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Post your Travel trailer that you tow with your Y
- Thread starter Wennfred
- Start date
Flybuddy
Member
This was my camper (Jayco 19XUD) which was just at towing limits on both weight and hitch. I did a test tow and it would basically do 100 miles of range at 55 mph. I just sold that camper a few days ago and purchased a Riverside Retro 135 (link below) which I am picking up on Thursday about 225 miles from home.
Retro Travel Trailer – 135 | Riverside RV
Retro Travel Trailer – 135 | Riverside RV
Haven't committed to anything yet but rented this little guy (T@B 320s) and took it into the Colorado Mountains.
Going up the range experience was super impacted and the trailer was well under the Max 3,500 lbs. At a full charge, I was running at 25-35% efficiency at max 60 mph (806 Wh/Mi). The worst rung of the trip was 130 mi used to go 35 miles. Again this was also going up ~5k feet in elevation. Coming back down the mountain was in the 508 Wh/Mi which is probably what people in more "Flat" states will see. Tesla had 3 superchargers on the route, so I am pretty sure they knew how much usage there can be. It wasn't a bad experience, just again need to plan ahead, and know your car vs trusting the trip planner % at arrival. If I had followed that guidance I would be out of juice before getting halfway. Hope this info is helpful. As far as the towing experience, as others have noted, didn't feel it back there for the most part the Y didn't ever seem to hesitate ever.
Going up the range experience was super impacted and the trailer was well under the Max 3,500 lbs. At a full charge, I was running at 25-35% efficiency at max 60 mph (806 Wh/Mi). The worst rung of the trip was 130 mi used to go 35 miles. Again this was also going up ~5k feet in elevation. Coming back down the mountain was in the 508 Wh/Mi which is probably what people in more "Flat" states will see. Tesla had 3 superchargers on the route, so I am pretty sure they knew how much usage there can be. It wasn't a bad experience, just again need to plan ahead, and know your car vs trusting the trip planner % at arrival. If I had followed that guidance I would be out of juice before getting halfway. Hope this info is helpful. As far as the towing experience, as others have noted, didn't feel it back there for the most part the Y didn't ever seem to hesitate ever.
Rshephorse
Member
Thanks for this valuable info and awesome picture, glad we got the new range boost, every little bit helps. I am guessing 55 mph in some areas to conserve so energy.
Also I see you have a roof rack and sporting 20” wheels, with the 20” wheels the towing capacity drops and so will the range.
Fred
Wish the range boost had come in a week early, but happy to have it for sure. I did speed down to make sure I had a little more padding in some areas, and some areas were only a 55 limit so that helped. The range impact from the rack is negligible from what I have seen having it on empty, and Brian from i1Tesla did a great video measuring the minimal impact....add anything on there though absolutely! The 19's probably would help, plus the trailer is also slightly lifted. I wonder how the Airstream Basecamp 16 would compare as it is more aerodynamic? The nice thing is the tow range doesn't drop per the most recent Online Model Y owners manual unless I toss in a 4th person to the mix. It is rated just the same as the other wheelsets now 3,500 lbs (See picture below).
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I have a newbie question about towing a small camper trailer with a Tesla. I gather most campsites or RV parks provide hookups for electric (and also water and probably sewer). And I know people have mentioned charging their Tesla at a campsite using the 50 amp outlet provided for RVs. How do you charge the car and provide power to the camper (for lighting, furnace etc) at the same time? Or do you have to switch the power between Tesla and camper at different times? Thinking of eventually adding a Y to our Tesla family and the thought of pulling a small trailer is appealing.
Flybuddy
Member
Most trailers (particularly the smaller ones we would tow) are almost all 30 amp service. Most campgrounds provide multiple plugs at each spot. You'll generally have a 14-50 plug which you can plug the Tesla into and a 30 amp for the camper. More juice than a Florida orange grove! When you book a spot just double check on the provided electrical service.
Everyone I've asked said range is about half when towing, and the shape of what you're towing seems to matter more than weight. So chose most aerodynamic possible I guess.
Flybuddy
Member
That is absolutely correct. A regular camper is an aerodynamic slab. Imagine a billboard 9 feet high and 8 feet wide being pulled with the flat side into the wind--it's like a sail. I was seriously considering pop-ups over the last few weeks just for this reason. Unfortunately, having owned many RVs of various types over the years I've been spoiled, wanting hard sides, full bath, water, kitchen, real bed, gray and black tanks, good a/c, etc. There are some hard side pop ups with most of above BUT have high empty hitch weights and the largest storage is in the front which will put it way over max hitch weight.
In my case, moving up from tent camping, an A-Frame style hard-sided pop-up seems ideal. I've been considering the Aliner LXE which has a wet bath of sorts in it, and a Rockwood A122, which doesn't.
That was my situation at a KOA in Glenwood Springs. I had a 30 amp line for the camper and a 50 amp line I used for the car. Had a couple of times where it said the 50 amp wasn't grounded and the car wouldn't charge but got it to work by changing the order I turned on the breakers. I have seen others carry a power "Cleaner" box with them. Cannot for the life of me remember the official name but sure Google will provide. So in the end I had the best of both worlds having power enough for each vehicle, but I also had chosen a more expensive site option to have both plugs.
Flybuddy
Member
Check out the link below. It has low weights (2540 UVW and 210 hitch) as well as a good layout with dry bath, queen bed, large fridge, overkill a/c/heat and jack-knife sofa. Downside is aerodynamic profile although it has some forward slope it'll probably have about 20 less miles of range than a similar weighted pop-up.
Retro Travel Trailer – 135 | Riverside RV
Damn, that is incredible with the M3... anybody know of a shop that can reinforce it like that on the east coast? i have the stealth hitch and considering upgrading to the Y for larger towing, but if I can pay an extra $1k and get it reinforced like that so i can tow 3k lbs, I would do it in a heart beat.
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