Tesla Towing MAX Capacity Test

A 1,300 mile journey and 650 miles of towing a trailer at maximum towing capacity of a Tesla Model Y! See how the Tesla did towing this crazy distance with this large trailer.
Key Takeaway and Disclaimer:
Tesla only recommends a 1.5” rise on the tow hitch, so everything I am doing here is out of manufactures spec, but this video is to show how that’s not always practical, and the Tesla is capable of supporting that weight from a structural standpoint, although that doesn’t mean you should.
0.00 Intro
2:07 Tow Hitch Tesla Manufacture Specifications
4:00 Loading the Trailer
5:43 Trailer Weight Specifications
6:50 First Range Test
13:18 Installing Trailer Brake
17:28 Using RV Hookups
18:26 Final Range Test Failure
Everything you need to know to tow with a Tesla:
• Full Towing Guide for ...

[@travelbydragonfly]

That's too much trailer. Check out Rove Lite trailers. They are the lightest you can get without going to a teardrop or something else that is very tiny.. They have aluminum framing and chassis. The one I'm getting is the 16RB. It's their biggest one at 16' and the dry weight is just over 2000 lbs.

[@Upliftyourbrothers]

Consider lowering the trailer. Or trading for a non Baja version. If you can get the aero down it will probably add a decent amount of range. I know range anxiety, I’ve been driving on CNG, natural gas. You can only fill at very specific stations… unlike electric where you can slow charge anywhere.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Definitely! I know the height is creating a lot more air drag, also doesnt help with how it sits on the car

[@mikldude9376]

It wouldn't make that much difference mate , EVs due to their very design are not suited for heavy hauling , and heavy hauling is something I know a lot about.​@@Adventures_with_nick

[@mtnman1984]

Funny how you talk about going outside the manual for the hitch. We tow a 3000 lbs trailer with our Honda Crosstour, which is rated for 1500 lbs. Lots of small modifications: Class 3 hitch, brake controller, trans cooler, big brake kit, rear air ride, larger tires rated for the load. I found that the Crosstour and same year CR-V, which has the same rear suspension, were rated for 3500 lbs in foreign markets. It pulls nicer than a full size truck with two axle travel trailer. Just wanted to say good work for not needing to have a truck to pull one of those. I know it's not going to be the norm, but you're having fun figuring it out.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Yeah it’s really just CYA to say watch out it’s out of manufactured spec for the hitch rise, but as you can see, this car can handle above and beyond! Pretty cool what you did with yours!

[@matthewbaumann793]

All of that stuff that’s I. Your back seats, needs to be relocated to the back of the camper..

[@dvwatts]

I added an Air Lift 1000 Air Suspension (Kit 60743) to my Model 3 for when I tow our camper (Tab400). It levels out the rear and gives you travel back. Not sure if it fits the Y rear springs. I also replaced the off road tires and rims with much smaller ones (205/75/14). That lowered the trailer and removed weight and tire resistance.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

That’s amazing! I have since this video added a 2” lift kit to my model y and will be making another video on towing so i can see if the range is any better

[@capt.brandonwade384]

@@Adventures_with_nick Once you did the lift on the 2 inch lift on your model Y did you also get the off-road tires from T sports and then what is the tongue weight on your trailer? I know this video is five months old. That’s hopefully you still have access to your KZbin account.

[@IrwinFPV]

What range you get with the 400. Just bought a 320.

[@robbaraga3583]

Thanks for the heads up on the lithium ion battery not charging the trailer battery. Do the trailer brakes affect the regen? I talked to a guy who tows with an Ionic 5 and he said his trailer brakes work against the regen and burn through the trailer brakes. My trailer is lighter than yours and does not have trailer brakes. At 55 mph I have gotten 325 to 360 watts per mile or 140 to 160 miles on a charge. Not bragging just don’t want people to think you only get under 100 miles towing. I have heard it is a good idea to tow under the ratings and that’s what I did. Great video and info!

