Practical towing experience using an EV.

Posted on 25/09/2021 18:31 by JVB66

Tried that, Kia marketing  (as most)only gives  what may be possible? but no real world towing figures

Posted on 25/09/2021 16:31 by Rocky 2 buckets

I just can’t see the point of a Hybrid if it needs charging, you have the extra engine issue that needs servicing & feeding with fossil fuel yet can’t charge itself whereas a true EV needs charging & that’s accepted🤷🏻‍♂️, crazy stuff☹️

Posted on 25/09/2021 21:35 by ChocolateTrees

The key difference between a PHEV and a self charging hybrid is that in a self charging hybrid, ALL energy used to drive the car comes via the fossil fuel filler cap. In PHEV it’s possible to drive the car without ever using the combustion engine, because you can replenish its energy store (Battery) via a charging cable, making it (potentially) cheaper and cleaner to run.

Posted on 25/09/2021 22:01 by EmilysDad

and both involve lugging around a ICE as back up to the battery. And things like the Merc E Class are a hybrid in name only as I believe its battery has a range of around 15 miles at best

Posted on 05/10/2021 20:52 by watto64

Bit late to the party, but leaving a caravan alone on a service station is not best practice, by the time id unhitched, got the legs down, put both wheel locks on, the hitch lock on, thats 20 minutes gone and not even got to the queue for the charging point...then repeat in reverse order only to do it all again in another 100 miles.

There are some stunning EV's about and the instant high torque is a caravanners dream but me thinks the infrastructure will struggle to keep pace with EV technology. 

Posted on 04/08/2021 18:41 by ChocolateTrees

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

Posted on 25/01/2022 20:49 by Hitchandgo

I’m starting to look at EV’s and PHEVs to replace my diesel BMW SUV..

Although there are many new models due out 2022 many are only certified to tow up to 750kg. A few are rated to 1500kg. I note CT post towing a 1550kg Bailey with a  Polestar that has a max tow weight 1500kg. Are the certified tow weights lower than the kerb weights? I ask because of the 85% rule  tow weight rule for MPTLM? If an additional 15% is still required fir EV’s then don’t we need two vehicles with  max tow weights of over 1800kg ?