I currently pull a 1981 Airstream Excella II 25Fk with my '07 Impala SS. I bought the trailer at CanAm so they did all of the hitch work on my car. Like they say in the video - a rock solid rig. The receiver setup is a far cry from the bolt-on hitch of old (I hope old). My friend pulls a 23' square trailer with his hemi Ram and is happy if he gets 10mpg. I'm unhappy if I get 12mpg. Andy & his team, IMHO, are the most knowledgeable experts on towing. Any question he was asked, he had a logical explanation.
True as long as you have a charging network to support that. In Canada unless you live in parts of Ontario oe BC though good luck. In my province they are limited to the transcanada and Tesla hasn't even finished those yet.
@@loganholmberg2295 The Supercharger network continually expands and grows with the growth of the fleet. It will never be "completed" but trans-Canada travel is already a reality. Every year they fill in more nooks and crannies to allow convenient travel to remote areas.
Different laws will apply everywhere, but key is how smart and detailed with knowledge Andy is, I am sure legal would give you watered down safe answer, but that does not solve.
Hey folks. You can watch the original Tesla Model 3 towing review video right here - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FX5lzqzZ2Do.html Visit Can-Am's website here: www.canamrv.ca/ *And sorry to the people of Huntsville for brutally misspelling your town name!
In the US, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits the manufacturer from voiding the warranty unless they can prove the failed part was caused by the towing. Not sure if Canada has a similar law.
Would love to see you guys test more of CanAm’s setups. I saw they had a Tiguan they towed with also. Would be cool to hear how a 2.0 turbo small SUV tows
A do-it-yourself Li battery pack(s) over the trailer wheels with an inverter to recharge the Tesla's battery with might double the range and let you go to destinations that did not have a charger station. Would also be cool!!!
@@robertdonatucci4934 where does he think the space over the trailer wheels would actually end up being? While those batteries are charging they are discharging themselves. Everyone wants something for free.
lightshipL1 does that, but frankly the newest Teslas have so much more real range and charge so quickly and there are so many superchargers in so many places that maybe it isn't the issue it once was 10 years ago.
It's absolutely fantastic, This has inspired me to do something similar with my model Y and if you don't mind I would like to know if it can be done with the original receiver that comes with the model and which is 2 inches. Thank you very much for all you are doing
I’m guessing this hitch was added before Tesla implemented the optional hitch. I’ve been using mine as recommended by Tesla. Have to laugh every time another car/suv/truck tries to get me at lights. The shame they must feel when beaten by a golf cart with a trailer (6x12 enclose )
Same here in Quebec! If you are overweight and involved in an accident it is criminal offense! The law should be the same in Ontario...what HD is doing is illegal no doubt about it!
@@tonygrilli I did thanks. Let's Add. The guy in the video sells RVs , he's being a bit vague and disingenuous. A proper weight distribution hitch still puts 10% of the trailers weight on to the tounge. A 7k trailer still means 700lbs on the hitch. He's also dead wrong on towing capacity, they aren't suggestions. if you get into an accident over weight , yes your insurance covers you for damage to the other cars to hit. You ,the driver are then held responsible for driving overweight. The insurance company can then sue you, and depending on the local laws ( here in BC) you would be charged with dangerous driving and driving without due care, both criminal offenses.
@@tonygrilli so to correct you, Overloading a vehicle has nothing to do with the owners opinion...it has to do with the manufacturers ratings and the laws. The Model 3 is rated to tow 2000lbs max, no exceptions, no opinions, Period. A Model X is rated to tow 5000lbs, still far from the 7500lbs the trailer weighs! The GCVWR are Law, not Suggestions! IF he would get pulled over, he would be done! Unfortunately the Inspectors are too busy with the trucking industry to deal with the small fish. Remember just because some person says they can tow something...doesn't mean they can nor should from a legal perspective. This Combo (Tesla/ Airstream) is Illegal Everywhere!
Electric vehicles have the silent equivalent of a 'Jake break', AKA: regeneration. The car should be able to stop the load just fine without even touching the breaks if you so choose. Obviously, the stopping distances will be lengthened, but that's the same with any rig towing a load. Then factor in the aftermarket break controller for the trailer he has equipped and I don't see the issue. If you're really worried, throw bigger disks on the car.
