Model X tow capacity is too low for me

[NigelM]

Just curious. For those who wanted to tow 5,000-10,000 pounds what did you expect as far as range?

I would be really surprised to see anything more than 100 miles.

I'm good with that, I'm also good with 5,000lbs though. Most heavy towing is local-ish (horses and boats) for me.

 

[mknox]

I think towing in general is a bit of a red herring here. I've owned several ICE SUVs in the past and have towed everything from large boats to large box trailers and even small 6x8 open trailers. What I can tell you is that gas mileage was very noticeably impacted even with small trailers. I can't help but think towing a trailer behind a Model X is just going to kill the battery range, and I am predicting all kinds of threads on this once deliveries begin. I've seen just simple things like a small headwind or drop in temperature noticeably impact my Model S's range, so I can only imagine what a trailer would do!

 

[FlasherZ]

Tow packages for ICE cars typically come with an additional transmission cooler because it is very easy to overheat the transmission. Not as applicable to EVs (reduction gears are unlikely to overheat that way, although not impossible for them to overheat).

Instead, in this case the heat will come from the motor windings rather than the gear reduction. I'd imagine the cooling system for the motor needs to be beefed up a bit compared to the Model S experience.

OTOH, Model X might be a better track car than the Model S if that's the case.

 

[David29]

With regard to towing -- if I recall correctly, trailers over a certain weight require their own brakes, usually electric. When I used to tow horse trailers many years ago, the trailer brakes were actuated by the towing vehicle's brakes, which presents an interesting problem for an EV using regenerative braking. I wonder if anyone has worked out the best way to manage the trailer braking with a tow vehicle that may not use the service brake very much? Maybe they would operate satisfactorily if the trailer brakes are actuated by the brake lamp circuit, which is actuated in the Model S under some regen braking conditions. Interesting problem...or is it already solved by newer trailer braking systems?

 

[Yggdrasill]

My i30 CW can tow about 3000 lb, which is about what I need, so 5000 lb is more than enough for me. I was expecting 2,5 tons, or 5500 lb, so 5000 lb is pretty much as I expected. Though, the allowable weight in europe isn't always the same as in the US; often it's less, so I certainly hope you don't end up with a rating that's less than 2 tons here. That could put off some buyers.

Mostly I tow furniture and such around, so I never approach the actual weight limits, but here at least, the maximum allowable weight determines the size of the trailer I can tow, regardless of actual weight. Bigger trailer means I can carry more volume.

One funny element here is the Norwegian license regulations when it comes to towing. The standard B class licence allows you to drive a vehicle + trailer having a maximum total allowable weight less than 7700 lb, if the trailer is bigger than 1650 lb, or 9350 lb, if the trailer is less than 1650 lb. This means that I can with my B class licence tow 3000 lb with my i30, but only 1650 lb with a Model X. I need to get the BE class licence to tow more than 1650 lb with a Model X, which involves 10 hours of training, and costs something like 1000 USD. :/

 

[FlasherZ]

My i30 CW can tow about 3000 lb, which is about what I need, so 5000 lb is more than enough for me. I was expecting 2,5 tons, or 5500 lb, so 5000 lb is pretty much as I expected. Though, the allowable weight in europe isn't always the same as in the US; often it's less, so I certainly hope you don't end up with a rating that's less than 2 tons here. That could put off some buyers.

In US-speak, 5000 lb. is 2 tons. 5500 lb. is 2 metric tons or tonnes. So there's not a rating with less than 2 tons (although there's a rating with less than 2 tonnes). Problem solved.

 

[paintpolisher]

This one weights in at 11k. If I can't tow this for more then 200 miles, I'm out too.

 

[AlMc]

I need a bit more info from TM on the towing details as well. The vehicle it would potentially replace is a RR Sport (tow capacity 7,700#). I consider the RR sport to be an X competitor so I was hoping it could match that capability. A good size two horse trailer with gear and two horses will exceed 5,000#. Can I get around it by putting the gear in the X..possibly. But that is a compromise.
I accept it is a 'first world' compromise...but a compromise none the less.

 

[SamT]

If you are going to tow a travel trailer/RV, as many mentioned, it will impact the range and required frequent stops at the charger, you need to un-hook your RV as many of the charging stations required you to back in to charge.

 

[AlMc]

If you are going to tow a travel trailer/RV, as many mentioned, it will impact the range and required frequent stops at the charger, you need to un-hook your RV as many of the charging stations required you to back in to charge.

IIRC there are some superchargers that you can actually 'drive through' so detachment may not *always* be necessary. Personally, 99% of the time the horse shows or schooling events we attend are within a 50 mile radius of the barn so I am hopeful that even if the range impact is 50% that we will not need SCs.

 

[smac]

I think towing in general is a bit of a red herring here. I've owned several ICE SUVs in the past and have towed everything from large boats to large box trailers and even small 6x8 open trailers. What I can tell you is that gas mileage was very noticeably impacted even with small trailers. I can't help but think towing a trailer behind a Model X is just going to kill the battery range, and I am predicting all kinds of threads on this once deliveries begin. I've seen just simple things like a small headwind or drop in temperature noticeably impact my Model S's range, so I can only imagine what a trailer would do!

On the plus side it will mean more Supercharger's more closely spaced!

