Towing a Roadster Long Distance

[pgwoosley]

How harmful would it be to tow a Roadster a long distance in TOW MODE with the front wheels on a tow dolly?

 

[Cobos]

Tesla knows best of course but I remember at an EV rally Ferdinand Motors did just that to recharge the Roadster without a decent plug. I beleive that worked nicely but they called Tesla first and thats what I would do to.

Cobos

 

[Ted at Tesla]

Tesla Motors does not recommend that you ever tow a Roadster in the manner described: with the Roadster in Tow Mode and the rear wheels free rolling on the ground.

There are many reasons why this is not a good idea, but at a basic level, law requires that the rolling wheels of a towed car be mechanically disconnected from the drivetrain. (In a normal RWD car this is accomplished by disconnecting the driveshaft.) Even in Tow Mode, the Roadsters rear wheels are permanently connected to the gearbox and motor.

Tow Mode is designed specifically to allow a user to slowly load the Roadster onto a trailer.

 

[pgwoosley]

What about towing a Roadster with its back wheels on the tow dolly?

 

[Ted at Tesla]

The threaded tow hook receptacle is not designed to tow the car. As I said previously, it's designed specifically to winch a Roadster onto a flatbed or into a trailer.

The only way to suitably tow a Roadster is with all 4 wheels off the ground on a car trailer.

regards,
Ted

 

[pgwoosley]

Ted, thank you for your input.

Let me be sure I expressed my last question clearly. If one used a tow dolly, one would simply back the car on to the tow dolly taking the rear wheels off of the ground. This would leave the front wheels on the ground. One would not use the tow hook at all.

 

[Ted at Tesla]

Tesla only recommends towing a Roadster with all 4 wheels off the ground on a car trailer.