Can your EV tow your trailer?
Can your EV tow the trailer over your route? Towing limit, nose weight, charging stops and trip time for horse trailers, caravans and more.
A horse trailer, a caravan or a box trailer costs an EV about half its range, and many models are only allowed to tow 750–1,800 kg anyway. Enter the values from your registration document: the calculator checks towing capacity and nose weight, plans the charging stops for your route and shows the total travel time.
Trip plan
Driving versus charging
Pro tips
- Every bit of speed counts: dropping from 100 to 80 km/h (62 to 50 mph) typically cuts consumption with a trailer by a quarter to a third.
- Nose weight is often the bottleneck for EVs, not towing capacity: 5 % of 2,200 kg is already 110 kg, and many models only allow 75–100 kg.
- Plan charging stops where you want a break anyway, and check chargers for pull-through access in a charging app beforehand.
How it works – method and limits
Consumption comes from the same physics model as in the EV Range Calculator (air and rolling resistance, gradient, heating, load, trailer). For “My vehicle”, the drag area is derived from your solo consumption at 75 mph (120 km/h). Legs follow from the charge window: the first leg runs from the start charge level down to the reserve, each further leg from the charge limit (max. 80 %) down to the reserve. Charging time is the energy added divided by the manufacturer’s average 10–80 % charging power, plus the extra time per stop.
Limits: horse trailers are approximated as enclosed trailers with a larger frontal area (1 horse 0.90 m², 2 horses 1.00 m², caravan 1.20 m², box trailer 0.80 m², open 0.45 m²); uncertainty is around ±20 %. Not modelled: the cold’s effect on charging power, charger output, waiting times, stop-and-go, and the vehicle’s permitted gross combination weight (check your registration document). The calculator does not replace checking your approval data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can electric cars tow?
It depends heavily on the model. Many EVs may only tow 750 to 1,800 kg (braked), some nothing at all. Only large SUVs and vans reach 2,000 to 2,500 kg, a few more. What counts is always your own registration document, not the data sheet of another model year.
How much range do I lose with a horse trailer?
At 80 km/h (50 mph), roughly half of the solo range typically remains; at 100 km/h (62 mph) more like a third to 40 %. A horse trailer has a large frontal area, so speed matters most. For 250 km (155 miles) you often need one or more charging stops, depending on battery size.
What is nose weight and why is it often the bottleneck for EVs?
Nose weight is the weight the trailer drawbar puts on the car's tow ball, usually 4 to 7 % of the trailer weight. Many EVs allow only 75 to 100 kg. A 2,200 kg trailer with 5 % nose weight already needs 110 kg and exceeds the limit even though the towing capacity fits.
How do I plan charging stops with a trailer?
Choose charging sites with pull-through access or long bays, because unhitching at the charger is rarely practical. Check them in a charging app beforehand, plan a buffer for outages and charge between 10 and 80 %, which is fastest. Charging takes longer in the cold.
How accurate is the towing check?
Consumption is a physical estimate with about ±20 % uncertainty for trailers, because body shape, slipstream and tyres vary widely. The permission check does not replace looking at your papers: the permitted gross combination weight and axle loads must fit as well.