Can Electric Vans Tow A Trailer?
On the surface, electric vans may seem like the ideal solution for towing heavy loads in a trailer, due to their efficiency and power, but in truth, there are a number of significant concerns and reasons when attaching a trailer to your electric vehicle, that should be considered first. Below, we outline some of the major risks and concerns associated with using an electric van to tow a trailer.
Weight Issues
One of the major reasons why electric vans aren’t currently able to tow trailers is the issue of weight. After all, electric vans are heavy, due to the significant weight of the battery pack required to power them, which, when combined with the additional weight of a trailer, could cause some concerns.
When adding additional weight to your electric van with a trailer, you are placing increased strain on the braking and transmission components, which can cause both serious damage to your electric van as well as present troubling safety issues. Not only will this likely lead to your electric van components suffering the impact of wear and tear much more quickly, but it will also likely affect braking, performance and handling.
Stopping Problems
Due to their efficient design, which uses an electric motor to transport energy earned from deceleration and use it to power the battery, electric vans that are attached to a trailer could cause braking problems as a result of the additional weight.
Electric vehicles are naturally quite heavy, typically weighing 150-300kg more than their petrol counterparts, which means that attaching a trailer packed full of heavy cargo will likely struggle with the additional demands that are being placed on your electric van’s most crucial components.
This system is delicately balanced, which means there is a risk of additional kinetic energy produced by the trailer potentially overloading the battery system, as well as placing your braking system under additional strain.
Range Concerns
Another key reason why towing a trailer to your electric van is potentially a risky idea, are the concerns with your maximum range. Not only will additional weight cause safety issues with your braking system, but it will also naturally impact your electric vans’ efficiency levels. This means it will use electricity much faster and need recharging more regularly.
Electric vehicles, although improving every day, still have a fairly limited range, with charging times far longer than traditional fuel, thereby causing significant range concerns when placing unnecessary weight by towing a trailer.
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