[@Adventures_with_nick]

It will run against the regen, what I typically do is set the trailer brakes very low on highway so it doesn’t kick on the brake system

[@aarontshaffer]

What is the Model X part number that you mention?

[@kapanda1142]

good job, very informative, I use the ABRP app and if I followed your experience, you used 847 wh/mile which you can put into the ABRP, this would have shown you the route you were taking was not possible, hence why you had to disconnect the trailer you learned, again nice video

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Interesting! Yeah the route back was 170 miles, which is already pushing it for at least half the tesla fleet, let alone tow. I thought stopping at the 100 mile mark would save us. We were wrong!

[@JoshCantu]

Road trip!!

[@Adventures_with_nick]

✌️💯

[@Colin-s5b]

is there a difference in tow capacity between RWD, Long Range, and Performance?

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@Colin-s5b no tow difference in the long range and performance. There should be a tow difference in RWD but the chassis should be the same, so I really don’t know the answer to that. However the range would be drastically less in the RWD

[@EVMANVSGAS]

I agree with @dvwatts below. To make the trip less anxious, a more aerodynamic and lighter trailer would make a world of difference without sacrificing too much space. If you're not really living in it do you really need the slide out. I'll be that adds 1000 lbs right there. And less brick shaped :) Also, play around with trailer brake settings, it may be eating up too much of your regen and only turn it up when you really need it like a downhill where you feel like the cars regen can't handle it. I thought you would stop somewhere and plug into a lower volt outlet for a long time to make it to the supercharger but that was a great idea to drop the trailer and go ahead without it, then come back and bring it in after getting enough charge. Also, thanks for doing this. It's exciting to see how this is working in the real world and allowing everyone to learn from it. I don't see your range struggles as a negative but more of a challenge to overcome.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Thank you so much! Yes I wanted it to be a test and learning experience for everyone. I think if this trailer wasn’t so high off the ground, it could get 100 miles of range

[@TaxooFPV]

The whole point of this video is testing the MAX rating lol

[@derekwhite1262]

Get a scamp.

[@andgabby2510]

We just got one for our Model Y! Happy travels! ✌🏻

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Awesome! Make sure you get a trailer brake control!

[@daviidfm923]

I’m not gonna lie. This setup scares me. Do you think you will upgrade to a more suitable tow rig?

[@daviidfm923]

@@bravadomizzou yea I know. I just didn’t wanna say all that. They have no business even thinking about towing that trailer with that vehicle. Get a model x or a f150 lightning etc.

[@TonyMiguel-ko7cz]

@@daviidfm923model x 😂😂😂

[@daviidfm923]

@@TonyMiguel-ko7cz I mean it has a towing capacity of 5k and a longer wheelbase it can legally tow this type of trailer. Not far but it will be within safe numbers.

[@TonyMiguel-ko7cz]

Tesla Tow hitch meant for bicycles weighing 100 pounds at most

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@TonyMiguel-ko7cz that is for vertical load. It’s a different classification than hitch weight capacity

[@DavidSmith-vq1cr]

Aerodynamics at work it’s the wind dam that is the caravan.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@DavidSmith-vq1cr exactly!

[@chriscovella1371]

Try putting anything of weight in the very tail of the trailer (behind the trailer axle), might reduce the tongue weight. Maybe even add some 5 gallon water jugs back there. Not sure but worth a try.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Gotta be careful with that because the tongue needs to be at least 10% of the trailer weight to prevent swaying

[@TonyXiao]

Did you use a long range model Y? And how does the trailer battery charge if it cannot get it from the car?

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@TonyXiao it’s a long range, no charge gets to the trailer unfortunately

[@TonyXiao]

@@Adventures_with_nick Do you need the 12v battery on the trailer working then to brake? how long does that last and how do you keep it charged if it doesn't come from Tesla?

[@franksurface2425]

Look at Alto Safari! Aero is way more important than weight! Also, weight distribution will make it safer!!

