Towing a Teardrop Trailer to Flagstaff - 2016 Tesla Model X Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited June 2016 in Tesla

imageTowing a Teardrop Trailer to Flagstaff - 2016 Tesla Model X Long-Term Road Test

We tow an Off the Grid Rentals teardrop trailer behind our long-term 2016 Tesla Model X to see how it behaves when towing a small trailer.

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Comments

  • miata52miata52 Member Posts: 114
    Very cool story...keep 'em coming.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Yeah, great post, thanks
  • markinnaples_markinnaples_ Member Posts: 251
    Agreed, good stuff.
  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    This article sort of addresses something that I was curious about on the Tesla Model X. It's marketed as an SUV. And it is AWD. Granted, I don't see anyone taking a Model X out to go mudding or serious rock crawling. But I am curious how it'll handle "soft roads." That, and I'm really curious if y'all are going to attempt an RTI on it. We all realize that the towing on the Model X is just about non-existent. The largest tow rating is still less than the GVWR of the Model X (by about 300 lbs). But your article sort of confirms a line of thought I have about their tow ratings. It's not the motors' capabilities themselves. It's got to have something more to do with the frame design and/or the battery draining.

    Speaking of battery draining, is the Tesla set up with some sort of range protection so that the trailer won't deplete the battery beyond a certain point? Or would you have to know to just disconnect the trailer to keep the battery from being drained on the Tesla if you're going to be parked for an extended period of time?
  • misterfusionmisterfusion Member Posts: 471
    What is the ground clearance on the "Very High" setting? Obviously you made it through OK...
  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    daryleason said:

    Speaking of battery draining, is the Tesla set up with some sort of range protection so that the trailer won't deplete the battery beyond a certain point? Or would you have to know to just disconnect the trailer to keep the battery from being drained on the Tesla if you're going to be parked for an extended period of time?

    Good point. I'm not sure. The lights on the trailer run off its on-board deep-cycle battery. I don't THINK it can draw from the car when the vehicle is switched off, but since I wasn't sure I unplugged the 7-pin connector when I was inside the trailer using the lights, etc. I do know that I left the rig parked for two days while I attended to my Ram duties. The car was off, the trailer lights were off, and I did not unplug the 7-pin connector while it sat for 48 hours. No loss of range doing that.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    @actualsize: Thanks for the answer. Does the Tesla Manual (which I'm guessing isn't a printed manual, but a .PDF on its LCD Display) say regarding off-road use and towing? Just in general? Is there just a big red circle saying "NO" next to non-pavement use? What I'm meaning is...like with a Chevy, Ford, Ram, etc., they have a section of the manual that discusses off-road capabilities with their 4WD/AWD SUVs & trucks. Is there a section for the Model X that's similar?

    On a side note: I noticed that you'd responded to my post last Friday. I went back and re-read what I'd posted and saw it came across as a bit more snarky than I intended for it to. While I do believe that how someone (whether an owner or a long-term reviewer) feels about a vehicle will definitely influence how they perceive the impact of falling short of it's given stats, I could have posted the thought in a nicer way. So I'd like to apologize for any offense I may have caused. And I appreciate the fact that you pointed out a plausible reason for WHY it might not reach it's EPA ratings. Frankly, the fact that the Renegade won't track straight could be part of the impact on the fuel economy as well.
  • ebeaudoinebeaudoin Member Posts: 509
    I would be terrified of doing anything remotely off the beaten path with those tires. Holy cow.. Does this thing have a spare?
  • bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    If it were mine I think I would have tracked down a set of 18" or 19" wheels and different tires to get some extra side wall and protect my expensive 22's.
  • desmoliciousdesmolicious Member Posts: 671
    This is great stuff Dan, thanks so much! I know you have a 2 dr Wrangler - how would you feel about towing this trailer behind that? I have one as well, so am curious as to whether it is too short a vehicle to do that with.
  • s197gts197gt Member Posts: 486
    probably no one will ever buy a tesla x as a regular tow vehicle, a fwd CR-V would be a much cheaper choice if this particular kind of trip was a common endeavor. but, knowing that you CAN do it should relieve anyone who is in the market and might like to do it once or twice a year.
  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    @s197gt : I doubt anyone buys a Tesla for any reason other than as a status symbol, at least right now. Well, and one other reason. The "Insane" option for acceleration. Right now, the Tesla is really more about the display of opulence and possibly a "look at me, I'm GREEN" crown. It's for the First Adapters.
  • darthbimmerdarthbimmer Member Posts: 606
    Great article about taking the Tesla onto a mild trail. Thanks for the tip on the OTGR trailer. I may look into renting one to pull behind my Xterra on future off-the-grid treks.
  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    edited June 2016
    desmolicious said:

    This is great stuff Dan, thanks so much! I know you have a 2 dr Wrangler - how would you feel about towing this trailer behind that? I have one as well, so am curious as to whether it is too short a vehicle to do that with.

    This trailer is perfect for that. You can bet I'll be towing it behind my 2-dr Wrangler soon enough. @darthbimmer and his Xterra should go for it, too.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    ebeaudoin said:

    I would be terrified of doing anything remotely off the beaten path with those tires. Holy cow.. Does this thing have a spare?

    Nope, and I was painfully aware of that the entire time. Nice and slow.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

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