Can You Tow a Caravan With an Electric Car?

Electric cars are steadily becoming the future of automotive transport, with popular brands like Audi, Volvo, and Ford joining established EV companies like Tesla and BYD. But can electric cars do everything traditional petrol vehicles can? Can you tow a caravan with an electric car, for example? Well, this blog will delve into this exact question, explaining everything you need to know about travelling more sustainably with your caravan. 

Once you’ve read through our blog, we wouldn’t be surprised if the idea of a caravan holiday shot to the top of your to-do list, so at AutoFinance, we make it as simple as possible for you to achieve this. Finance your caravan with AutoFinance and we’ll liaise with the best dealers from across the country to find you the best possible price for your vehicle, allowing you to get out on the open road as quickly as possible. 

But before you explore our excellent service, let’s delve into the subject of electric cars. 

So, Can You Tow A Caravan With An Electric Car?

The simple answer is yes, electric cars can certainly be used to tow caravans (and other trailers, too), but this doesn’t mean that all EVs can. You can find out whether your vehicle has the capability by looking at the car’s specifications sheet. 

The main reason that not all electric cars can tow caravans comes down to their braking systems. Towing a caravan adds significant weight to the tail-end of a car, putting extra pressure on the suspension and brakes, which can cause serious damage, if not immediately, then certainly in the long term. In addition, there is a significant skidding risk when towing a caravan with an EV that’s ill-equipped to do the job, due to the imbalance in weight distribution and the nature of regenerative braking. 

What EVs Can Tow Caravans? 

The EVs that can tow caravans prioritise weight, chassis strength and engine power, similar to traditional vehicles. The EVs most suitable for towing caravans are often large, heavy SUV-type vehicles or crossovers that have the weight for sufficient stability while towing. Such vehicles also have a strong chassis, superior rear suspension and high torque output, with the following EVs being titans of the open road, capable of towing even large caravans:

• Ford F-150 Lightning
• Kia EV9
• BMW iX
• Genesis GV70
• Tesla Model Y

How Far Can An Electric Car Tow A Caravan?

Range anxiety is one of the biggest deterring factors for customers looking to get into EVs, with the infrastructure necessary to charge electric cars not yet widely available. This anxiety would understandably be compounded further if you were towing a caravan with your EV, with the extra weight having a considerable impact on the efficiency of your battery and range.

But, when it comes to how far an electric car can tow a caravan, the answer depends on several factors, including the weight of the caravan, the standard range of your EV, and the terrain that most of your trip will consist of. If your trip is across flat stretches of motorway with a lightweight caravan and a powerful vehicle, then you may only have to stop to recharge once. 

What Is An Electric Car’s Towing Capacity? 

The towing capacity of an electric car totally depends on which make and model you have opted for, with the weight of your vehicle often playing a significant role. As previously mentioned, several factors impact an EV’s total towing capacity, including:  

• High kerb weight: Heavier vehicles have better stability when towing a caravan. 
• Superior chassis: EVs suitable for towing will have a reinforced chassis and enhanced rear suspension to support the weight of caravans and trailers.
• Powerful motors: With a higher torque output and dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD), power and stability are prioritised for towing.  
• Optimised braking: EVs made for towing have an optimised braking system that’s built to adjust for both the car and the towed load. 

The Positives And Negatives Of Using An Electric Car To Tow

Although not every single EV can tow a caravan, when driving those that can, you may experience some unique benefits and drawbacks that make the entire experience considerably different to combustion engines. 

The Positives Of Using EVs to Tow A Caravan 

• Excellent torque: When towing a caravan with a traditional vehicle, delivering the relevant acceleration, particularly from standstill, can be challenging. Yet, EVs offer excellent torque that allows you to easily tow a caravan from standstill or even on an incline. Since most EVs are automatic 
• Effortless driving: Since the vast majority of EVs are automatic, the process of towing a caravan becomes far simpler. Hill starts are no longer such a stress, and the lack of gear changing makes towing smooth and steady on the motorway. 
• Quiet, conscious sustainability: EVs are far quieter than traditional engines, making long journeys far more peaceful, even when towing a heavy caravan. In addition, this means far less noise pollution, which, when combined with the lack of tailpipe emissions, makes for true energy-saving travel.  

The Negatives Of Using EVs to Tow A Caravan 

• Range worries: Research from Arval suggests that towing can reduce an EV’s range by between 23% and 31%. This means that you’ll need to stop far more often to recharge, if you can even find the necessary hook-up point that is! 
• Charging concerns: Before you head off on your trip, it’s a good idea to plot some service stations along your route that offer EV charging points. Once you’ve eventually found these hook-up spots, however, you will have to wait until it’s finished charging before you can head off on the road again. To make things worse, you may have to stop more than once!
• Various towing capacities: If you’ve already got an EV, you may be disappointed once you find out how much weight it can tow, or if it can tow at all! Then, if you wanted to reinvest in a new EV that’s more capable of heavyweight towing, you’ll have to shell out significant amounts of money. 

The accessories you need for efficient towing 

Just like if you were towing using a normal combustion engine, there are several accessories you need for safe and efficient towing. Before you get started, one thing you will certainly need is the right insurance to tow a caravan, so make sure this is ticked off before you purchase the following essentials:

• EV-specific tow bar.
• EV-specific wiring kit (to connect the car’s electronics to the caravan’s). 
• Towing mirrors.
• Breakaway cable. 
• Charging cable extension (charging points can be more inaccessible when towing). 

Keen to start your caravanning adventure sooner rather than later? At AutoFinance, we make purchasing your new caravan simple! Doing the hard yards for you by reaching out to the best dealers across the country to secure you the perfect deal, by choosing AutoFinance, you can enjoy excellent customer service, a streamlined, stress-free process and superior deals you won’t find anywhere else. 

Ready to get started? Reach out to us and get a quote today.

To find out more about caravan travel, explore our range of other blogs right here: 

Best Caravan Makes & Models in 2025

On The Go: A Breakdown Of Different Caravan Types

How Much Is a Caravan?