Remember on a tesla its not just the brakes bit the electric motors slowing down the car as well. So as long as you have good trailer brakes why can't as Tesla stop with a trailer? That trailer hitch mounting in the trunk also seems plenty beefy for a unibody. But unlike Australia and other countries where you have to have an Engineer certify a vehicle with mods like these this isn't ilegal unless its comercial. If comercial a whole differant level of regulations and insurance apply. My only issue with it is stoping to charge so much is a pain in the ass and while there maybe allot of chargers around toronto there are not around the rest of Canada. In Saskatchewan for instance there are only some charges by the transcanada (and not enough if your towing). Its also the most boring part of Saskatchewan so who wants a trailer limited to that?
For those mentioning regeneration, yeah it's there but you cannot rely on it to stop the car, its availability is dependent on too many factors and it can stop working entirely. Not sure about Tesla, but on most EVs regeneration shuts off in emergency braking when the ABS applies.
@@Bryan46162 Lmao, its actually worrying how many people dont understand the basic physics. Brakes dont matter if you have way too heavy trailer pushing your small sedan from behind. Its dangerous and reckless - these restrictions are there for a reason.
I have a 2021 Tesla Model Y LR… towing getting 100 -130 miles is fine with me…I usually don’t drive more than 400-450 miles a trip. So I would rather wait, have lunch or relax in my travel trailer. The Tesla Superchargers are within 100 miles of each other… plus… Tesla's charging network, initially exclusive to Tesla owners with some sites now open to all EVs, is expanding its reach. Given its current pace of installations, there should be more than 70,000 Supercharger stalls by the end of 2024.
But that was average for where they drove on and off for highway merging at 130 km/h for filming, not a cruising average. Some guy in the previous video said he has average of 250 Wh/km with much smaller trailer, so I think the 400 might be reasonable.
@@carsandtools agreed. This was the average when the guys were accelerating to see the responsiveness of the tesla vs a typical tow vehicle (truck). If driving at 90-95km/h steady with reasonable weather the 390-400wh/km shuold be doable based on Andy's experience
I am in California and would like to learn more about having my 2022 Tesla Y fitting with a tow hitch to pull an RV similar to the one in the video. Is there an installer in California who could do this type of tow hitch as well or would I need to delivery my Tesla to Canada?
He said the trailer is 6000 lbs and gross is 8800 lbs on this airstream. He's referring to dry weight no gear no liquids no anything. So if you get into a wreck your insurance is cancelled just like a drunk drivers. Also injury lawyers might attempt to sue. I'm not buying it. Just because you are rich and fancy doesn't mean you don't have to follow the rules like the rest of us.
Your insurance is not "cancelled" if you cause a collision while impaired, just like it wouldn't be if something happened with this towing combination. The insurance company would pay out to cover all damages to other parties, and then likely drop you and never insure you again.
@@TruckKing Yes that's what I meant post accident/payout, cancelled. So basically video concludes that it's like you're a drunk driver for insurance. Anyways free country I suppose but IMO this is a horrible A-hole thing to do. Don't like sharing the road with people like this.
It's fair to say that you might have a tough time arguing your case if something happens with both insurance and the law, but that doesn't make this illegal. As Andy states, the law as it's written (in Ontario anyway) says that you need "care and control" over the vehicle and trailer. I know from looking at it, this might seem sketchy, but I would testify in court that this towing setup is one of the most confident I have ever driven. Andy sets his stuff up incredibly tight, so you have nothing to fear with his setups, trust me.
@@TruckKing Fair enough. I'm not a keyboard warrior so I'll just leave it at that. I drive roughly 35k km a year, commuting and such so see irresponsible things all the time on the road. I don't have a lot of patience for it anymore. Good luck to him and his customers, I'll stick to gross vehicle weight ratings. You know the rules, which doesn't necessarily mean law.
@@Bryan46162 yeah the video seemed to suggest that this guy didn’t just do this for himself but modifies other peoples cars as well. Unsurprisingly he didn’t want to out himself as there can be a host of liability issues if one of his ‘customers’ ever has a wreck and was found to not be in compliance with local or provincial laws.
