How much can the Model 3 tow? (Towing capacity)

[Cheburashka]

Hey everyone, one of our car leases expires soon and we were planning on getting an MS. However, after the recent price drop we took an m3 out for a test drive (P3D) and we found that it's pretty much all around a much better car than the Model S.

If we were to buy one, it would probably be the LR RWD, as we don't really care for AWD living in California.

One mandatory requirement for us is at least some usable towing capacity. We sometimes need to haul a trailer with a small boat (14ft rigid inflatable, ~200lb weight) and a race motorcycle (~300lb total weight). Trailer itself weighs about 200lb also, so we probably need to haul around 500lb realistically.

For those that have installed the hitch, how is towing with the RWD m3? I assume there is still no official towing capacity announced? Found no mention of it on the website.

 

[Tam]

...no official towing capacity announced...

It's promised but its timeline and specs have never been even discussed.

The only official towing capable car in Tesla is Model X.

Voiding warranty doesn't deter third-party towing modifications for the S and 3 though.

 

[Cheburashka]

Towing can't void the warranty unless it results in damage to the car, which Tesla will have to prove was done by towing.

There's plenty of people who've towed small trailer with the MS without issue, just wondering what everyone's take is on towing with the m3.

 

[StellarRat]

I've never seen anything about towing, but I can't imagine that it couldn't handle 500 lbs. without excess passengers.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

5:12Tesla Model 3 Can Tow 2000lb Easy - Real World Test

 

[Xenoilphobe]

5:532018 Tesla Model 3 EcoHitch Installation

 

[Misterbee]

I haven't towed anything yet, but I just had a hitch installed, with an eye towards towing a small camping trailer. I got a stealth hitch, which is rated for 2500 lbs., and a 200 lb. tongue weight. There is one other hitch on the market for the Model three, which I think is rated to tow 2000 lbs.

 

[SB_NRG]

The Model 3 can definitely handle a number of trailer accessories with ease. Installing the Torklift Central Ecohitch takes about 2.5 hours, but requires removing the bumper cover which can be a bit intimidating...

There is fairly robust discussion on warranty and capability concerns in another thread
Aftermarket Hitch Installation for Model 3
which also includes reference to towing a 2000 lb camper at highway speeds, which would make me concerned but the OP did not have problems.

Mostly I use the hitch for holding bike rack, ski pod, trash barrels. I have also used to tow 2000 lbs for short distances.

 

[Smokkelaar]

Tow hitch comfirmd?

see:

910kg official towing capacity for the model 3

 

[astrowunder]

Can you say where in that nearly hour long video they mention towing?

 

[astrowunder]

I'm a little confused as to why towing would be an issue at all- there's no transmission to wear out, just 300-450 horsepower electric motors? I would think the base model 3 could easily tow 2k while the performance could handle 4k or more? Note I'm just pulling those numbers out of the air. What other factors affect towing?

 

[dewhite04]

I'm a little confused as to why towing would be an issue at all- there's no transmission to wear out, just 300-450 horsepower electric motors? I would think the base model 3 could easily tow 2k while the performance could handle 4k or more? Note I'm just pulling those numbers out of the air. What other factors affect towing?

I'm not disagreeing with your supposition, but I will say that pulling power is almost never the limiting factor for tow ratings.

Suspension and tow-vehicle tires' ability to support typical (10% of total) tongue weight and braking are both likely to be more important...

 

[Runebane]

Can you say where in that nearly hour long video they mention towing?

21:30 in the video

 

[Klaas]

Tow hitch comfirmd?

see:

910kg official towing capacity for the model 3

the following swedish forum indicates that the dutch RDW (Department of Road Transport) now also mention 910 kg and (and 750kg) for some M3 in their data
TeslaClubSweden.se • Visa tråd - Kommer dragkrok till 3:an senare?
(google translate)
New version (02) of the type approval was issued for Model 3 as I understand it.
Go to https://opendata.rdw.nl/en/Typegoedkeur ... -69ie / data
search "e4 07/46 1293" and you will get Teslas M3's all type approvals on the lower rows.Type approval ends at 02 has a number of variants ending in T (Tex BB1T, PP1T, etc.)The versions that hate a T at the end also have trailer weight 910kg in a column further to the right ("max mass geremd ondergren / upper limit" = "max mass braked") Suspects that this is the trailer weight specified for braked trailer. unbraked 750kg

Available according to this approval for both Dual engine, Performance and RWD.
The maximum speeds here are also changed to 261, 233 and 225 (P, 3D, RWD)

What I understand this applies to cars manufactured after 2019-03-18 but the variant codes must be correct as well. Can they be changed afterwards (when retrofitting a trailer) or have to be ordered from the factory so you get one with T at the end.
Anyone who knows?
https://opendata.rdw.nl/en/Typegoedkeuring/Open-Data-RDW-Basisgegevens-EEG-Uitvoering/wx3j-69ie/data