MY towing range with 1.6T caravan

[BabyYodasCar]

I just got back from a week caravanning in the UK and was impressed by the range I managed to get out of my model Y long range.

My caravan is a Sprite Quattro EW, twin axle, 1590KG so probably closer to 1750kg when fully loaded. The car was filled with 5 people and a boot full of paddle boards and luggage, so very heavy.

The journey was from the North West of England up to Coniston lake, so exactly 90 miles.

I started off with a full charge at 99% and made it to the camp site on 44%, so 55% usage. The return leg was a little better using only 52% of range.

The average consumption stated around 440wh/mile but not sure how this translates into anything meaningful if I am honest.

Weather was good with little to no wind. Temperature was around 24degC.

Based on the range I witnessed, I would predict the setup would be good for circa 160-170 miles, which was far greater than I expected!

I am going to the south of France in July and have a 1,000 mile journey to look forward to. I will post back here with the results of the trip and the complexity of charging up whilst towing a caravan.

Hope this post helps someone out as I was struggling to find any relevant information.

 

[jcanoe]

You should be able to change from Miles to Km under the Display Settings.

 

[Bendar]

BabyYodasCar What is the tongue weight of that caravan? I ask because I plan to get a Model Y LR and tow something similar, but the Model Y is limited to 350 lb (159 kg) of tongue weight.

 

[kpanda17]

BabyYodasCar What is the tongue weight of that caravan? I ask because I plan to get a Model Y LR and tow something similar, but the Model Y is limited to 350 lb (159 kg) of tongue weight.

think the dual axel definitely helps minimize the tongue weight...when I get one, my target is dual axel

 

[ewoodrick]

BabyYodasCar What is the tongue weight of that caravan? I ask because I plan to get a Model Y LR and tow something similar, but the Model Y is limited to 350 lb (159 kg) of tongue weight.

Which is the classic 10% of the max trailer weight number.

And tongue weight can be easily adjusted, as well as easily messed up by how you load the trailer. It's not hard to get tongue weight near zero, by loading everything in the back of the trailer. And the flip side is loading things in the front.

 

[JKennedy442]

What percentage would you say was highway speeds? I was thinking of buying a jet ski which I would be towing about 150 miles round trip all highway on a regular basis. Wasn't sure if that was feasible.

 

[ewoodrick]

What percentage would you say was highway speeds? I was thinking of buying a jet ski which I would be towing about 150 miles round trip all highway on a regular basis. Wasn't sure if that was feasible.

The range is partially based on the range and partially based on the wind drag that the trailer has. A jet ski shouldn't be too bad. But my Seadoo Switch is terrible.

 

[Bendar]

think the dual axel definitely helps minimize the tongue weight...when I get one, my target is dual axel

I've looked at a lot of these, and in general, the short, light-weight units are single axle. I was surprised that his has dual axles as light as it is. Sadly, the one I'm getting is a single axle. I'd still love to know the tongue weight of his unit though.

 

[Bendar]

The range is partially based on the range and partially based on the wind drag that the trailer has. A jet ski shouldn't be too bad. But my Seadoo Switch is terrible.

Seems the weight of what you're towing has a large effect on range when you're driving in stop and go traffic, but the aerodynamics is what affects range the most when at highway speeds (no stating and stopping).

 

[Bendar]

Which is the classic 10% of the max trailer weight number.

And tongue weight can be easily adjusted, as well as easily messed up by how you load the trailer. It's not hard to get tongue weight near zero, by loading everything in the back of the trailer. And the flip side is loading things in the front.

True, you can lower tongue weight by loading more weight towards the back of the caravan/trailer, but that can make it more susceptible to sway on the highway, which can be devastating. So there's a balance. I'm lowering tongue weight by removing the propane tank and placing it in the Model Y when towing. And I'm taking the coach battery off of the tongue and moving it rearward, just in front of the caravan/trailer axle when towing.

 

[ewoodrick]

The correct answer should be that the tongue weight match the manufacturer specifications. And that's probably 10% of the weight.
Putting the propane tank in the Model Y isn't great for two reasons, it's still adding to the car's rear axle. But most important, in many places, it's illegal. Nothing worse than having a little propane leaking.

Why do you think that your tongue weight is too high? What it the trailer manufacturers specification. And what size trailer are you going to tow?

If the trailer is more than 3500 lbs, don't do it on a Model Y. Since the tongue weight is generally 10% of the trailer weight, tongue weight is not normally an issue.

And yes, putting too much in the back isn't good. But again, if the total trailer weight with everything that you pack and full water tanks and propane and full grey and black water tanks is over 3500 lbs, don't tow it with a Model Y

 

[Bendar]

The correct answer should be that the tongue weight match the manufacturer specifications. And that's probably 10% of the weight.
Putting the propane tank in the Model Y isn't great for two reasons, it's still adding to the car's rear axle. But most important, in many places, it's illegal. Nothing worse than having a little propane leaking.

