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Can the Model Y tow?
- Thread starter Phil Seastrand
- Start date
Thanks for clarifying. Yes, there is something there. It is kind of small for an opening for a full size tow hitch. But I hope that it is what it is!
timk225
Active Member
The Y will weigh at least 4000 pounds, it certainly won't be lighter than a 3. And if the Y is using the same drivetrain as the 3 then whatever a Y can tow, so can a 3.
Don't let the excitement show, Tesla deliberately put that cutout in there and didn't call attention to it, because they knew people would start over-analyzing and speculating on everything about the Y. I had enough speculation for 2 years while waiting on my 3 to be built and delivered.
Don't let the excitement show, Tesla deliberately put that cutout in there and didn't call attention to it, because they knew people would start over-analyzing and speculating on everything about the Y. I had enough speculation for 2 years while waiting on my 3 to be built and delivered.
Ulmo
Active Member
Or black swan events like a crash, which is ~0% use case, and yet is a survival of the family & gene pool vs. death of the family decision, and very real. Our very survival as a species is dependent on decisions like this. SUVs are in existence for good reasons. Tesla already hasn't disappointed on the safety scale, except perhaps for hack attacks.
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I did just a brief amount of research comparing some popular crossover models and found that most of them can tow somewhere between 1,500 and 3,500 pounds. Having done that, if we expect the Model Y to be “comparable” to others in the crossover category with regard to towing, I would have to agree with what some others have already posted, that 3,500 is probably at the upper end of that range. However, Tesla definitely doesn’t always “play by the rules of everyone else” so I would say it’s not out of the realm of possibility and I would surely love to see more out of it.
Ulmo
Active Member
Yes; the semi towing ability derives some of its towing weight ability by being under a load and adopting a good portion of that loads' weight properly held up by a sturdy suspension underneath said load. I'm sure the overall weight of the tractor is also a factor and necessary.
I noticed this conflict when renting cars to tow stuff: hardy go-getter cheap SUVs & pickups with towing had lower tow ratings than posh fully loaded better-than-limo luxury SUVs for rich folk some of whom would never do something as worker-bee as tow a trailer, yet the fancy pantsy SUVs had the much higher tow ratings, and could tow the hell out of some big enormous thing. Why? Because the posh luxo boats weighed a hell of a lot more, so therefore had more tow capability. A simple weight calculation, despite the respective positions and desires of the owners. Luckily, when renting, the luxo boats are only a few hundred dollars more per day, so a week camping trip would be much nicer for only a few thousand dollars more (half that for half a week, even); getting stuck on the side of the road with a wimpy tower in misery vs. comfort and success becomes a cheap choice for renters. For owners, though, the full cost of those luxo boats is very prohibitive.
Since Model Y has steel and Model X does not, I wonder how much the Model Y will weigh. If the Model Y weighs as much as the Model X, it will have enough weight.
What is the limiting factor to get >5,000lbs? Is it the Model X or Model Y weight, or is it the suspension, frame, etc. required to handle the trailer? Weight might not be the weak link in this calculation.
I've always wanted a government-approved computer-enforced weight you could load low under your sturdier cars (pickups, vans, SUVs, etc.) to increase their weight ratings for towing, ever since I learned of this weight factor. I was thinking one such thing for Tesla could be a second battery pack bolted underneath, with suspension that can go up another foot to hold it (and possibly offer more off roading capabilities); this is a pipe dream (higher and stronger suspension, cooling lines for second pack, etc.), but in terms of tow ratings, would surely do the trick of allowing more tow weight engineered and spec'd into the vehicle.
Model Y? How much tow? I would like to know
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Ulmo
Active Member
I’m definitely no car expert, but it seems that a general consensus is the model Y ride height is higher than the 3. Some have suggested the tires may also be different. We know there’s ~24% different from the Model 3. If they’re already changing the suspension anyway to make a different ride height (which could have been done specifically for towing), and that was the limiting factor, why wouldn’t they go ahead and put in whatever suspension is needed for towing? That wouldn’t be increasing the differences from the 3 therefore not making manufacturing any more complicated.
sreams
Member
Yes; the semi towing ability derives some of its towing weight ability by being under a load and adopting a good portion of that loads' weight properly held up by a sturdy suspension underneath said load. I'm sure the overall weight of the tractor is also a factor and necessary.
