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What effect does towing a caravan or trailer have on an electric vehicle's range?

You answered a general question recently about whether electric vehicles could tow trailers and caravans and said it should be OK. However, nothing was said about range or how much the capacity of the car batteries would go down by during a towing journey. On Top Gear they tested three top of the range electric cars made by Polestar, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. All three failed the 100 mile journey in terms of towing apart from the Audi which ditched the trailer 27 miles from the final destination. Any thoughts?

Kind regards,

Neil
London

Asked on 22 November 2021 by Neil Littman

Answered by Andrew Brady
It's not something we've tested so can't provide any concrete information on the effect towing has on an EV's range. However, it's worth noting that Top Gear is very much an entertainment show rather than a factual documentary. A trio of EVs reaching their destination without an issue wouldn't make great Sunday evening television.
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