Towing with Tesla Model X

[buckbuck]

The TFL guys put a F-150 Lightning on the Ike Gauntlet towing 9600 lbs.

 

[2kwik4u]

@BlkGS do you work for Stellantis? You guys have very similar thoughts.

https://thenextweb.com/news/fiat-kitted-out-500-ev-to-charge-wirelessly-while-driving/

 

[BlkGS]

@BlkGS do you work for Stellantis? You guys have very similar thoughts.

https://thenextweb-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/thenextweb.com/news/fiat-kitted-out-500-ev-to-charge-wirelessly-while-driving/

Nope, I'm in a totally different industry. I just think Americans are lazy, because I'm lazy and most people are lazier than me.

Plus, I live near Disney and they use wireless charging like this on their electric powered ride vehicles. So like, I see it work. And I tend to see things as a "how can we make this work easily" question vs a "how can I force people to adapt to something new they might not like".

BTW, link didn't work for me. Just the address.

 

[2kwik4u]

Nope, I'm in a totally different industry. I just think Americans are lazy, because I'm lazy and most people are lazier than me.

Plus, I live near Disney and they use wireless charging like this on their electric powered ride vehicles. So like, I see it work. And I tend to see things as a "how can we make this work easily" question vs a "how can I force people to adapt to something new they might not like".

BTW, link didn't work for me. Just the address.

Fixed the link. It never posts right from my news feed to a forum when on the phone. Grrrrrr.

I was being silly, just interesting that your thoughts and Stellantis projects are so inline with each other.

 

[BlkGS]

Fixed the link. It never posts right from my news feed to a forum when on the phone. Grrrrrr.

I was being silly, just interesting that your thoughts and Stellantis projects are so inline with each other.

I think a lot of it is stellantis tends to be more pragmatic. Ford or GM tend to like to chase shiny things and praise from journalists. FCA has historically chased money.

Look at the pony cars. Gm and Ford have updated them twice since challenger debuted. Challe.ger outsells them both, and gains market share as time goes on. While gm and Ford make their cars faster, more sports car, more focused on track times and smaller... and FCA makes their big engines more widely available and keeps stuffing more hp into their large and comfortable take on it. No new platform made out of aluminum and carbon fiber and whatever... just more power and louder noises.

I'd like to think that some higher up exec at FCA is very in tune with reality vs hype. A guy who when they say they want to shrink the car for track performance responds by asking if a baby seat will fit in the back with people that aren't midgets in the front.

 

[Emeralddrive]

With apologies (although I did wade through a few dozen pages here) — what’s the consensus on whether I should pull a 2022 AR210 with my 2018 Model X? I’d be making infrequent long-ish trips (~150m) and more regular 5-10m trips to the launch. Thanks

 

[BlkGS]

I believe the concensus has been effectively "YOLO".

Jokes aside, the issue is usually range. 150 miles... you're probably gonna end up wanting to stop for a charge. 5 miles? Well, you could pull that with anything just about, shouldn't be an issue.

 

[2kwik4u]

With apologies (although I did wade through a few dozen pages here) — what’s the consensus on whether I should pull a 2022 AR210 with my 2018 Model X? I’d be making infrequent long-ish trips (~150m) and more regular 5-10m trips to the launch. Thanks

AR210 should be under your 5,200lb tow rating. Good there.

Usage is going to be ROUGH. Somewhere near the 900-1,000 Wh/mi range. You're looking at less than 100mi range with the Model X. Really depends on your location and what the road is like to the lake from where you are. Aero is your biggest enemy, not weight. Plan your expected route with ABRP, and put your expected usage in there, and see if you can make it there or not. If you can't, and there is a supercharger nearby, expect to have to drop the boat to charge since you have to back in. We're in a position with EV towing now that it works for some, and not for others on longer trips. That 150mi range is RIGHT on the cusp of workable. If that's a round trip, maybe....if it's one way, nope, gonna have to charge to get there and back.

For short trips......Dude, let 'er rip. EV's tow well, but have REALLY short range under that kinda of load.

 

[Emeralddrive]

This is incredibly helpful, thank you (and wow! 900-1000Wh/mi?!)

 

[2kwik4u]

This is incredibly helpful, thank you (and wow! 900-1000Wh/mi?!)

Yea, I think the youtube channel Out Of Spec Reviews got over that with an empty trailer and a giant wind brake on the back while travelling 75mph in northern Colorado. Aero is your biggest enemy here. Pointy boat helps, but not as much as you would think.

We honestly only have one boat data point at this time from another member. I want to say he was closer to 800Wh/mi with a 19ft Yamaha behind a ModelX.......I'll have to go back a few pages to find it.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

My read on the thread is that if you want to tow with an EV, given the new truck options why use a Tesla X?