I frequently pass on the CAT scales to have a valid proof of weight when I know I am towing close to my limits. The GCVWR is law here in Canada and you will get a steep fine and vehicle impounded if caught.
Rules are there in place for us to follow but doesn't mean you can't do such thing. Sometimes experience is way better than theory. It is like telling to use we cannot travel outerspace. If we study and we test and we found out its possible then us( humans) we change the rules. And again dont get me wrong this could make void insurance , warranties etc but doesnt mean you literraly have to stop thinking outside the box. Rules are there to protect them and you. But most of the time them. But sometimes getting out of the bubble helps you find you can do such. Its just you are enclosed to think this is the only thing you can do. I honestly think this guy is very smart
Sorry Tesla vehicles don't care if the trailer is light or heavy. The only problem is stability and braking thus the modifications. They have overkill chassis and motors to pull that weight.
And the toyota tundra towed a space shuttle (which weighed in around 165,000lbs). I don't care what this one guy says, when he's behind someone and they slam their brakes because a deer jumped out and he rear ends them because he couldn't stop because hes overloaded, guess whos not gonna care if "it felt good to tow"
Not doubting what you're saying. I'm a newb when it comes to trailering, but how effective are trailer brakes? I'm sure it varies. I had real basic trailer braking (mechanical / not electrical) when renting a U-Haul to tow a car (flat trailer; not 2 wheels) and I was pleasantly surprised first time I came off an exit at speed at how much that trailer slowed me down.
Remember on a tesla its not just the brakes bit the electric motors slowing down the car as well. So as long as you have good trailer brakes why can't as Tesla stop with a trailer? That trailer hitch mounting in the trunk seems plenty beefy for a unibody. My only issue with it is stoping to charge so much is a pain in the ass and while there maybe allot of chargers around toronto there are not around the rest of Canada. In Saskatchewan for instance there are only some charges by the transcanada (and not enough if your towing). Its also the most boring part of Saskatchewan so who wants a trailer limited to that?
Well that's just bad driving isn't it? Why would you follow so closely that you can't stop if the vehicle ahead of you needs to make an emergency stop? Besides, if you watched either video, he clearly states that he tows at 90km/h. Considering that speed limits in Canada on highways range between 100-120km/h, who do you imagine that this fellow is going to be tailgating?
@@Hildepedia When you double the weight of what youre driving (5000lb car with a 5000lb trailer) you now have to stop 2x the inertia, and while you have trailer brakes, theres still an extended stopping distance vs no trailer, not to mention the brakes weren't made to constantly be braking, so brake fade and wear will be worse. And lastly engine braking is actually a huge part of towing, so you need a way to have regen braking work with the friction brakes, which as far as I know, its currently one or the other
@@Bryan46162 The model 3 already has horrible braking distances of like 120ft, so doubling the weight means you're gonna probably be getting 170-200ft braking distances, which if you aren't expecting, you will end up in someones rear end. Thats in perfect conditions, not accounting for rain, snow, or even just downhill. And thats all if your brakes havent faded since they aren't built for stopping heavy trailers like that. With enough modification a model 3 could tow decently, but it would involve wider tires, bigger brakes, stiffer suspension ect.
Wish somewhere in Australia would do this tow setup. I think they all just get a kit from America or eBay that bolts in. I don't see any problem with his setup Any ideas anyone for getting a Aussie company to do this 😌🤔
this would be more useful with the Model S' which many early models have unlimited supercharging plus longer wheelbase. Is there a setup for the Model S?
No. He clearly didn't just slap a class one hitch on a car. He's installed a custom hitch, modified the trailer and calculated specific weight on each axle. He is very aware of what he's doing.
In Ontario and not commercially probably yes. In canada most laws are regulated by provinces and to an extent transport Canada so you'd have to check your local legislation.
