With an EV I would suggest two potential issues with towing beyond the rated capacity: the electric motor might have too much of a heat build up and more importantly you may damage the x's frame.
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bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
When Jim Chen made the statement about towing capacity of the Model X he did so with an air of certainty. I cannot see him making a speculative statement about the towing capacity of Tesla's long awaited flagship SUV. That would really not bode well for the company.
I suspect the actual specs once released will also show a WD rating with higher tow values
My boat trailer is similar. There is a brake cylinder in the trailer hitch. As the trailer pushes forward and exerts pressure towards the tow vehicle it applies the brake. I believe they are called surge brakes.
Of course any weight stopped by the trailer brakes goes to friction/heat and not regen.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
He may have said it with some confidence, but even immediately after he said it, it was quickly pointed out his claim wasn't consistent with how Class III is rated. And it takes some digging to find that reference. This was not a presentation for consumers, where I would expect any claims to be screened more thoroughly.
In the UK it would be completely illegal. You would face a fine, and the load impounded until you came back with a suitable vehicle to collect it.
There are a number of factors that come into play. trailer "rating" as a % of towing vehicle, maximum draw weight (i.e. the max the car is rated to pull), and maximum "train weight" (i.e. car + trailer)
Most of the horse boxes you see here are pulled by things like Range Rover Discoveries. They have a 3.5t rating. (c. 7700lbs)
The important thing for the EU market, is not the weight that can be pulled, rather the plate that is attached to the trailer you intend to pull. A good example is a horsebox, so whilst loaded your horse and kit it comes in at 5000lb (2.2t) the trailer manufacturer may have attached a plated rating of 3.5t. (not uncommon) To LEGALLY pull that trailer, even if it were empty, you need a car which has a draw weight rating of 3.5t.
I don't know the legalities in the US.
SW2Fiddler
We Are Cognitive Dissidents
Wait, so maybe the OP was a jokey joke too? There was a (frowney) smiley in there...
Yes, those are called surge brakes and they're great for some smaller trailers. All of the travel trailers I'm aware of don't use that kind of system and require a brake controller inside the vehicle. Currently, my assumption is that the towing software mentioned on the configuration page is something that replicates a brake controller and will work with the car's regenerative braking system. The last thing you want to happen from a towing stability standpoint is to heavily brake the tow vehicle at high speeds with no braking on a heavy trailer. It might help with regenerating more lost energy but having a heavy trailer pushing on you like that, especially in a corner, could result in some dangerous behavior.
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There's no legal barrier to towing above the manufacturer's recommended weights in the US. Some states have regulations in that area but not many. Now, cause an accident while towing over the weight recommendations and you'll likely face a nasty lawsuit if you manage to hurt someone else.
Thanks for the clarification.
Looks like it's more of a problem for EU than US in practical terms, as all commercially made trailers will have a plated weight capacity. Caravans should be OK with single axle stuff normally coming under 2t.
For double axle caravans, horse boxes, car transporters, the X is a non-starter in the EU as they will likely be plated at > 2.2t, irrespective of how heavy they actually are.
(Of course this is a bit moot given the real world range you'd get from the X, so the RR Sports are safe here for a while yet I think)
Johan
Ex got M3 in the divorce, waiting for EU Model Y!
When I got my driver's license I vaguely remember there being a law saying that no matter the rating you can't tow more than the weight of the car doing the towing, and that if the car+trailer together weigh more than 3.5 metric tons you need a higher class license to drive it. I think this goes for both Sweden and Norway at least, but please correct me if I'm wrong!
deonb
Active Member
In the UK It depends when you passed your test.
EU Synchronized the licence requirements in 1997, so depending when you passed your test it will be different.
The classifications are now inline across EU so if you only have a B+E on your licence then you can tow, but capped at 3.5t maximum train weight
If your licence shows C1+E then you can drive a gross train weight up to 8.25t maximum trailer weight portion being 3.5t.
If you only have B you can't tow at all
I passed in 1990, so got "grandfather rights" on the bigger stuff without taking a test.
tdelta1000
Active Member
Benzer, sorry to hear that you are disappointed. Have you considered purchasing a low budget hauler and the still getting the "X" for all the other needs?
Why not an S and a load hauler if going two vehicles (and I'm sure I'm not the only one to think this)
BriansTesla
Old school meets new tech
I occasionally tow a 10,000lb boat with a Ford Excursion and I would no more try to tow it with my new Model X than I would to fly the X off a bridge. Based on my personal experience, I would not tow a trailer heavier than the car I'm driving...too scary in an emergency. I would also guess that you would be lucky to get 100 miles with even a 5000lb load.
The MX, for this specific purpose, would likely be unsurpassed. A 6000 pound AWD with 4-700 hp, instant full torque (and lots of it) and traction control? I'd take that any day to pull out a boat.
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