Why do you think that your tongue weight is too high? What it the trailer manufacturers specification. And what size trailer are you going to tow?

If the trailer is more than 3500 lbs, don't do it on a Model Y. Since the tongue weight is generally 10% of the trailer weight, tongue weight is not normally an issue.

And yes, putting too much in the back isn't good. But again, if the total trailer weight with everything that you pack and full water tanks and propane and full grey and black water tanks is over 3500 lbs, don't tow it with a Model Y

To get some weight off the tongue of my caravan/trailer, I will be removing the 35 lb propane tank, but I won't put it in the trunk, it'll sit up front in the passenger seat. I drive with the windows open, so this won't be a problem. The weight of my caravan/trailer is 3300 lbs, but it's tongue weight is 400 lbs, so I've got to lower it to 350 lbs or under so I can tow it with a Model Y.

 

[ewoodrick]

To get some weight off the tongue of my caravan/trailer, I will be removing the 35 lb propane tank, but I won't put it in the trunk, it'll sit up front in the passenger seat. I drive with the windows open, so this won't be a problem. The weight of my caravan/trailer is 3300 lbs, but it's tongue weight is 400 lbs, so I've got to lower it to 350 lbs or under so I can tow it with a Model Y.

You need to look how you have it packed inside. The trailer should be spec'd with the propane tank on the tongue. You've evidently packed some stuff near the front of the trailer that should be moved to the back.
And how do you know that the trailer is 3300 lbs? Are you looking at the specs or have you weighed it. It's very possible that you may have packed too much in the trailer as well.

You seemed to be worried about putting too much stuff in the rear will cause it to fishtail. If you tongue weight is at 400, the trailer is either overloaded or you have too much in the front and you NEED to move some stuff to the rear.
The trailer should be balanced from the factory. What you add should be balanced as well.

 

[Bendar]

You need to look how you have it packed inside. The trailer should be spec'd with the propane tank on the tongue. You've evidently packed some stuff near the front of the trailer that should be moved to the back.
And how do you know that the trailer is 3300 lbs? Are you looking at the specs or have you weighed it. It's very possible that you may have packed too much in the trailer as well.

You seemed to be worried about putting too much stuff in the rear will cause it to fishtail. If you tongue weight is at 400, the trailer is either overloaded or you have too much in the front and you NEED to move some stuff to the rear.
The trailer should be balanced from the factory. What you add should be balanced as well.

These weight figures are actual weights from the trailer manufacturer. And I will have nothing packed in the trailer when towing. It's just the design of this particular trailer that its "curb weight" is 3300 lbs and it's tongue weight is 400 lbs. This would be no problem for a 1/2 ton pickup truck, but the Model Y's max towing weight is 3500 and max tongue weight is 350 lbs. So I just have to lower the tongue weight a bit, and that's why I'm removing the propane and battery from the tongue. I was just curious what the measured tongue weight of BabyYodasCar was.

 

[ewoodrick]

These weight figures are actual weights from the trailer manufacturer. And I will have nothing packed in the trailer when towing. It's just the design of this particular trailer that its "curb weight" is 3300 lbs and it's tongue weight is 400 lbs. This would be no problem for a 1/2 ton pickup truck, but the Model Y's max towing weight is 3500 and max tongue weight is 350 lbs. So I just have to lower the tongue weight a bit, and that's why I'm removing the propane and battery from the tongue. I was just curious what the measured tongue weight of BabyYodasCar was.

So, first, weigh it!

But just put something in the back of the trailer to lighten it. 50 or so pounds isn't going to make a difference in the handling.

But remember that you are towing a max, not really a recommended situation.

 

[Bendar]

So, first, weigh it!

But just put something in the back of the trailer to lighten it. 50 or so pounds isn't going to make a difference in the handling.

But remember that you are towing a max, not really a recommended situation.

Yep, I bought a tongue weight scale so I can be 100% sure I'm not going over Tesla's 350 lb max. And I'm just towing it twice a year, going 50 MPH, in no rush.

 

[Jaysuey51]

I just got back from a week caravanning in the UK and was impressed by the range I managed to get out of my model Y long range.

My caravan is a Sprite Quattro EW, twin axle, 1590KG so probably closer to 1750kg when fully loaded. The car was filled with 5 people and a boot full of paddle boards and luggage, so very heavy.

The journey was from the North West of England up to Coniston lake, so exactly 90 miles.

I started off with a full charge at 99% and made it to the camp site on 44%, so 55% usage. The return leg was a little better using only 52% of range.

The average consumption stated around 440wh/mile but not sure how this translates into anything meaningful if I am honest.

Weather was good with little to no wind. Temperature was around 24degC.

Based on the range I witnessed, I would predict the setup would be good for circa 160-170 miles, which was far greater than I expected!

I am going to the south of France in July and have a 1,000 mile journey to look forward to. I will post back here with the results of the trip and the complexity of charging up whilst towing a caravan.

Hope this post helps someone out as I was struggling to find any relevant information.