Tesla model 3 performance got almost 600whp. the model 3 non-performance is probably 500whp with boost upgrade. it can pull that trailer all da as long as it has a charge.
just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should... BUT, it's getting me real excited for the Cybertruck and it's capabilities, if the 3 can do what other comparable compact ICE sedans can't or will have a harder time with
I'm pretty sure the issue with EVs towing isn't stability, or short term pulling a heavy weight. The issue is the drivetrain. In an EV like the Tesla it is very easy to overheat the battery, or motor, on a long gradient. When pulling up hill you might find half way up you are crawling as the battery has got too hot and the power has been limited. This isn't a great situation to be in, and because the battery overheats at 50/60c, rather than a ICE at around 100c, that means the radiator has a significantly lower capacity to dissipate heat. The same is true slowing down, regenerative braking is great, but towing a heavy load it won't take long travelling down hill for either the battery or motor to over heat or even the battery to reach full and regen to shut off. This means you basically don't have the benefit of selecting a lower gear, or a Jake brake which is what I've seen it compared to. It's also worth noting regeneration often shuts off on most EVs when performing emergency braking or when the ABS activates, which means you are entirely reliant on the friction brakes.
FALSE! This setup is simply no stressing the drive train enough to have any high heat issues. The drive train is soo overkill it has way more power than you can safely speed a Air Streamer up a mountain. You have to stick to reasonable safe Speeds thus reasonable amount of power is used. Stop with the False Rumour.
Watch the tow videos on TFL. They've had F150's and Silverado's overheat on the IKE and or just climbing uphill in Colorado. An ICE vehicle is far more likely to overheat.
You MAY be correct. However, it would be pretty unlikely for someone who has gone thru all of the effort to add a custom hitch setup like this to not know that towing over many steep grades is not practical in this vehicle.
yes, but very slow, same as using a 120V plug 5 to 7 km per Hr, if you have a 240V Genie then about 22 km per hr. as per comparison a Super Chargers does about 500 to 1000 Km per hr. From 10% up to 80% in 20 minutes and from 80% to 100% an additional 20 min
I never heard a range number? He mentioned the average consumption, I don't have the numbers on hand to crunch that. How far on a full charge? How far between charges if keeping the battery between 20-80%?
@@jonathantubbs4473 I don't think there are many haters, just people pointing out that its illegal to tow over 910kg with a model 3. The guys a cowboy plain and simple.
@@onepunch9 I'm sure as heck not going to attempt what the guy in the video did. I do, however, still appreciate what the Truck King is doing here. I'm looking forward to a legitimate tow-capable vehicle. Cybertruck is leading the pack for me right now!
It is not legal. In any way. Model 3 maximum towing capacity is 2200lbs. The gentlemen in the video can link any available documentation to prove that it is legal but until then, the registration card and the technical documentation is what hold the highest priority in a legal case. Besides that at some point in the video he mentions himself that this is not legal but it is safe nonetheless... Right...
here the number in the papers is "the law" you get big fines real fast if you go over. dont have the extended license etc. seen ppl get 2000$ tickets on a trip.
7:30 380 Wh/km = 608 Wh/mile So my 2023 M3P with ~300 HWY range, and ~250 Wh/mile, might only have a ~140 mile range while towing this. Thanks for the info!
shouldn't really be any, they're brushless magnetic motors. at 300-400wh/km there will be more heat I suppose but that's the same as just putting your foot down with more agressive driving
@@the_kingd0m that doesn’t make sense because acceleration is temporary and a trailer is a constant drag, so more load on the bearings. It doesn’t matter what kind of motor, they have bearings and some have reduction gears too. Why would you say shouldn’t be any? Based on your statement the range would be the same even when towing. That would be the dream of car manufacturers. I have heard it all now!!
@@aircommuter agreed but I assumed the question was specific to the motor propulsion system. Once the vehicle is in motion, I would assume provided the car is not overloaded forces would be minimal. Keep in mind during acceleration it was spiking at 400-600wh/km, which is honestly what I get when driving my Tesla almost daily (aggressively of course, I'm not worried about range without a trailer). It was indicated in the video that a car full of passengers would equal more weight than the trailer in terms of towing rate and equivalent hitch weight
@@the_kingd0m trailers also add wind load, travel trailers especially. That is a constant drag, not to mention going up hill. All those forces are applied to the wheel motor gears and bearings. There isn’t any assuming just physical facts. Wind load increases by the square of the speed. Example the Ford lightning truck rated for an ambitious 300 plus miles, was recently tested towing a 6000 pound trailer only went 95 miles. Note it is rated for a 10,000 pound trailer.
