Energy consumption of an electric car with a trailer
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We now show guideline values for increased fuel consumption in [Wh/km] for each trailer model so you can get an idea of the impact on your range. Read more in this article.
The current generation of electric vehicles are usually available with a tow bar option, either as a bicycle carrier or for effectively towing trailers.
The unbraked towing capacity of an electric car is often lower than that of a combustion engine vehicle, but this trend appears to be changing. See also the new Ioniq 9 (braked towing capacity up to 2500kg) or the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid.
To give you an idea of how much more your vehicle will consume with an (unbraked) trailer, we now also publish the estimated additional consumption in [Wh/km] for each model, both when empty and when fully loaded.
These are guidelines and also depend on:
- the shape of the towing vehicle : the trailer experiences more air resistance with a sports car than when it is coupled to a high truck
- the tire pressure of the trailer : if the tires have insufficient pressure, the resistance will also be higher
- the shape of the load : a low open box truck filled with a high box will obviously have more air resistance, in addition to the effect of the load