Do you have any teslafi etc. of your journey. 440wh/mile is impressive, I'm towing a caravan around 2/3rd of the weight of yours (same 5 people etc.) and the best I've had is 492. I think a large part is my driving style but curious if there's something I could be doing to get a bit more mileage like higher tyre pressure when towing etc.

Date

Start Time

End Time

Driving Time

Miles Driven

Rated Miles Used

Starting Odometer

Ending Odometer

Wh/Mile

Efficiency %

Avg Speed

Battery % Used

kWh Used

28/07/2023​

10:35 PM​

1:09 AM​

2 Hours 33 Minutes

119.24​

289.64​

4051.38​

4170.63​

504​

41.2​

47​

88​

60.08​

28/07/2023​

7:41 PM​

9:35 PM​

1 Hour 53 Minutes

76.15​

180.62​

3975.1​

4051.25​

492​

42.2​

41​

55​

37.47​

22/07/2023​

3:06 PM​

5:15 PM​

2 Hours 9 Minutes

88.05​

249.39​

3718.18​

3806.23​

595​

35.3​

42​

75​

52.38​

22/07/2023​

10:59 AM​

2:06 PM​

3 Hours 7 Minutes

121.43​

299.48​

3596.6​

3718.04​

518​

40.5​

40​

91​

62.9​

08/05/2023​

11:54 AM​

2:45 PM​

2 Hours 51 Minutes

90.56​

216.99​

1232.19​

1322.76​

497​

41.7​

33​

66​

45.01​

05/05/2023​

4:05 PM​

6:43 PM​

2 Hours 38 Minutes

92.12​

219.25​

998.94​

1091.06​

494​

42​

38​

67​

45.5​

 

[BabyYodasCar]

Hi all

So sorry for the late reply! My family and I have just had 4 weeks touring to the south of France and back. It was a cracking holiday and the Tesla did us proud!

I’ve got to say, using Tesla chargers made the trip very cheap. On the way down to Leon from our home, we used £100 of electric. We charged once at Newport Pagnell on the way to Dover which was our most expensive charge. Otherwise in France it was around euro 16 to fill it.

Thanks for all the questions and comments. If I would have read these before we left I would have made a better effort of recording the trip data. I do have some stats to share however.

This was the trip:

So we started out in Haydock and drove down to Dover and caught the ferry to Calais.

From there we went to our first night stop off in D’Orbec, the following day we stayed in Saint-Cyr, then onto le col vert in Leon. We had two weeks there so was our main holiday.

On the way back we went through camping bastide on the dordogne then belle isle in chateauroux, camping les pres, camping viviex carpes where we also took the dog to the vets for his wormer to get back into the uk. Final stop in France was La licorne in Normandy. We stayed for a couple of days in each site so in total we had a good 4 weeks!

I took this photo when I got home:

So in total we drove 2405 miles and used an average of 484wh/mile.

A couple of things to note. We were fully loaded with 4 weeks worth of clothes, games, books etc. paddle boards, kayak and 5 bikes so we’re no doubt on the heavy side.

I always check nose weight before I set off and try to retain the nose weight of the caravan when empty as this is obviously the balance the caravan manufacturers think is best. For mine it’s 100kg exactly.

I can keep this weight fairly consistent as it is a twin axel so is very balanced anyway. I have the awning and water containers over the wheels and the only things in the front are the gas bottle, Cadac and wooden blocks for the legs. We actually put the clothes bags on the front couch to add more weight as we had 4 bikes on the back of the caravan. The 5th smallest bike was also over the wheels.

Tyre pressure is usually 43-45psi and not something I’ve ever changed.

Final observation to improve range….

I noticed that weight is irrelevant to some degree as either empty or full I’ve had similar towing results, as is having the climate control on. The biggest impact to range was speed. As an example, we did one leg of 172 miles - 100% at the start and arrived with 4%. To achieve this i stuck to 50mph. If I took my speed up to 60mph my range would be circa 120 miles. I tried 65mph and the range was closer to 90 miles.

As we only ever stopped once on any leg (some we never stopped at all), I judged the stop time around lunch time to kill two birds and all that. If we set off late and only had an hour maybe an hour and a half till lunch, I tended to gun it at 65. I would then get to the charger at lunch time and spend the hour topping up the battery and our belly’s. Earlier starts would see me stick to 50 so I could drag out the miles to lunch.

We are away with family again tomorrow till bank holiday Monday so I will record some more stats for you.

Let me know if you want any specific data and I will come back to you next week.

Thanks

 

[BabyYodasCar]

Oh and another thing….

I don’t know if I am the first to try touring with a Tesla but it was clear not many people had seen it. Literally hundreds of people stopped and stared. Whenever we stopped we had several people coming over to ask questions. It was quite funny actually as they all had the same “omg is that even possible” look on their faces!

 

[jcanoe]

So how did you handle charging at the Supercharger locations; did you have to unhitch the caravan?