Or maybe a tow behind range extender (Didn't the original T-Zero have one )

 

[EarlyAdopter]

This one weights in at 11k. If I can't tow this for more then 200 miles, I'm out too.

Yikes. Curious - what CUV can tow that?

 

[shelbri]

With regard to towing -- if I recall correctly, trailers over a certain weight require their own brakes, usually electric. When I used to tow horse trailers many years ago, the trailer brakes were actuated by the towing vehicle's brakes, which presents an interesting problem for an EV using regenerative braking. I wonder if anyone has worked out the best way to manage the trailer braking with a tow vehicle that may not use the service brake very much? Maybe they would operate satisfactorily if the trailer brakes are actuated by the brake lamp circuit, which is actuated in the Model S under some regen braking conditions. Interesting problem...or is it already solved by newer trailer braking systems?

I trailer a 26' center console weighing 6,700lbs on a two axle trailer. The trailer has its own brakes which are engaged via brake actuator. When the towing vehicle slows down, the trailer slides forward a few inches and engages the brakes. When the tow vehicle resumes speed, it pulls on the actuator releasing the brakes. The only electrical component is the lock-out mechanism which prevents the brakes from engaging when backing up. As such, I don't see any issue with regen and trailer braking. They will work just fine together.

 

[Oil4AsphaultOnly]

IIRC there are some superchargers that you can actually 'drive through' so detachment may not *always* be necessary. Personally, 99% of the time the horse shows or schooling events we attend are within a 50 mile radius of the barn so I am hopeful that even if the range impact is 50% that we will not need SCs.

Wouldn't that depend on the width of the tow? An RV trailer is much wider than a model X, and probably wider than the spacing between superchargers. Driving through with that probably won't be a good idea.

 

[AlMc]

Wouldn't that depend on the width of the tow? An RV trailer is much wider than a model X, and probably wider than the spacing between superchargers. Driving through with that probably won't be a good idea.

I have never seen a 'drive through' SC...but supposedly there are some. If someone comes across one please post a picture and maybe measure dimensions for 'pull through'. I do not think I will ever need/use one personally but one never knows.

 

[chickensevil]

This one weights in at 11k. If I can't tow this for more then 200 miles, I'm out too.

Not to be rude... but really? you expected to tow this behind the MX (even if it could somehow support the tow weight) while getting over 200 miles of range?

First off that tow rating on an SUV is pretty much unheard of... so I don't know why you expected that. For the record on the 2015 MY, here are the very few choices that can handle that... and these are *very* beefy vehicles:

Silverado/Sierra 1500 (both the 5.3L V-8 and the 6.2L V-8)
Silverado/Sierra 2500 (all versions)
DODGE/RAM 2500 (all versions)
DODGE/RAM 3500 (all versions)
F-150 (5.0L V-8 and 3.5L V-6 TC)
F-250/350 (all versions)

And that is it... period. Notice a theme? Not only are these all trucks... but they are *big* trucks... If you drop the weight down to 10k it opens up more options, but even still you are looking at trucks only. SUVs just can't cut that weight, and very few trucks can.

As for the mileage, traditionally in trucks it is at least a 50% range hit, and given that a lot of what is helping the S and X get such good ranges is that they have very low drag coefficients I would not at all be surprised with a 75% or higher range hit on max loads. This might be the reason they capped it at 5,000 pounds as well and I believe someone had suggested this already. But getting 200 miles on the X when the range is looking to be around 250 for a non-performance (just a guess) you are living in a fantasy land... or this was a sarcastic post... because I just can't see how you expected this at all.

 

[loganthefirst]

I know Tesla is stating it is "rated for 5000 lbs of towing" but isn't that just a recommendation for optimal performance? If you wanted to pull something say 10,000 lbs in weight, wouldn't you just get less performance from the vehicle or is this a case of actually harming the vehicle and potentially ripping off the rear axel? Coming from someone who has never towed anything, I'm just curious at what the rating number really entails?

 

[vandacca]

Not to be rude... but really? you expected to tow this behind the MX (even if it could somehow support the tow weight) while getting over 200 miles of range?

Whoa! chickensevil, settle down. It was clearly a sarcastic remark. Firstly towing anything 200 miles is ridiculous and breaks more laws of physics that I care to list here (not to mention the biggest RV out there). Secondly, there was the happy face :smile: to show humour.

 

[rlang59]

I think towing in general is a bit of a red herring here. I've owned several ICE SUVs in the past and have towed everything from large boats to large box trailers and even small 6x8 open trailers. What I can tell you is that gas mileage was very noticeably impacted even with small trailers. I can't help but think towing a trailer behind a Model X is just going to kill the battery range, and I am predicting all kinds of threads on this once deliveries begin. I've seen just simple things like a small headwind or drop in temperature noticeably impact my Model S's range, so I can only imagine what a trailer would do!

I'm waiting for all the threads that pop up about a Model X pulling a boat or similar blocking all the Supercharger stalls.

 

[chickensevil]

Whoa! chickensevil, settle down. It was clearly a sarcastic remark. Firstly towing anything 200 miles is ridiculous and breaks more laws of physics that I care to list here (not to mention the biggest RV out there). Secondly, there was the happy face :smile: to show humour.

Very well then, I retract my statements. You had me going for a bit there cause it was hurting my head how someone could actually have expected that.