Jim

 

[2kwik4u]

@Emeralddrive Check out this post:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/towing-with-tesla-model-x.24448/page-76#post-598966

 

[Emeralddrive]

My read on the thread is that if you want to tow with an EV, given the new truck options why use a Tesla X?

Jim

Primarily because I already own one. The question is whether I can reasonably tow the boat I'm planning to acquire.

 

[BlkGS]

My read on the thread is that if you want to tow with an EV, given the new truck options why use a Tesla X?

Jim

Because most of those new trucks are like, 2 years out on delivery if you ordered one today, lol.

Jokes aside, supply is a huge issue. Then dealer mark ups, etc. I don't think the battery powered trucks will be cost effective vs a gas equivalent for a few years until supply side catches up to demand.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Because most of those new trucks are like, 2 years out on delivery if you ordered one today, lol.

Jokes aside, supply is a huge issue. Then dealer mark ups, etc. I don't think the battery powered trucks will be cost effective vs a gas equivalent for a few years until supply side catches up to demand.

Understood, but I don't see anyone buying a Tesla X as a tow vehicle either. Most folks buying a vehicle, today, for towing, would likely get an ICE or maybe a hybrid.

Personally, I still like my ICE truck for towing. While we may buy an EV in the next 2 years, it will not be our TV.

Jim

 

[BlkGS]

Understood, but I don't see anyone buying a Tesla X as a tow vehicle either. Most folks buying a vehicle, today, for towing, would likely get an ICE or maybe a hybrid.

Personally, I still like my ICE truck for towing. While we may buy an EV in the next 2 years, it will not be our TV.

Jim

Agreed. If I needed an ev and also to tow, I'd buy a cheaper EV and a clean early luxury 3 row. 2nd gen escalade or navigator, maybe 1st gen qx56, heck maybe even a similar vintage sequoia or expedition or Tahoe. You can pick up clean examples of those for 10k, and only use it for towing longer distances. Worth it for the hassle alone, and they're all incredibly robust vehicles.

 

[Emeralddrive]

Agreed. If I needed an ev and also to tow, I'd buy a cheaper EV and a clean early luxury 3 row. 2nd gen escalade or navigator, maybe 1st gen qx56, heck maybe even a similar vintage sequoia or expedition or Tahoe. You can pick up clean examples of those for 10k, and only use it for towing longer distances. Worth it for the hassle alone, and they're all incredibly robust vehicles.

Agreed. I’ve been EV-only since 2012 and it’s been terrific in every way, except for towing. Once on the road, the actual experience is wonderful, but it‘s literally the only time in my ownership experience that I’ve encountered range anxiety.

 

[2kwik4u]

Found this on Reddit just now.....

Who is pulling a 242Limited S with a Model X ?!?!?!

https://www.reddit.com/r/boating/comments/w41xso

From that thread......here's a Model Y with an SX190. Posted comments on getting about 150mi of range towing it.

https://imgur.com/a/DGLUwUC

 

[Emeralddrive]

Hi, everyone,

I really appreciate this extraordinarily detailed (!) thread, but noticed the lack of data about real-world experiences trailering with the Model X. I thought I would include some data from a recent trip as well as some observations, in case it's helpful to someone down the road.

TL; DR: I get about half the car's rated range.

The car:
2018 Model X 100D with 21-inch wheels. The rated range is around 270 miles. I've been a Tesla owner for a decade, own 3, and wouldn't drive an ICE (non-EV) car.

The boat:
2012 AR190 with stock trailer. The boat has two batteries, two amps, and a sub, but no other significant aftermarket weight. For this drive, the tank was about half full.

The trip:
Approximately 150-mile run from the Research Triangle area to Emerald Isle, North Carolina. This is an undulating run, ranging from about 315ft to 9ft above sea level. The trip includes time spent on major interstates, state, and backroads with speed limits ranging 35–70 mph.

The burn:
Average of 634 Wh/mi with a range of 540-760.

The takeaways:
- I preemptively supercharge because as much as I love the Tesla, it doesn't do a great job estimating range based on weight.
- I generally drive with chill mode enabled. This is a hedge on me pulling away from the line at a fast clip, as one usually does when not trailering.
- HVAC is a considerable range killer. This is well known, but the effects when trailering are significant. I estimate the increase at about 50-75 Wh/mi.
- I fuel up at the destination to keep weight lower for most of the ride.
- Some have asked about the hitch. Best I can tell, it's welded to the frame. I had some concerns re tongue weight, but the total weight is under the max for this Model X. The X's towing capacity did have some impact on my selection of the 190 over the 210.

 

[2kwik4u]

@Emeralddrive Thanks so much for the feedback.

That is some great data!