Can electric cars tow a caravan?

It will apparently be possible to tow with the new Nissan Ariya. If so, what weight? Surely the range will be devastated. Also, is anyone planning to provide charging bays for tow cars with their trailers? Can the same be said of any similar priced EVs?

Asked on 29 July 2020 by Mike Dyer

Answered by Andrew Brady
Yes, the Nissan Ariya will be able to tow up to 1500kg. That's pretty good and enough to tow a small caravan. Electric cars actually make quite a lot of sense for towing - their instant pulling power means it should be a pretty easy and relaxed experience. As you say, though, it'd be interesting to see how much the range is hammered with a caravan in tow. Currently, only expensive electric SUVs like the Tesla Model X, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-tron And Jaguar I-Pace are rated for towing. We're not aware of any companies providing charging bays for tow cars with trailers.
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