesicles. The other reason is recharge time which adds a lot more time to your trip since you could fill up to 100% full much faster in an ICE than a BEV can even with a mega-charger(if you can find a level 3 along your route). There is also the factor of not having enough room at most chargers so you are likely going to have to disconnect what your are towing to recharge. Talk about inconvenience. You may also be limited on recharging options depending on where you are at. Take your pick, but these are all limitations that hinder a Tesla being a good tow vehicle for trips over 100 miles as it stands today.

What is the point of a Tesla that can tow quick and fast if it can't get you to your destination without adding hours of recharging time? Tesla fanboys want to talk about how quick and fast a Tesla can tow, but then cry foul when you use the same tow speeds that you would in your ICE into the Tesla's range calculations. How Ironic is that?

We haven't even begun to discuss what happens when it's goes down in the teens for months on end. We have 3 months a year that the highs are in the low 30s and lows are mid teens. Just curious, how do you warm the car/truck and keep it warm, and how much does that cut into your range?

Sure so why say Tesla is 'bad' at towing? Limited range and inconvenient charging sure. I bet Tesla is great at towing subject to the limitations. All vehicles have towing limitations and that does not necessarily make them bad.

I will continue to get what suits me just like I always have. As a car/truck enthusiast, I will also continue to discuss things I see happening in the automotive industry whether it is a ICE or BEV regardless if I agree/disagree or like/dislike it.

My F150 goes 170-200 miles towing before I need a refuel.
Was just out in DVNP where fuel was $5.20 a gallon. Searles Valley Shell was closed due to the earthquake. Was a bit tense for a bit until a few of us travelers found another grocer that was still pumping fuel. One person was beyond the point of no return.

There are no EVs planned or in production that could serve as a replacement for me towing. However I believe it is wonderful for those that can make it work. And I know many will NEVER tow with the CT so their limitations are even fewer. Am I buying one? Not a chance.

Ford, RAM, GM, Cybertruck, gas, diesel, EV, are all good. Get what suites you best.