Towing changes the range and charging-stop maths more than almost anything else covered on this site. It's still entirely doable — it just needs different planning to a solo trip.
How much range you actually lose
Towing typically cuts usable range by roughly 45–50% compared to solo driving figures for the same car — a much bigger hit than motorway speed or winter weather on their own. The exact number depends on the caravan's weight and shape, your speed, terrain, and conditions on the day, so treat this as a planning assumption (roughly half your normal range) rather than a precise prediction for your specific combination.
Weight matters, in more than one way
- Braked vs unbraked towing capacity — a caravan with its own trailer brakes lets you tow much more than an unbraked one, which is typically capped around 750kg. Check your specific car's braked towing limit, not a generic figure.
- The 85% guideline — for stable handling, a common recommendation is keeping the caravan's weight at no more than about 85% of the towing car's kerbweight (not its maximum towing limit) — going higher increases the risk of snaking at speed.
- Noseweight counts against payload too — the downward weight at the tow hitch (typically limited to around 100kg) reduces how much else you can carry in the car.
EVs that are genuinely good at towing
Towing capability varies a lot between EVs — some are rated well below what you'd expect for their size. A few models that come up repeatedly in independent towing tests: the BMW iX and Kia EV9 (both rated around 2,500kg braked), the Volvo EX90 (air suspension that helps maintain ride height under load, plus trailer stability assistance), and the Tesla Model Y and Porsche Macan Electric (both around 1,600kg braked — the Model Y is the more affordable option of the group for a lighter caravan). Always check the exact braked towing figure for your specific model and trim rather than the broader model range, since it can vary within a single line-up.
Charging while towing
- Not every rapid charging bay fits a car and caravan together — unhitching before you pull in is sometimes necessary, which takes time to plan for.
- "Pull-through" bays that let you drive straight through without unhitching are becoming more common but are still limited on many routes — worth checking for on a route planner rather than assuming they'll be there.
- Build in a buffer of around 20–30 minutes at each planned stop for queuing or manoeuvring with a trailer attached, on top of the charging time itself.
- Sustained towing can affect charging speed at your next stop too — the extra load raises battery temperature, which some cars' charging systems respond to by charging a little slower until things cool down.
Range and towing-capacity figures here are typical ranges from published sources, not a guarantee for your specific car and caravan combination — if you're planning a long towing trip for the first time, a shorter test run first is worth it before committing to a longer one.