Are electric cars suitable as towing vehicles, for example for boat trailers? What should drivers pay attention to when towing? SeaHelp put this to the test and hooked up a two-ton trailer (total weight), loaded with an H-boat, to a Porsche Macan Electric Turbo.
Towing a two-ton trailer with an electric car? And over a long distance in city traffic and on the highway? Can it work? Or is it better to stick with a conventional, high-displacement diesel model to be on the safe side?
Well, to cut to the chase: our test vehicle, a new all-wheel-drive electric Porsche Macan Turbo, performed excellently in our test. The vehicle, which delivers up to 430 kW / 584 hp and has a maximum torque of up to 1,230 Nm (Launch Control; manufacturer’s specifications), mastered the journey with the boat trailer with ease in all traffic conditions – regardless of whether at low speeds or at higher cruising speeds on the highway.
But first things first: our navigation system calculated a driving time of just under four and a half hours for the approximately 425-kilometer journey from Kappeln in Schleswig-Holstein to Berlin with the two-ton trailer. That’s the theory, at least, because it doesn’t take into account fuel stops, slower driving in urban areas, and the speed limit for trailers (with 100 km/h approval) on German highways of 100 km/h.
The maximum towing capacity (braked) of our test vehicle was 2,000 kg, which was just right.
Normally, the E-Macan in the Turbo version can reach speeds of up to 260 km/h. Normally, the combined range (WLTP) is 518–590 km, while the manufacturer specifies the urban range (WLTP) as 670–762 km. These are excellent figures for a sports car that is 4.78 meters long and weighs 2.4 tons (DIN) when empty. The permissible payload is specified as 545 kg, the maximum towing capacity (braked) is two tons, and the support load on the (foldable) trailer coupling is specified as 80 kg.
But what is “normal” for an electric car when you have a two-ton trailer attached to the back? Porsche specifies the combined power consumption for the solo vehicle as 20.7–18.9 kWh/100 km. With a gross energy content of 100 kWh (net energy content 95 kWh), you can actually get quite a long way if you drive “normally” – i.e., not too sportily. Admittedly, this is not easy with the Macan. But when towing a trailer, almost everything is different.
In Berlin, we attach the (empty) boat trailer, which weighs around 500 kg, to the car and set off with a 93% charged battery for Kappeln, where the H-boat is to be picked up. When we arrive at Ionity in Wittstock 150 kilometers and 2 hours and 13 minutes later, we have consumed an average of 31.7 kWh/100 km, and the electric storage unit still shows 44% remaining capacity. A good value. We feel safe with that. The on-board computer calculated our average speed at 67 km/h.
The power consumption for the solo vehicle is between 19 and 20 kWh/100 km, with the two-ton trailer it was more than twice as high
The good result is surpassed at our next charging stop at Ionity Buddikate Ost: after another 178 kilometers on the road and a total driving time of 4:26 to get here, we consumed an average of 30.4 kWh/100 km, which we attribute to driving exclusively on the highway. We started again with 93% capacity; now we have 39% left, and we drove at an average speed of 74 km/h.
We recharge to 95%, reach the friendly Ancker shipyard in Kappeln a short time later, and the crane lifts the boat onto the trailer. Now our double-axle trailer is about 1.5 tons heavier – roughly the weight of an H-boat plus accessories. How will the additional weight affect the handling – and in particular the fuel consumption? We are curious to find out.
Until then, after a few kilometers on the way there, we hadn’t even noticed that we had a (empty) trailer attached – only the rattling noises reminded us of it from time to time when we drove over uneven ground or cobblestones. And thanks to the brutal torque, we could probably have made almost every other driver at the traffic lights look like a fool with the trailer attached.
The Macan is powerful, and the heavy trailer load was never a problem
But that’s not what matters to us. Today, we want to transport our two-ton trailer as comfortably and safely as possible along the A24 to Berlin. 7 a.m. – departure from the shipyard in Kappeln. At first, we notice – almost – no change in the car’s handling. The Macan is powerful, and you hardly notice the trailer load. Whether starting off quickly, driving uphill, or accelerating briefly on the highway, the electric car pulls and pulls with such ease that it’s a real pleasure to drive.
An hour and a half later, we make our next charging stop at Aral Pulse Dätgen. We started out the day before with a 95% battery charge in Buddikate Ost, and 218 kilometers later, only 18% remains – we had already covered the last 40 kilometers of the total route with the two-ton load on the hook on our way to Berlin. The on-board computer was now showing consumption of 44 kWh/100 km, and our average speed was 52 km/h.
Since we only used fast chargers on the highway, the maximum charging time (from a minimum of 13% to a maximum of 95% charge capacity) was never longer than a leisurely coffee break. We stretched our legs a little, had a quick snack, and continued on our way. The maximum charging power for direct current (DC) is specified as 270 kW for the Macan Elektro Turbo; the charging time for alternating current (AC) at 11 kW (0 to 100%) is 10 hours according to the manufacturer.
