Everything You Need to Know About Towing Safely with an EV

Over the past decade, automakers have made significant strides in enhancing the performance of electric cars to the extent that battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) can offer all the capabilities of most gas-powered cars, SUVs, or pickup trucks, including the ability to tow. 

Many modern BEVs are versatile enough to handle towing light- and medium-weight trailers, commonly used for towing boats, ATVs, and campers. With the right equipment, some all-electric SUVs and trucks can even match the towing capacities of their gas-powered counterparts.

Whether you are thinking of buying a BEV or already own one, here are some factors to consider on how to tow safely with your electric vehicle (EV).

Know Your BEV's Towing Capacity

Whether you are driving a gas or electric car, understanding your vehicle's maximum towing limits is the crucial first step before hitching up a trailer and embarking on your journey. 

Your vehicle's towing capacity, also known as the tow rating, is the maximum weight your vehicle can safely pull, including the trailer and its cargo. It's relatively easy to find this information in your vehicle's owner's manual or on the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the driver's side doorjamb. However, knowing this number is just the beginning when it comes to towing safely. 

The weight your BEV is already carrying, and how you distribute that weight between the vehicle and the trailer, can significantly impact what is considered a safe weight to tow. If your next weekend road trip involves towing a trailer, passengers, plus gear and luggage, the manufacturer's maximum towing figure may not be accurate. So, before hooking up your trailer to your BEV, you'll need to do some homework. 

First, get the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of your vehicle and the trailer it will tow. Next, you'll need to know your tow vehicle's curb weight. Now, subtract the curb weight plus the vehicle's payload capacity (the combined weight of cargo and passengers that your vehicle is carrying) from the GCWR. This result is the vehicle's towing capacity. 

Now that you know how much your BEV can tow, it's also wise to ensure your trailer hitch can handle the load. Your vehicle's hitch weight rating should be 10 to 15 per cent of your loaded trailer's weight. 

It's a bit of work, but knowing all of these figures will help you find a BEV that can handle your towing ambitions safely.

Torque-Rich Electric Motors Are Ideal for Towing

More important than horsepower, torque delivers the necessary force to overcome inertia. It helps your vehicle accelerate safely with a heavy load and keep that load moving. When it comes to fossil-fuel vehicles, diesel engines can produce loads of torque at low revs, which is why they are often the top choice for long-haul tractor-trailer, heavy- and medium-duty trucks that need to tow a lot of weight. But most of today's BEVs offer quite a bit more trailer-towing torque than their fossil-fuel counterparts. When it comes to driving away from a stop, electric motors produce their maximum torque from the moment you apply the throttle. This allows BEVs to deliver powerful and smooth acceleration when starting with a trailer.

For instance, the 2025 Tesla Model X Plaid can deliver up to 10,020 pound-feet of torque, whereas a 2026 BMW X5 M60 xDrive's turbocharged V8 makes only 553 lb-ft. Another advantage of towing with a BEV is regenerative braking. These systems not only recapture energy when slowing down but also contribute to a more controlled braking experience when towing.

Proper Weight Distribution Is Important for Safe Towing

Compared to gas cars, BEVs tend to be heavier, with a lower centre of gravity due to the placement of battery packs and electric motors low in the vehicle. This can enhance driving stability due to a more balanced 50/50 front/rear weight distribution between front and rear axles; a stark contrast to the front-heavy weight distribution of many gas vehicles.

It's also important to even out the trailer's load distribution to prevent the rear of your vehicle from sagging under the trailer's weight. This scenario can severely impact steering and braking, especially in windy conditions. It also ensures that both the vehicle and the trailer are level, optimizing handling and reducing the risk of trailer sway.

Checking the automaker’s recommendations for the vehicle's tongue weight limits is also a must. It's advisable to match the weight in the trailer to the recommended tongue weight. A slight downward force on the hitch (nose-heavy) is preferred for maximum driving stability. 

If the trailer significantly alters the vehicle's weight distribution, consider using a weight distribution hitch. This safety feature is designed to evenly distribute the weight of a trailer across the axles of both the tow vehicle and the trailer to help maintain stability.

Towing Will Affect Your BEV's Driving Range

Whether you are towing or not, range anxiety is still a major concern for BEV owners when driving longer distances. The extra effort required by towing only accelerates those worries, as the added weight and increased aerodynamic drag from towing require more battery energy. Depending on factors like the weight of the trailer, the roads you're travelling on, and your driving habits, BEV drivers can typically expect a 30 to 50 per cent drop in driving range when towing.

Compounding this is the reality that there are significantly fewer charging stations than gas stations across Canada, especially in non-urban areas. Moreover, many of the available stations are set up as single-stall parking spots that aren’t designed for vehicles towing a trailer, further complicating the charging experience. It would be wise to pack the vehicle’s onboard charger for emergencies.

You can mitigate some of these inefficiencies by choosing the right type of trailer for your towing needs. Trailers designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, with rounded edges and sleek bodies, can help limit the drag and extend driving range compared to boxier trailers that create more wind resistance.

Should You Tow With Your Electric Vehicle?

If you've made it this far, you've probably leaned towards answering "yes" to the above question. If you only need to tow short distances, most BEVs will more than meet your needs. Their ample torque is a significant advantage, and their low centre of gravity enhances handling.

Typical trailer towing capacities range from light-duty trailers, such as those for personal watercraft or ATVs, which weigh between 454 and 680 kilograms (1,000 to 1,500 pounds), to heavy-duty options, including those for large travel trailers or car trailers, which weigh from 3,175 to 4,536 kg (7,000 to 10,000 lbs) or more. While many BEVs are compact or mid-size hatchbacks, there is a range of all-electric SUVs with towing capacities between 1,202 and 3,493 kg (2,650 and 7,700 lbs). And the latest electric pickup trucks can tow up to 5,670 kg (12,500 lbs).

If long-distance trailering is a necessity and your goal is to burn as little fossil fuel as possible, consider a traditional gasoline-electric hybrid or plug-in electric hybrid vehicle as alternatives to a battery-only tow vehicle.