What next... electric cars capable of towing

Electric Cars will make excellent tow cars.  They are generally heavy and have masses of torque from zero revs up.  Technology is improving all the time, battery charging will become quicker and energy density greater and therefore range much longer.  The 2040 date is a red-herring as we all be driving electric vehicles long before then. All IMO of course.

Ok Birdability. Tell me where I can find an electric car that can tow my 1600 Kg caravan over 500 miles without refuelling and I MIGHT be interested!  The problem with electrics is that they are really only suitable for City work with very short range duties.

When they can tow a heavy van over 500 miles on one charge AND be a comfortable steed for long distances. Great!

Until then don't bother me 'cos I'm not buying!

TF

If you read my post rather than just sounding off in your usual I drive a 3L V6 tank fashion you will see that I am suggesting that technological change will get us to a postion where good electric tow cars will become available and way before 2040.  Nobody is suggesting that they currently exist.  And why on earth do you need to drive 500 miles between fuel stops ?  how often do you do that now ?

Solo, my car will do around 500 miles between fill-ups. Towing, that is down to around 300. That's as much as I would want to drive in a day anyway so I can arrange a fill-up at the end of each day's trip. Given the recharging time for an electric vehicle, to be viable they need to be able to cope with a day's worth of driving between charges IMHO.

Sadly I, like many others on here, remember when 'Buy a diesel' was answered with 'You must be joking'!

Some members nowadays are actually asking if it's even possible to tow with a petrol powered car!

I assume perhaps as many as 80/90% tow with diesels?

No doubt those that live long enough will look at these posts in a few years and think 'They haven't a clue, as usual!'

This is pure political  vote catching promise the earth and don't deliver. First thing how will we produce all the electrical power we need, most of the power we get is produced by EDF, how long before Europe hold another gun to our heads. On another tack why is the government still going ahead with fracking. How many extra nuclear power stations will be required, until they can answer these few questions l am not even going listen to it.Glad l won't be around in 2040, just hope my daughter and grandson will reason it all out

Birdability, I don't often do 500 miles in a day these days, but I certainly used to.  Fuel in my area is a couple of pence cheaper than where most of my customers  are, so I tended to drive between 200 and 250 miles to see them and then return the same day.  Refuelling when I got home ready for an early start the next day.

What makes you think my vehicle is a tank?  I expect total reliability and to arrive fresh to see my customers.  I have tried little cars, and if I drove into the city often then I might use one. But my usage tends to long distance and I hate constantly having to stop & refuel. Hence my demand for long range!  To drive 200 plus miles in a little car in my opinion is less than pleasant.

TF

Correct 'birderbilly', electric motors provide instant torque. Just have to wait for battery technology to catch up, which I'm sure it will within the next decade. As to whether it will be suitable for touring is another matter.

He is waffling in the past again, whereas future technology was what your post was about.

The problem is ,that people don't like change ,just think back to the first mobile phones ,now look where they are ,long lasting battery etc, so give it time and the technology will get there

It's easy to look back ,but more exciting to look foward

Electric cars have been around for a long time 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicle