Can Electric Cars Tow Caravans? Best EVs for Towing in 2024

The world over, more and more people are becoming aware of the need to protect the environment and preserve existing resources. The ecological situation we are encountering can be tackled in a multitude of ways, including switching to alternative fuel sources for our vehicles.
In recent years there has been strong movement towards the development and use of electric vehicles (EVs), though there is not necessarily as much information out there and available as people might like. There are many questions. Does the necessary recharging infrastructure exist and how good, for instance, is an EV at towing a caravan anyway? Using electric cars to tow caravans is a topic sometimes debated in the leisure vehicle community, and this edition of our blog aims to present a balanced view of the pros and cons, alongside recommendations of EVs which are up to the task.

Absolutely – as long as you choose an electric car approved for towing. These days many EVs hold their own against traditional petrol or diesel counterparts when it comes to their towing capabilities whereas, previously, not all EVs were capable of pulling caravans. The EV market has grown substantially and there is now a wide range of vehicles suitable for towing.
Many EV manufacturers offer tow bars as an option when your order, but it’s very important to note that the same ‘rules’ apply for EVs as they do for conventional cars. Each electric vehicle has a distinct towing rating, and checking the weight against the EV’s capacity is crucial. You should not attempt to tow a caravan which is above the towing capacity of your EV.

Adding extra load to your drive reduces efficiency, which means your EV will require more frequent charging, akin to the increased number of fuel stops for traditional vehicles hauling caravans. Further impact on driving capability includes slower acceleration and braking, which is typical of any vehicle towing a caravan.

EVs offer advantages to drivers who are towing caravans as, with no gears, there is consistent power at all speeds, ensuring truly easy handling. In addition, the reduced noise and generally much smoother drive experience of an EV elevates the experience over towing using petrol cars.

As we mentioned a moment ago, increasing load reduces efficiency so more frequent EV charging stops will be required when on the road. The distance an EV can tow a caravan depends on factors such as the car’s normal range and the sort of terrain being travelled, as well as the weight being towed. Some sources suggest that there can potentially be a 50% reduction in range when an EV is towing a heavy caravan.