[layback40]

I see we dont have an EV section yet.
We have many that tow vans in the group.
Stole this from another place.


I’m seeing a lot of posts lately about towing with an EV vehicle and despite commenting on a lot of these posts about the do’s and dont’s I can’t comment on them all so I thought id just do one post for everyone to read and take on board.
I work for Audi and have done on and off for the past 8 years, I’m an Audi accredited service adviser, meaning im qualified to do my job, I’m also an e-tron (EV) specialist for Audi, so I spend all day every day telling people what’s wrong or right with their cars and explaining things in a way my customers can understand. I’ve also worked for Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover and VW so I’ve got a bit of experience in my field.
My biggest tip to any of you considering an EV for towing is DO NOT DO IT, and below are my reasons why.
Range: most EV’s have a range of approx. 200-300 miles give or take, which is quite good if you’re pottering around town, doing the school run etc. Although the car on paper will have the capacity to tow based on its weight and stopping ability, the range will not cope with what you are asking it to do. If you put 1500-2000kg on the back, your range will be cut by at least half, not to mention running the AC, having the heating on, your radio going etc which will also have an impact on range. Most EV’s will have an efficiency mode in place which will help you out but running an EV like you would a diesel or a petrol will impact range dramatically. You may make it to your destination but how will you get home? You also have to take the weather into consideration as this also has an impact on range and how much you will get on full charge.
Battery volatility: with EV’s being very volatile at the moment as its very much in the early stages and batteries randomly combusting, I’m not sure I would want my precious horse on the back of an EV. An Audi site had a fire recently which was caused by a brand-new EV vehicle and they’ve lost 50% of their workshop as a result. JLR Melskham went up in flames as the EV battery of a Range Rover hybrid arced and took 90% of the site with it. If an EV goes up in flames, you can not put them out, you have to let them burn themselves out, so the question is, should this happen to you, would you want to be in a position if trying to unhitch your loaded trailer from the back of you EV whilst its on fire then try and save all of your tack that’s in the boot as well? You only have to look back at the cargo ship that went up in flames earlier on in the year, which had 350 EV’s on board to see what damage they can do if and when they go up in flames. Despite the media propaganda playing it down, the fire was caused by an EV vehicle.
Infrastructure: In the UK there is not enough of it. Fast chargers will give you 80% charge in 20 mins then trickle charge you to 100% over so many hours. Charging an EV works in the same way your smart phone will charge, I get messages every night on my iPhone telling me my optimum charge will finish at X time. An EV is exactly the same, and this is to preserve the battery. You’re also not mean to charge an EV up to 100% as you will do damage to it over time reducing the life span. Most venues that you wish to compete at will also not be able to support your EV, the hook up for lorries is not compatible for EV, that’s if the venue has hook up at all, and as the hook up points will not be fast charging, if you are lucky enough to find one you can plug into, it will probably take you 24 hours to get enough charge to get you home.
Maintenance: Keeping these EV’s on the road is not cheap, Tyres are more expensive as they have to cater for the extra load, Brakes, especially the ones that do regeneration braking are really expensive, Service costs are on a par but should anything go wrong with the battery outside of manufacturer’s warranty, it’s a hefty bill to pay. During my time at Mercedes, I ran their break down team for the best part of 6 months and the cost of the replacement batteries for the EQB’s and EQC’s that came in on the back of a truck was eye watering. Don’t be disillusioned that an EV will be more straight forward to maintain as there are less components, that’s simply not the case. When it takes 4 technicians, and a specialist fork lift driver moving the battery around, to put a new battery in an EV, its not like switching out your double AA’s in your remote control. The EQB battery I over saw cost £17k for the battery before VAT and without labour or associated parts, EQC battery was £28k before VAT and labour. Please also be mindful that a lot of the cables and hoses in an EV are made from sustainable products, meaning they’re coated in plastics made from vegetable oils making them very tasty to Ratty McRatty, so do be surprised if you get rodent damage, I’ve seen a lot of that as well.
Insurance: Due to EV’s being so temperamental, insurance companies are hiking the premiums up to cover the expensive costs, I have seen some insurance companies charging as much as £8k a year to insure one so be prepared for that.
My biggest tip other than to not get an EV for towing would be to speak to the manufacturers about the car you are considering. They are the best informed about the product and can give you the best guidance, however, I would advise speaking with the service department about any queries rather than sales as the service team are the ones working on them everyday and are best placed to give advice, sales will give you what’s in the brochure which you can find out yourself online. Save your pennies and buy a new diesel while you can, once they have gone towing a trailer will be a thing of the past.
I hope this helps??