I noticed this conflict when renting cars to tow stuff: hardy go-getter cheap SUVs & pickups with towing had lower tow ratings than posh fully loaded better-than-limo luxury SUVs for rich folk some of whom would never do something as worker-bee as tow a trailer, yet the fancy pantsy SUVs had the much higher tow ratings, and could tow the hell out of some big enormous thing. Why? Because the posh luxo boats weighed a hell of a lot more, so therefore had more tow capability. A simple weight calculation, despite the respective positions and desires of the owners. Luckily, when renting, the luxo boats are only a few hundred dollars more per day, so a week camping trip would be much nicer for only a few thousand dollars more (half that for half a week, even); getting stuck on the side of the road with a wimpy tower in misery vs. comfort and success becomes a cheap choice for renters. For owners, though, the full cost of those luxo boats is very prohibitive.
Since Model Y has steel and Model X does not, I wonder how much the Model Y will weigh. If the Model Y weighs as much as the Model X, it will have enough weight.
What is the limiting factor to get >5,000lbs? Is it the Model X or Model Y weight, or is it the suspension, frame, etc. required to handle the trailer? Weight might not be the weak link in this calculation.
I've always wanted a government-approved computer-enforced weight you could load low under your sturdier cars (pickups, vans, SUVs, etc.) to increase their weight ratings for towing, ever since I learned of this weight factor. I was thinking one such thing for Tesla could be a second battery pack bolted underneath, with suspension that can go up another foot to hold it (and possibly offer more off roading capabilities); this is a pipe dream (higher and stronger suspension, cooling lines for second pack, etc.), but in terms of tow ratings, would surely do the trick of allowing more tow weight engineered and spec'd into the vehicle.
Model Y? How much tow? I would like to know
Also... The Semi will probably weigh quite a bit more than traditional semis because of the batteries.
I'm afraid we won't see towing on the MY until there is an air suspension option. Maybe not even then, as the Model S still is not approved for towing, even with the air suspension. Model X can tow because all of them have the air. I think they will only allow towing on vehicle lines that ALL have air suspension, to avoid confusion.
But I'm usually wrong.
But I'm usually wrong.
dhrivnak
Active Member
Sure, as my Model 3 tows our 2000lb camper like a champ. BUT the issue is practicality for long trips, especially to National Parks with no electricity let alone EV charging. When your 300 miles of range drops to 180 when towing and since the VAST majority of SuperChargers are back in charging only, which means you need to unhitch to charge and then reconnect to travel again the current pain factor is too great for us. So I use our Volt for towing.
Source? I'm not trying to be an ass. This is the first I've heard anything like this. But can you even get an X w/out air suspension?
A few years ago Tesla made air suspension standard on the X, along with a number of other things that used to be options. I would not assume that just because all X have air suspension means that “Tesla thinks” air suspension is required for “safe towing”. There are many vehicles on the market that can tow and do not have air suspension.
Not necessarily. Certainly the 3 drivetrain will be up to the same load, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'd be safe to tow the same amount with it.
The other side of the equation is the car's structure and suspension, to transfer loads from the hitch - no longer a simple question in the days of unibody crumple zone construction.
Lasairfion
Member
I think the problem here is Americans. When I say "tow" they all think of towing a trailer sized to fit cars in the back of it: ie
However in the UK/Europe people often use very small trailers to say, move a fridge to someone's house; or perhaps to pick up a few bags of cement from the DIY store: ie
These are the sorts of trailers that the Model 3 and Y will be pulling the most.
Can I live without a towbar? Not really. Here's one I had put on my coupé
However in the UK/Europe people often use very small trailers to say, move a fridge to someone's house; or perhaps to pick up a few bags of cement from the DIY store: ie
These are the sorts of trailers that the Model 3 and Y will be pulling the most.
Can I live without a towbar? Not really. Here's one I had put on my coupé
Well that's an unfair characterization, being an American myself and knowing quite a few other Americans, the only reason I want the ability to tow is for a small trailer to grab stuff from Home depot, lawn care, move furniture, etc...
I think the problem here is UK/Europeans. When I say "tow" they all think of towing a huge caravan on vacations. /sarcasm
Seriously, 3500 lb tow rating would be fine for a vehicle the size of the Y, most people just need a trailer for things too large to fit inside the Y, not for hauling huge trailers...
I think the problem here is UK/Europeans. When I say "tow" they all think of towing a huge caravan on vacations. /sarcasm
Seriously, 3500 lb tow rating would be fine for a vehicle the size of the Y, most people just need a trailer for things too large to fit inside the Y, not for hauling huge trailers...
I think the problem here is Americans. When I say "tow" they all think of towing a trailer sized to fit cars in the back of it: ie
However in the UK/Europe people often use very small trailers to say, move a fridge to someone's house; or perhaps to pick up a few bags of cement from the DIY store: ie
These are the sorts of trailers that the Model 3 and Y will be pulling the most.
Can I live without a towbar? Not really. Here's one I had put on my coupé
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