Practical towing experience using an EV.

The thing that surprises me is that no-one seems to have thought about EVs and trailers at charge points. The main motorway services still don't have enough charge points either.

The car manufacturers haven't thought about standardised charging access on their vehicles. 

I'm afraid there is a lack of joined up thinking.

We have had one person on CT speaking about his experiences towing a van with a Tesla and yes, he said he had to unhitch. Charge points need to be drive through, why did no-one think of that?!

If someone can find the LINK to the experience it might be of use?

I think it's this thread. Wherever it is, the poster was Chocolate Tree.

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/caravan-motorhome-chat/issues-when-moving-to-all-electric-towcars/

I dont think many battery vehicles are certified for towing and given the range when towing I dont think there is a great rush to buy them if you tow.

The charging stations appear to be very pretty but not practical for trailers or vans. 

Here is a cross post from the other thread on my last trip. See last 2 pages (31 and 32)

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/towcars-towing/diesel-petrol-alternatives-your-thoughts-please/?p=31

I just did a 400 mile round trip with our Bailey Unicorn S3 Vigo max weight upgrade (MTPLM 1550Kg) towing with the Polestar 2 Launch edition. (78kWh, 300Kw). Started in South Northants and headed to Whitby (Great CL - Monks farm - with a view of the abbey). We planned the trip so that we would charge at our natural break points. Left at 8am from home, 1st stop for coffee and comfort was after about 1 hr 45 at Duckmanton (M1J29A). Stopped for about 25 - 30 mins. Long enough to find a cup of coffee, drink it and each a cheeky 2nd breakfast bacon roll. Then headed out again and stopped at Skelton Lakes in Leads at around noon. There we again stopped long enough for each of us to use the loo, buy some lunch and eat in the van. About 40 mins. At both stops we unhitched to charge and re-hitched to leave - added maybe 5 mins total to the stop. At both stops, we gained more charge than we needed to get to our next planned stop. I.e. we were not waiting for the car to charge, but getting on with resting and refuelling the humans while the car did its own thing. We arrived on site with about 30% charge remaining (60 - 80 miles solo, 30-35 towing). its a 10A CL, but we were able to plug the car in via the van, and charge an additional 15% to 20% each night.  At the end of the trip I calculated roughly how much electricity we had used charging the car, and paid the CL owner the extra cost along with the pitch fee. We retraced our steps on the way home stopping for about 30 mins and 35 mins respectively. 

On the whole trip we waited to charge the car for exactly 0 minutes. The extra hitch and un hitch took no more than 20 mins in the entire holiday. We spent 0 mins looking for or filling up at a fuel station. 400 miles of towing + about 200 miles of touring around while there cost the princely sum of about £50. The 400 miles of towing in my PHEV or the XC90 that I had before that would have cost about £140 in diesel. The local touring an additional £40 to £50. I saved on three trips to the fuel station, each being around 20 mins (as I would have had to go out of my way to find one). 

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/towcars-towing/diesel-petrol-alternatives-your-thoughts-please/?p=31

There is an increasing number. Lots of the new EVs are being homologated for towing. Mine can tow 1500Kg and has a towing range of about 130 miles. I got mine absolutely knowing it could tow, and that I planned to use it for such, even though I knew the range was less than that on my previous ICE tow vehicles. 

That is partly because in my ICE I always found myself stopping for coffee and a break after about 2 hours. 2 hours towing is about 100 miles, so my target for towing range with an EV was 100 miles. Then the car could charge while I recharged my own batteries, It works out pretty well...

That is partly because in my ICE I always found myself stopping for coffee and a break after about 2 hours. 2 hours towing is about 100 miles, so my target for towing range with an EV was 100 miles. Then the car could charge while I recharged my own batteries, It works out pretty well...

Surely, as more EVs get on the road the chances of not being able to immediately get a re-charge en-route will increase markedly. You may have to wait your turn in a queue. Your coffee breaks may get longer and longer. 

Tesco in conjunction with VW have "free?" For 50mins EV charging at many of their larger stores. which will give 20miles ? Travel

Well - yes and no, for several reasons.

1) The fossil fuel companies know that the end is nigh and are moving to EV charging (BP and Shell both have their own charger brands now). In order to have happy customers the number of chargers and charger locations is increasing all the time. Will it keep pace with EV sales - maybe maybe not - but that is probably not an issue because

2) as new EVs come to the market, the range is improving, and the charging speed improving. I only ever charge my EV in the public system when I am on holiday or doing an unusually long journey. Otherwise it's charged at home over night. My solo range is >200 miles from 90%. I don't even fill the battery to 100% routinely as it prolongs life and is simply not needed for me. Most folks are the same, their car really only does a few hundred miles a week, and those folks will only ever go to the public charging locations on the odd occasion, like me. Sure there are 300 and 600 mile a day road warriors, but they are not normal (as much as anyone might claim they are). 

And with faster charging cars (the new Hyundai Ionic 5 and Kia EV6 can do 10% to 80% in about 20 mins), the dwell time on a charger gets shorter and shorter. 

Thats true, but they are 7kW chargers. That is the standard speed for a home charger, and not intended for rapid charging at all. The Osprey chargers I used in Duckmanton was 50kW. next to it were two Instavolt 120kW. At Skelton lakes, the 6 Ionity chargers are 350kW. 

My car will do 10 to 80% on 50kW in about 45 mins. On the 120 charger, thats about 35mins. On anything above 150 it's about 30mins. 

Its not free on those chargers - but then neither is petrol...

CT-thanks for your(at the coal face) input it’s very illuminating👍🏻