After a few kilometers on the highway with two tons in tow, we become more confident – we learn to calculate consumption ourselves in advance
The charging time for direct current (DC) at 150 kW (10-80%) is said to be only 33 minutes, and the charging time for direct current (DC) at maximum charging power (10-80%) is only 21 minutes, which we can confirm from our test drive. To recharge for a range of 119 km, the Macan only needs 10 minutes at 150 kW (WLTP), and at maximum charging power, you can even “fill up” for a range of 240 km in 10 minutes. However, these values only apply to solo operation of the vehicle.
After a few kilometers on the highway with the heavy trailer in tow, we become more confident over time and learn to calculate consumption in advance. 10:37 a.m.: Since we don’t expect to make it to the next fast charger on the route, we decide to make another “safety” stop after only 77 km at Ionity Buddikate West. We still have 60% “in the tank,” i.e., in the battery, We charge to 98%, our current consumption is now 45.8 kWh/100 km, which is 2.2 times as much as when driving solo; average speed: 58 km/h.
We reach Ionity Wittstock at 1:50 p.m. without any problems, with 13% capacity remaining and 179 km covered. Consumption has leveled off at 44.8 kWh. We have now been on the road for just under five hours; on average, we were traveling at 67 km/h over the last few kilometers – this figure includes breaks, so the actual driving speed is higher.
Relaxed, rested, and without incident, we reach our destination after a good eight hours of driving.
Finally, after about eight and a half hours of total driving time, we reach our destination in southeast Berlin, relaxed and rested. We set off from Kappeln with the trailer at 7 a.m. this morning. It is 3:30 p.m. when we unhitch the trailer (argument in favor of combustion engines: with such a model, the trip could probably have been completed in around five hours with a maximum of one fuel stop).
The next day, we drive to the gas station again, this time to Aral Pulse Berlin Schnellerstraße. A final data check shows that we still have a good 20% “in the tank” upon arrival. we covered a distance of around 188 km on our last leg the day before in 1:21 hours, and consumption had suddenly dropped back to an average of 22.9 kWh/100 km, as we had now been driving for several kilometers (mostly in city traffic at an average speed of 31 km/h) completely without a trailer.
Conclusion: the all-wheel-drive fully electric Porsche Macan passed the test with flying colors. It pulled its two-ton load confidently through the city and onto the highway. There were never any situations where we felt uncertain or doubted whether we would reach the next charging station.
The driver of an electric vehicle combination should adapt to the changed situation and prepare accordingly
Of course, the driver has to adapt to the changed situation: we quickly learned to interpret the range calculated and specified (for solo operation) accordingly for trailer operation. Then, of course, the range decreased much faster in real life when towing a trailer than without one.
Our personal rule of thumb was: if, at the end of each stage of the journey, the number of kilometers exceeded the percentage capacity (in relation to the remaining distance to the destination), we were always on the safe side.
You shouldn’t let the system unsettle you: for example, when approaching Ionity Wittstock, the on-board computer recommended that we take a detour to find another, closer (but slower) charging station (just to be on the safe side).
However, based on our experience to date – and our own calculations – we should have been able to reach Wittstock without any problems. And that’s exactly what happened: when we reached the charging station, we had 13% capacity remaining, while the system – now in a more urgent tone – flashed red and constantly prompted us to turn around immediately and charge elsewhere (which made no sense, as we had already reached our destination).
Anyone who wants to tow boat trailers (weighing up to two tons) on a regular basis is well served in Germany with the new, powerful E-Macan Turbo, as the network of fast-charging stations is now well developed and the Porsche also has a comfortable, above-average range.
Our powerful, reliable towing vehicle made towing easy for us
This makes towing easy – even if you should always keep an eye on the current capacity, additional consumption, and the next charging station you are heading for. In any case, there is now no reason for us to resort to conventional six- or eight-cylinder diesel pickups or similar vehicles “for safety reasons” when it comes to trailer trips for conventional six- or eight-cylinder diesel pickups or similar vehicles ”for safety reasons.” Those days should now be over for good.
As for charging at the Ionity and Aral stations we visited, we would like to see charging made easier for trailers in the future by installing separate charging stations specifically for vehicles with trailers, which can be accessed from the side.
Until now, charging an electric car that is pulling a (long) trailer has meant: firstly, driving to the nearest “conventional” gas station (or a nearby parking lot), secondly, uncoupling and securing the trailer, thirdly, driving to the charging station and recharging, fourthly, reattaching the trailer at the other location, and only then continuing your journey.
As the driver of an electric car towing a trailer, you should choose a charging location in advance where you can park the trailer for a short time
This also means that drivers of electric vehicles with trailers should consider which charging stations have enough space to park the trailer for a short time.
Gasoline or diesel tankers currently do not have these problems. But you quickly get used to it, and ultimately, a well-coordinated team only needs a few simple steps to uncouple and recouple the trailer, and you “lose” a maximum of ten minutes per loading process for this procedure.