[@NebuLushFlow]

I’m curious how much this affects tire tread

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@NebuLushFlow significantly! Hard to quantify. The impact on the battery is far more concerning

[@danielle16r]

Are the Michelins max 2,200 per tire? Are the rear tires beyond capacity? I got the same car and want to tow my 3500lb boat.

[@Mrs.Choi_life]

Great video! It was very inspiring and motivating! We are planning to use the Airstream 19-foot with our Tesla Model Y. In our region, reinforcing the undercarriage is a common practice, but we intend to use it as is. We plan to use a weight distribution hitch and feel confident we can use it without any issues. However, I am concerned because the listed towing capacity of the Model Y is less than the weight of the Airstream. This makes me a bit worried he Airstream has low wind resistance, so it might be okay, but I still can't be completely at ease. I'm also worried about being pulled over by the police on the road, since many people still don't believe in towing trailers with a Tesla. Looking forward to more great videos. This has been very helpful.

[@joejohnson7416]

Which winds up being the best hitch: the simple black one you showed at the beginning, the silver adjustable one you show next, or the black adjustable one you used when you picked it up? Thanks, great video!

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Definitely the silver one! It a more solid frame and it’s a 9” rise max. Tesla only recommends a 1.5” rise so everything I am doing here is out of manufactures spec, but this video is to show how that’s not always practical, and the Tesla is capable of supporting that weight, although doesn’t mean you should

[@joejohnson7416]

@@Adventures_with_nick Awesome, thanks! It looks like a lot of people are hauling things out of spec like that without issues. I'll let you know how it goes this summer!

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@joejohnson7416 yep just make sure you are within the weight threshold and very careful about the hitch weight!

[@kaleb97045]

Lifting does change the suspension. The spacer on top of the strut pushes the whole suspension down in its travel. You’ve lost 2” of down travel. This can definitely impact ride quality but unlikely to be noticed unless you’re using the full range of the suspension.

[@smooviesrocks]

Hello, where did you buy your adjustable hitch and which brand/model is it?

[@davidrhp847]

Campgrounds are going to charge more for electric vehicles pulling trailers.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

Since it’s so impractical (until they start making 600+ mile range) almost no one will be doing what I did

[@tortoisehead30]

We get about 95 miles of range with a similar setup. Thats enough to get us to the coast or mountains on a charge.

[@Adventures_with_nick]

I just took model Y this weekend in 70 degree weather, it was getting 95 miles of range as well! Definitely weather and wind dependent

[@sasaneon]

an so much stuff in the back seats too!!

[@Adventures_with_nick]

@@sasaneon very true! 🫢

[@euphoricmonk]

I think that Tesla adapter is rated for 50Amp but it pulls 45amp from charger

[@Damageinc.]

lol nope an electric car is not an option for towing anything or even going camping!

[@user-yz5oh4jj7v]

Were you TRYING to ruin your car or…

[@Adventures_with_nick]

I mean it’s not above weight for what the car is advertised for. The hitch rise is the only thing out of spec

[@mikldude9376]

It has to be said , EVs suck for towing, and with that set up even if you got 150 miles of range that would still be utterly shitful . For towing there's is no substitute for a an internal combustion engined vehicle. These EV things are just rubbish for towing. It doesn't matter if you have a million horsepower if you have no stamina or range. My last van trip with my 14 year old ICE big family sedan, i did a 5000 k trip in summer often in 40+ celcius temps with the aircon going the whole trip with a close to similar weight( possibly a tad heavier ) old school ugly van with worse aero dynamics sitting on 60 mph with two old fat pensioners and all their gear. And still got more than 3 times the he range of the Y . One of the major failings wi6 EVs is they have no way of unloading the the motors , they have a 9 to 1 reduction ratio , but they have no gearbox . In an ICE vehicle you can drop down a gear or two or 3 while going up a hige incline and just lose a bit of road speed which is also kinder on your gear . You couldn't pay me to buy an EV .

[@mtnman1984]

You OK?😂

[@nateums]

I agree, I think a PiEHV (electric drivetrain with ICE engine to regen) would be the only thing worth getting if you want to tow and still have an electric car.