@@aircommuter I know I've seen the ford video. But remember all those loads and wind resistance will be directly reflected in the form of wh/km if we're referring to drag on the motors. I drive my Tesla aggressively on a regular basis and get higher wh/km than towing conservatively
Is this guy serious!? A thought experiment: you've done something like this and someone is killed or injured. You end up in court and a jury is told about all the manufacturer's specifications that you ignored. This jury, of course, has the power to award damages. You have no engineering analysis, no certified approvals for ignoring multiple specifications, you've made modifications to your vehicle far outside what the manufacturer would ever approve. What will the jurors think about what you did? It doesn't even matter if the accident was related to the towing setup, all the facts will be presented in the worse possible light against you.
The question is not whether Tesla will deny any warranty work for towing exceedingly overweight trailers, but whether insurance will honor any claims to you or the other party should any mishaps happen. You don't want to find these out after the fact.
@@marcol869 Don't under estimate the resources of either the manufacturer or the insurance company. If they deny claim, as an individual you have very limited resources to justify whatever you deem as your right. You don't have a leg to stand on if you think the ball is in their ballpark whereas the consequence of the mishap lies squarely on the person that caused it. In this case, the vides clearly illustrates the towage is way over the limited of the manufacturer's specification and no insurance will honor it.
Tow rating may not be a law but GVWR is and I'd love to see the slips that show this is under GVWR, 5 mins at a scale would show it, and if pulled over that is what law enforcement will be checking. I still don't buy a 8000 pound trailer with only 700 pounds on the tounge and I guess the WDH doesn't weigh anything? And then the 0 weight WDH transfers 250 pounds of the 700 pounds back to the trailer? These numbers just don't add up. My guess this is a very lightened airstream (you can see they pulled the A/C off the roof but what else) with no gear, water, batteries, or propane, pulled by a car with just the driver and nothing else inside. So more like a 6000 pound trailer, I could believe 600 pounds of tounge weight with a 100 pound hitch and moving about 100 pounds back to the trailer with the WHD. An 8000 pound trailer would need at least 800 pounds on the hitch plus a 100 pound hitch which would then exceed GVWR with even just a 200 pound driver and nothing else.
Towing over the 2100 pounds is illegal. Good luck telling to the court that he has been doing this for many years, if he gets involved in an accident with the trailer on. They will crucify him. Insurance won't cover you shit if you are driving illegally. It will cover 3rd part responsibility like he jokingly said and will never insure you again. He partly confirmed himself that what he did was illegal then. Be legal, you dont want to pay it with your lifes savings.
Definitely not legal in Australia as towing an airstream would exceed the maximum towing weight of 910 kgs by a factor of three. As of about 20 years ago, if it's not legal then insurance does not apply in case of an accident while towing.
These Model 3 towing a 6000lb trailer videos are really dangerous, especially with the commentary y'all are giving. Just because something may tow nicely, those manufacturer warnings and limits are in place for safety reasons. It is not just an arbitrary number put in place like he said in another video...Yes, that Tesla may tow nicely, but everything from the suspension to the chassis to the steering were not meant to undergo the stress and strain of towing something that heavy (I believe the rating for a Model 3 is 2000lbs). If you were to get in an accident or part of your vehicle broke while towing that trailer, you would almost certainly be found liable, your insurance could deny you coverage since you'd be considered a negligent driver, and the manufacturer would most certainly deny you warranty coverage (at least that's how it would go here in the states). Good luck to those brave enough to try this.
Yeah good luck to the ones getting involved in an accident towing a 6000lbs trailer. Even if you get hit by a car running a red light you will get sued for reckless driving and your insurance will do anything to avoid paying your share.
This seems to be the true concerns, and should be seriously considered. 700lb tongue load isn't equally distributed to all 4 tires and tire loads are higher for ev's.
Even if the car can safely tow this trailer, the hassle of charging constantly is not worth it. I live in western Nevada where towns, not to say superchargers are far apart. Additionally there are many hills and mountain passes over 7000 feet. I am guessing that the true range may not be 100 miles. Not a good tow vehicle.
