[Caevlist] Towing with the Y

[Otmar]

Thanks for the real world data. 
I’m sure we all know conceptually that towing increases energy use some. The thing I am realizing more and more is that having a very aerodynamic tow car, makes the trailer drag a higher impact by percentage than it might be with a tow vehicle that has higher aerodynamic loads to start with. 

-Otmar, on mobile device.



-Otmar, on mobile device.
> On Apr 5, 2021, at 9:58 AM, Alan Batie <alan at batie.org> wrote:
> 
> Aerodynamics really do matter - I drove up to Portland yesterday to look at a small tent trailer I've been giving some thought (only half seriously) to getting.  As expected, they wouldn't let me take it for a "test tow", but I did get a new stinger with the 1 7/8" ball I need for my little utility trailer (the one I had on the RAV was for a smaller hitch and wouldn't work in the Model Y).  This afternoon, I took my little utility trailer out for a test tow.  On the way up to Portland at 70mph, I was consuming 270Wh/mile.  Coming back at 75mph, it was just a hair under 300Wh/mile.  Pulling the little, unloaded, utility trailer at 60mph out to Tangent...440Wh/mile, and for a brief run at 70mph, just over 500Wh/mile.  Since I didn't have a cover on, I think I was hit aerodynamically with both the front of the trailer and the tailgate, so it's probably about what I can expect if I got the tent trailer. Between the $15k and the range hit, I think I'll just keep using a tent or a motel 😉
> 
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