Let’s talk about all-electric towing » Bowlus Blog

Let’s talk about all-electric towing

Let’s talk about all-electric towing

Let’s talk about all-electric towing

Let’s talk about all-electric towing. 

An EV is now a reasonable choice as a tow vehicle only if you have an ultra-lightweight and aerodynamic travel trailer which exists only with a Bowlus.

We decided to test the comparative range, with the help of Eric of ButterEV, a 2020 Tesla X Long Range Plus (100 kWh pack) vs a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck AWD Dual Motor Foundation Series (123 KWh pack). We also performed the same test on a different day with a 2022 Rivian R1S Launch Edition Quad Motor AWD (135 KWh pack).

The testing route was 55 miles/hr with a 600 ft climb from Santa Barbara, CA to Buellton, CA and back for a total of 103 miles. Each vehicle towed a 2024 Bowlus Volterra – 27’2″ overall length with a 3,200 dry weight. 

Results

The Tesla X consumed 419 Wh/mi, which is 2.39 mi/kWh – giving it a total range of 238.6 miles per charge. 

The Cybertruck consumed 538 Wh/mi, which is 1.86 mi/kWh – giving it a total range of 228.6 miles per charge. 

The Rivian R1S consumed 554 Wh/mi, which is 1.81 mi/kWh – giving it a total range of 244 miles per charge. 

So even with a much larger battery pack, the Cybertruck has less overall range than the Tesla X, confirming the prior results. However, all three vehicles are great choices for all-electric camping road trips. 

In our opinion, the minimum range requirement for an all-electric road trip is 200 miles/charge. Why? Charging stations are unevenly spaced apart, and during cross-country trips, we’ve needed up to 186 miles of range to get from station to station. Additionally, with highway driving, that distance is just about the perfect amount of time before we want to get out and stretch our legs for a moment while we charge.

So we’ve crossed the range threshold where an EV is a great tow vehicle only if you are towing something lightweight and aerodynamic – like the Bowlus.

In fact, Bowlus has the best towing results of any full-size travel trailer, including concepts and prototypes promoting ‘self-propulsion.’ 

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