EV Towing Australia: Every Capacity, Range Loss and What Actually Works in 2026

Yes, you can tow with an electric car in Australia. Over a dozen EVs sold here carry braked towing ratings between 750 kg and 2,500 kg, covering everything from a box trailer to a mid-size caravan. The real question is not whether EVs can tow, but how far they can tow before you need to stop and charge.

EV towing in Australia comes down to three things: your vehicle’s towing capacity, the range penalty you will cop (typically 45 to 55 percent), and whether the charging infrastructure on your route can handle a vehicle with a trailer attached. This guide covers all three.

Every EV Towing Capacity Available in Australia (2026)

Not every electric car sold in Australia is rated to tow. Several popular models, including the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Cadillac Lyriq, carry no Australian towing rating at all. Others are rated but limited to light loads under 1,000 kg.

Here is every current EV and PHEV with a towing rating on the Australian market as of July 2026, ranked by braked towing capacity.

Vehicle	Braked Towing (kg)	Unbraked (kg)	WLTP Range (km)	Est. Towing Range (km)
BYD Shark 6 Performance (PHEV)	3,500	750	100+ km EV	Petrol backup
BYD Shark 6 Dynamic/Premium (PHEV)	2,500	750	~100 km EV	Petrol backup
BMW iX xDrive50	2,500	750	~630	285–345
Kia EV9 (AWD)	2,500	750	512	230–280
Hyundai IONIQ 9	2,500	750	600	270–330
Zeekr 7X	2,000	750	615 (LR)	275–340
VW ID.4 GTX (AWD)	1,400	750	565	255–310
Tesla Model Y (all variants)	1,600	750	600 (LR)	270–330
Kia EV6 (AWD)	1,600	750	582	260–320
Hyundai IONIQ 5 (AWD)	1,600	750	570	255–315
Volvo EX30	1,600	750	480	215–265
Polestar 2	1,500	750	654 (LR SM)	295–360
BYD Sealion 7 Performance (AWD)	1,500	750	~530	240–290
BYD Sealion 7 Premium (RWD)	750	750	~570	Light loads only
BYD Atto 3	750	750	420	Light loads only

Not rated to tow in Australia: Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal, Cadillac Lyriq, MG4 (500 kg only, inadequate for caravans).

Towing range estimates assume 45 to 55 percent range reduction at 100 km/h with a full-height caravan. Lighter, more aerodynamic loads will sit closer to the higher end. Source data: CarsGuide, CarExpert, manufacturer AU specifications.

How Much Range Do You Actually Lose When Towing?

The short answer: plan for roughly half your rated range. Multiple real-world tests and owner reports consistently show a 45 to 55 percent range reduction when towing a full-height caravan at Australian highway speeds (100 to 110 km/h).

RAC WA documented a Tesla Model X towing a 1,300 kg caravan. The unladen range of 410 km dropped to approximately 230 km, a 44 percent reduction. That aligns with broader industry data showing most EVs consume 35 to 45 kWh per 100 km while towing, compared to 15 to 20 kWh per 100 km unladen.

Three factors drive the range penalty:

1. Aerodynamics matter more than weight. Drag force increases with the square of velocity. A caravan roughly doubles the frontal area your EV has to push through the air. At 110 km/h, the aerodynamic penalty alone accounts for most of the extra energy consumption. A low-profile boat trailer or enclosed box trailer causes far less drag than a full-height caravan.

2. Speed is the biggest lever you control. Dropping from 110 km/h to 90 km/h can reduce towing energy consumption by 15 to 25 percent. That single change might extend your range from 250 km to over 300 km between charges.

3. Hills hurt, but regenerative braking helps. Climbing burns significantly more energy under load, but EVs recover energy on descents through regenerative braking. On undulating terrain, the net impact is lower than you might expect. On a long climb like the Great Dividing Range, budget for 20 to 30 percent more consumption than flat highway driving.

Which EVs Are Best for Towing in Australia?

The best EV for towing depends entirely on what you need to tow and how far.

For caravans and heavy loads (1,500 kg+), the Kia EV9 is the standout. Its 2,500 kg braked rating handles most Australian caravans, the 99.8 kWh battery delivers the best towing endurance of any EV in this class, and the 800V architecture means fast charging stops of around 25 minutes. The Hyundai IONIQ 9 matches it on capacity with an even larger 110.3 kWh battery and similar 800V charging speeds. Both deliver roughly 220 to 280 km of towing range.

For mid-size trailers and boats (1,000 to 1,600 kg), the Tesla Model Y remains the most popular option. At 1,600 kg braked, it covers single-axle caravans, jet skis and small boats. The Long Range variant’s 600 km rating translates to 270 to 330 km while towing. The Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5 both match the Model Y’s 1,600 kg rating and offer 800V fast charging.

