Electric cars

zeupater

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Yes. I saw his tweet...



It looks like towing drastically reduces the range of current EVs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iko35Oqzs2A

Source

Hi

So about a 40%(ish) reduction in range on the Tesla X example, not with the typical 'trip-to-the-skip' trailer though, they all look like decent size trailers - but you can understand why the manufacturers are steering clear of EV towing at the moment ...

Maybe, as battery costs fall, there'll be solutions involving battery capacity extension within the towed load - something like a caravan with it's own rechargeable power-source which can assist with range when being towed and trickle recharged when on site ....

HTH
Z

Herzlos

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Nice.

Too pricey for me though... and you still can't tow with it.

I might sacrifice towing to get one of these, once they hit about £15k.
Can always keep something else for a workshorse

Martyn1981

zeupater wrote: »

Maybe, as battery costs fall, there'll be solutions involving battery capacity extension within the towed load - something like a caravan with it's own rechargeable power-source which can assist with range when being towed and trickle recharged when on site ....

HTH
Z

Or, and just throwing this out there, folk could go on a camping tour of UK charging locations?

Car_54

Rather than looking for a solution to the towing problem, perhaps we should simply rejoice at the prospect of the demise of the caravan.

Gloomendoom

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Or, and just throwing this out there, folk could go on a camping tour of UK charging locations?

Just a thought. Can you actually get a car and a caravan close to a charging point without unhitching, blocking other chargers or the road?

Gloomendoom

Herzlos wrote: »

I might sacrifice towing to get one of these, once they hit about £15k.
Can always keep something else for a workshorse

Given the range it has solo, I don't know why they don't just approve it for towing. We can work round a 40% reduction of near 300 miles but we can't do anything about type approval.

Martyn1981

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Just a thought. Can you actually get a car and a caravan close to a charging point without unhitching, blocking other chargers or the road?

Personally?

Chuck me the keys and I'll try to channel my inner Russ Swift.

Andy_L

zeupater wrote: »

Maybe, as battery costs fall, there'll be solutions involving battery capacity extension within the towed load - something like a caravan with it's own rechargeable power-source which can assist with range when being towed and trickle recharged when on site ....

HTH
Z

or tow something like this perhaps

Herzlos

I genuinely think there will be some market for range extending trailers, at least within the motorway network (i.e. collect battery trailer of batteries from services A, drop off at services , assuming the total range is better than not towing. They'd also be great for vehicles running out of juice on the network - recovery van charges them from trailer, or lets them take trailer to next services. Potentially saves the recovery vehicle waiting with you whilst you charge.

Car_54 wrote: »

Rather than looking for a solution to the towing problem, perhaps we should simply rejoice at the prospect of the demise of the caravan.

Nothing wrong with caravans, but there are plenty of thing that you can tow that aren't caravans. Most can be replaced with trucks or vans though.

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Just a thought. Can you actually get a car and a caravan close to a charging point without unhitching, blocking other chargers or the road?

Nope, and a lot of services have one-way systems that take you back onto the carriageway, so dropping the trailer in the trailer section before going to charge may be impossible.

Won't be long until there are some options for charging from the trailer parking.

Gloomendoom

Herzlos wrote: »

I genuinely think there will be some market for range extending trailers, at least within the motorway network (i.e. collect battery trailer of batteries from services A, drop off at services , assuming the total range is better than not towing. They'd also be great for vehicles running out of juice on the network - recovery van charges them from trailer, or lets them take trailer to next services. Potentially saves the recovery vehicle waiting with you whilst you charge.

I know they have been considered by land rover for extending EV use into remote areas. Not a lot of help unless manufacturers start to approve EVs for towing and let customers worry about the reduction in range.

Unfortunately, unless you are Billy Smart, towing a trailer with a trailer/caravan isn't really a practical proposition for most. Although this chap seems to have it licked. Two trailers and a Land Rover in tow...