Too bad he kinda danced around the question of if it's legal..... at some point, there will be an accident and insurance will be involved. And then we'll know how all that pans out. Until then.... I'll wait for a EV truck with the proper approved tow ratings. Would be interesting to see how much more mechanical breaking is needed if any, beyond the regen braking...and if so, how much more wear on the pads and rotors would be causing and if there are any issues such as warped rotors. Clearly, he's done his homework and clearly, EV's would be fantastic tow rigs. I do question going against official tow ratings and repercussions in the event of an accident....and that doesn't seem to be addressed by the company in any hard copy I've been able to find.
At 3:55 the question is asked, "is this legal"? AT answers "Well you never know with the law". Then he proceeds to say the he has been doing this for 50 years and have had no problems. Well, sooner or later somebody towing with one of his modified combinations well wreck, hurt or kill somebody in the wreck, and then we shall see if the "Well you never know with the law" holds up. Get a proper tow vehicle. Don't be a moron.
Forget about the electric car verse a conventional car, as I’ve got questions on the safety and sanity of towing with that small car. #1 How the heck can he see anything behind him with out larger mirrors? #2 That is a lot of weight for a small car to tow around without some sort of structural damage occurring, plus we all know Tesla’s questionable build quality.
The questionable build quality has nothing to do with it. The car is rated for 2200lbs towing capacity. This is not a random number. It is a calculated number that will not cause structural deformations when braking to hard or pulling the trailer up a hill. In addition to that it is illegal. The registration shows 0 it means 0. It shows 2200lbs it means max 2200lbs. If they want to tow a space shuttle they can do it but there is no insurance company in the world that will cover them not even for 1 cent if they get involved in an accident independently of who's to blame. That extra weight changes the driving characteristics of the vehicle so much that can also be the reason for accidents. Good luck proving that an extra 3800lbs weight was not the reason you did not manage to avoid crashing on the crossing.... But its 2020 people do a lot of crazy things... good luck is all i can say.
@@astroplutonium a quick glance at tow ratings in Europe vs the US of identical vehicles tells you it isn't just about structural considerations. Sometimes it has to do with laws, sometimes marketing. Some of these ratings are off by 3.5x on identical vehicles.
@@JeffKubel it is irrelevant. If the car registration says 1000kg that's it. When you get in an accident and you have a 3000kg hauler behind you, you are liable for everything. At least in Europe. I don't know the laws but here you can easily lose your license over this.
Seek expert advice before you tow anything with a Tesla or other EV! The size and weight of some trailers can produce too much kinetic energy which can 'overwhelm' the electrical system and possibly void the warranty.
@@Bryan46162 regen will shut off with high motor temperature, high battery temperature, high battery state of charge. Won't take a long descent with a heavy trailer to hit one of those conditions. It also doesn't work well in winter if the battery is cold. Typically regen doesn't work during emergency braking and ABS activity either. I would certainly suspect you would need a decent brake upgrade at the very least to tow a large trailer without problem.
Brakes slow us down by turning momentum into heat which is why they overheat. Regen turns momentum into electricity...so no massive heat buildup! Porsche recently ran an electric Taycan up and down Pikes Peak, and the reading off of the friction brakes after the decent was the lowest temperature ever recorded (they actually measure brake temperature of all cars on the way down).
Somewhat like towing with an old school 1971 Mercury towing an Airstream back in the day before all the trucks. I don't see a problem here except in emergency braking conditions. Then you are screwed. Mass is mass and with a 27' trailer fully loaded it'll be dangerous in an emergency stop.
Part of the problem so many of the viewers are running into here is that they can't get past the idea that a truck is a 'tough' vehicle and a car is not. It might surprise folks to realize that the same motors and drive-train that Tesla uses in the M3 are going to be powering their upcoming semi, one on each wheel and rated to tow 80,000 lbs, as well as upcoming pickup. Further, the very same car as shown here has a substantially higher tow rating on European roads. This gentleman is super-deep in towing and has done an excellent job here. The armchair quarterbacks would do well to educate themselves rather than simply quote some random number as if it's the end-all-be-all.
Legally you are not covered when the registration says 2200lbs and you tow 6000. That's all i care about. Good luck towing your illegal weight though....