For light trailers and bikes (under 750 kg), nearly any EV on the market works. Even the BYD Atto 3 at 750 kg braked handles a bike rack, small box trailer or single jet ski on a roller trailer.

If towing is your primary use case, the BYD Shark 6 Performance deserves a serious look. Its 3,500 kg braked towing capacity matches the Ford Ranger diesel, and the plug-in hybrid drivetrain means range anxiety while towing effectively disappears. The trade-off is that it is a PHEV, not a pure EV, with roughly 100 km of electric-only range.

Charging While Towing: The Practical Challenge

Charging infrastructure is improving for EV towers, but it is not seamless yet.

The bay layout problem. Most Australian DC fast chargers are designed as nose-in bays. If you are towing a 5-metre caravan, you cannot physically fit into a standard charging bay without unhitching. That adds 10 to 15 minutes per stop for unhitching and rehitching.

The solution is growing. Networks like Chargefox, Evie Networks and the NRMA are increasingly building pull-through bays at highway locations. The New Italy Supercharger in NSW, voted 2025 Charging Station of the Year, was specifically designed with trailer-friendly bays. Before any towing trip, check your route for pull-through sites using PlugShare (filter for “pull-through” or “trailer-friendly” in comments).

Plan for more frequent stops. With 45 to 55 percent less range, you need charging stops roughly twice as often. On the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne, this means stopping every 150 to 200 km rather than every 300 km. At a 150 kW charger, a 20 to 80 percent top-up takes 25 to 35 minutes, enough time for a coffee and a leg stretch.

Caravan parks are a backup. Many caravan parks offer 15 A power outlets. At 3.5 kW, overnight charging adds roughly 200 to 250 km of range. Not fast, but it gets you to the next DC charger.

EV Towing vs Diesel: The Running Cost Comparison

Even with the range penalty, EV towing costs substantially less per kilometre than diesel.

	EV Towing	Diesel Towing
Consumption	~40 kWh/100 km	~14 L/100 km
Fuel cost	30 c/kWh (home)	$2.00/L
Cost per 100 km	~$12.00	~$28.00
Cost per 100 km (public DC)	~$24.00 (at 60 c/kWh)	~$28.00

Even at public DC fast-charging rates, EV towing is roughly 15 percent cheaper. Charging at home before departure and at caravan parks overnight brings the saving closer to 55 to 60 percent.

The fuel cost advantage is significant on a typical Sydney to Coffs Harbour towing trip (530 km). An EV towing on a mix of home and public charging costs roughly $85 to $100. The same trip in a diesel towing the same load costs $145 to $150.

Tips for EV Towing in Australia

Before you leave:

• Charge to 100 percent. Towing is one of the few situations where a full charge makes sense (normally 80 percent is recommended for battery health).
• Pre-plan every charging stop using A Better Route Planner. Set your vehicle to “towing mode” if available, and add a 20 percent buffer.
• Check tyre pressures on both vehicle and trailer. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and energy consumption.

On the road:

• Keep speed at or below 100 km/h. The aerodynamic penalty escalates sharply above this.
• Use regenerative braking on descents rather than the trailer brake alone.
• Monitor consumption (kWh per 100 km) rather than remaining range. The range estimate on your dashboard will be inaccurate while towing.

At the charger:

• Arrive at chargers with at least 10 to 15 percent remaining. Running a battery to near-zero while towing risks being stranded with a trailer in tow.
• If the bay requires unhitching, park the trailer safely in a marked bay, not on the roadway.
• Use the charging time productively: walk the dog, check tyre pressures, eat lunch.

Will EV Towing Get Better?

Yes. Three trends are converging to make EV towing significantly more practical over the next two to three years.

Bigger batteries. The Kia EV9 (99.8 kWh) and Hyundai IONIQ 9 (110.3 kWh) already deliver usable towing ranges above 250 km. The next generation of electric utes and large SUVs will push battery sizes above 120 kWh, extending towing range past 300 km between charges.

Better charging infrastructure. Australia had 1,272 DC fast-charging locations as of mid-2025, growing at roughly 8.5 percent per quarter (Electric Vehicle Council, 2025). The Australian Government’s EV charging infrastructure program is funding new sites with pull-through bays designed for vehicles towing trailers.

Electric utes arriving. The Toyota HiLux EV (expected late 2026, 2,000 kg towing) and the BYD Shark 6 Performance (3,500 kg, already on sale) bring genuine ute-class towing capacity to the EV market for the first time.

For anyone who regularly tows heavy loads over long distances through remote Australia, a diesel or the BYD Shark 6 PHEV remains the more practical choice today. But for weekend camping trips, boat ramps and caravan parks within 200 km of home, an EV road trip with a trailer is already entirely viable. Browse all electric vehicles to find one that matches your towing needs, or use our compare tool to weigh up the options side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions