The Netherlands is not only a caravan country, it is also a plug country. Thanks to the favorable tax laws for business drivers, there are quite a few cars with plugs in use. But what about the combination of caravan and electric driving?
Most EVs are not allowed to pull anything, a few a little and some a big cart. Whether an EV can or can tow a trailer depends on several factors. With some cars, simply no towbar can be fitted, because the battery pack is in the way. There are also cars that are not allowed, because the cooling capacity for the battery and engine could fall short if they are overloaded with a large trailer uphill on a summer day. Although developing electric caravan tractors is not yet the top priority for most manufacturers, the number of electric cars that are allowed to pull a cart is increasing.
Our German colleagues from sister magazine AutoBild drove an Audi E-Tron plus 1,500 kg caravan from Munich to Lake Garda in Italy, a journey through the Alps. The range on a full battery fluctuated depending on the route (uphill, downhill) between a meager 104 km and a still quite modest 212 km. Without a trailer, we note a range for the E-tron in the Netherlands that is around 330 km and the official factory specification (according to WLTP) is no less than 436 km.
Remember that with a caravan on the hook you will need two adjacent parking spaces, which should only be available at the charging station; otherwise it will be disconnected first and only then loading.
EVs and their towing weight:
Audi E-tron: 1,800 kg
Ford Mustang Mach-E: 750 kg
Jaguar I-Pace: 750 kg
Mercedes-Benz EQC: 1,800 kg
Polestar 2: 1,500 kg
Tesla Model 3: 1,000 kg (provided that towbar is fitted ex works)
Tesla Model Y: 1,588 kg
Tesla Model X: 2,268 kg
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge: 1,500 kg
* source: autoweek.nl/carbase/