EV Towing: Which Electric Trucks Can Tow and How Far

Towing is one of the biggest question marks around electric trucks. The maximum tow ratings look good on paper. Some electric trucks match or exceed their gas-powered counterparts. But the real story is range. Pulling a heavy trailer absolutely demolishes an EV range, and that changes the math on whether an electric truck can actually work as a tow vehicle.

Here is what each major electric truck can tow and the realistic range you can expect while doing it.

Ford F-150 Lightning

The F-150 Lightning with the extended range battery (131 kWh) is rated to tow up to 10,000 pounds.

That is competitive with many gas-powered F-150 configurations, though the highest-output gas models can pull more.

Unloaded range with the extended battery is about 320 miles. But attach a 6,000-pound travel trailer, and real-world range drops to somewhere between 90 and 120 miles depending on speed, terrain, and wind conditions. At the maximum tow rating of 10,000 pounds, expect closer to 80 miles.

Ford onboard trip planner accounts for the trailer and adjusts range estimates and charging stop recommendations accordingly.

It works reasonably well, though it tends to be slightly optimistic. Plan for 10 to 15 percent less range than what the truck estimates.

Charging while towing is doable but slow relative to the distance you cover. A DC fast charging stop takes about 45 minutes to get from 15 to 80 percent, and that 80 percent gives you roughly another 80 to 100 miles of towing. Long-distance towing trips require patience and planning.

Rivian R1T

The Rivian R1T with the Max Pack battery (180 kWh) can tow up to 11,000 pounds.

Its unloaded range is about 400 miles, making it one of the longest-range electric trucks available.

Towing range is significantly better than the Lightning thanks to that larger battery. With a 5,000-pound trailer, owners report 150 to 180 miles of range. At 8,000 pounds, expect 100 to 130 miles. At the maximum rating, range drops to around 90 to 110 miles.

The R1T air suspension automatically adjusts when it detects a trailer, lowering the rear to level the truck and optimizing ride height for aerodynamics. The quad-motor setup provides excellent stability and precise torque vectoring while towing, which makes the actual driving experience feel solid and controlled.

Rivian Adventure Network of DC fast chargers is growing but still less extensive than Tesla Supercharger network.

For towing trips, route planning is essential. The pull-through stall design at Rivian chargers is trailer-friendly, which is a nice touch that some other networks lack.

Tesla Cybertruck

The Cybertruck with the range extender option has the largest battery in any production truck, around 200 kWh total. It is rated to tow up to 11,000 pounds, and its unloaded range exceeds 400 miles.

In towing tests, the Cybertruck loses roughly 50 to 60 percent of its range with a 7,000-pound trailer at highway speeds.

That puts real-world towing range at about 160 to 200 miles, which is the best in class. With lighter loads in the 3,000 to 5,000-pound range, owners report 200 to 250 miles of towing range.

Tesla Supercharger network is the biggest advantage here. There are more stalls in more locations than any other fast charging network, and the Cybertruck charging speeds (up to 350 kW peak) mean less time waiting.

The downside is that many Supercharger stations are not designed for trucks with trailers, and pull-through stalls are not always available.

Chevy Silverado EV

The Silverado EV RST comes with a 200 kWh battery and a maximum tow rating of 10,000 pounds. The WT (work truck) variant can tow up to 8,000 pounds. Unloaded range for the RST is about 400 miles.

GM has not published official towing range numbers, but early real-world tests show performance similar to the Cybertruck.

With a 6,000-pound trailer, expect 150 to 180 miles of range. The Silverado charges at up to 350 kW on compatible DC fast chargers, making stops relatively quick.

The Silverado Multi-Flex Midgate (on certain trims) lets you extend the bed length by folding down the rear wall of the cab, which is useful for carrying long items even while towing. The CrabWalk four-wheel steering feature also helps with maneuvering trailers in tight spaces.

Ram 1500 REV

The Ram 1500 REV has a 229 kWh battery, the largest of any production pickup truck. Maximum tow rating is 14,000 pounds, which significantly exceeds every other electric truck on the market.

Unloaded range is about 350 miles.

Ram claims the REV can tow a 10,000-pound trailer for about 150 miles, which aligns with what other trucks achieve relative to their battery sizes. At the maximum 14,000-pound rating, expect closer to 100 miles. The massive battery offsets the inherent efficiency penalty of towing.

The REV supports 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350 kW, and Ram designed the truck to be compatible with trailer-friendly charging stations.

The onboard range estimator adjusts based on trailer weight and drag, which helps with trip planning.

Why Towing Kills EV Range

A trailer creates enormous aerodynamic drag, especially at highway speeds. Drag increases with the square of velocity, so going from 55 to 70 mph with a trailer can reduce range by 30 percent or more beyond the impact of the trailer weight alone.

Weight also matters, but less than most people think.

EVs handle extra weight relatively well because regenerative braking recaptures some energy during deceleration. The aerodynamic drag is the bigger factor, which is why an enclosed, aerodynamic trailer affects range less than a flat-fronted travel trailer of the same weight.

Elevation changes are particularly punishing. Climbing a mountain pass with a heavy trailer can cut range dramatically.

The good news is that descending the other side with regenerative braking recovers a meaningful amount of energy, but not all of it.

Practical Advice for EV Towing

Keep your speed down. The difference between 60 mph and 75 mph while towing can be 30 to 40 percent less range. This is the single biggest thing you can control.

Plan your route around DC fast chargers with pull-through stalls. Disconnecting and reconnecting a trailer to charge is annoying and time-consuming. Apps like PlugShare and A Better Route Planner let you filter for pull-through capable stations.

Check tire pressure on both the truck and trailer before every trip. Low tire pressure increases rolling resistance, which hits range harder when you are already dragging a trailer through the air.

Consider an aerodynamic trailer if you are buying new. The difference between a traditional flat-front trailer and one with a rounded, aerodynamic nose can be 15 to 20 percent more towing range. That is a huge gain for free once you have the right trailer.

The Verdict

Electric trucks can tow. They have the power, the torque, and the stability. What they struggle with is range. If your towing needs involve trips under 100 miles each way, an electric truck works perfectly well today. For longer hauls, it is possible but requires more planning, more stops, and more patience than a gas truck.

The situation improves every year as batteries get larger, charging networks expand, and charging speeds increase. Within the next few years, electric towing will go from possible with planning to easy and convenient for most use cases.