“Can I actually tow with one of these?” is fast becoming one of the most common questions we hear from caravanners eyeing an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle for their next tow rig. The answer is yes – for a growing number of models – but the practical experience is different enough from towing with a diesel that it’s worth understanding before you buy either the van or the vehicle.
What “braked towing capacity” actually tells you
A vehicle’s braked towing figure is only one part of the sum. What actually limits you day-to-day is Gross Combination Mass (GCM) – the maximum combined weight of your fully loaded tow vehicle and fully loaded caravan together. Load up passengers, luggage, a bike rack and a full water tank in the tow vehicle, and you can eat into your effective towing capacity well before you hit the number on the compliance plate. Always check GCM against your specific caravan’s Aggregate Trailer Mass, not just the headline towing figure.
Which EVs and PHEVs can tow a caravan right now
MODEL | DRIVETRAIN | BRAKED TOWING | |
|---|---|---|---|
Ford Ranger PHEV | PHEV Ute | 3,500 kg | |
BYD Shark 6 (Performance) | PHEV Ute | 3,500 kg | |
BYD Shark 6 (Premium/Dynamic) | PHEV Ute | 2,500 kg | |
Kia EV9 (AWD) | Electric SUV | 2,500 kg | |
BMW iX xDrive50 | Electric SUV | 2,500 kg | |
Hyundai IONIQ 9 | Electric SUV | 2,500 kg | |
Zeekr 7X | Electric SUV | 2,000 kg | |
Kia EV6 GT AWD | Electric SUV | 1,800 kg | |
Tesla Model Y (all variants) | Electric SUV | 1,600 kg | |
Hyundai IONIQ 5 (AWD) | Electric SUV | 1,600 kg | |
Kia EV6 (AWD) GT-Line | Electric SUV | 1,600 kg | |
Volvo EX30 | Electric SUV | 1,600 kg | |
BYD Sealion 7 (Performance) | Electric SUV | 1,500 kg | |
Polestar 2 | Electric Sedan | 1,500 kg | |
VW ID.4 GTX | Electric SUV | 1,800 kg | |
BYD Atto 3 / Sealion 7 (Premium) | Electric SUV | 750 kg |
The takeaway: only the PHEV utes and a handful of larger electric SUVs are currently rated for a full-size off-road van. Plenty of the smaller and mid-size EVs are genuinely well suited to a lightweight pop-top or hybrid camper instead – matching van to vehicle matters more with electrics than it ever did with diesel.
The real-world range hit
This is the part that catches people out. Towing a full-height caravan at highway speed typically cuts a pure EV’s range by somewhere in the order of 45 to 55 per cent – one commonly cited real-world example saw a Tesla Model X’s 410 km unladen range drop to around 230 km once hitched up. On some vehicles the drop is closer to doubling energy consumption altogether, which can turn a comfortable 450 km touring range into something closer to 200 km.
Plug-in hybrid utes largely sidestep this problem for long-distance touring. Once their typical 45 km-or-so electric-only range is used up, they simply run on petrol like any other ute – giving caravanners a genuinely familiar refuelling routine for the open road, with the option of cheap, quiet EV driving around town and campsites.
Can you actually get to a charger while towing?
This is the practical sticking point for pure EVs. Most public DC fast chargers are “nose-in” bays, which usually means unhitching the van to reach the plug – adding 10 to 15 minutes each way to a charging stop. Pull-through bays that let you charge without unhitching are expanding across major networks like Chargefox, Evie Networks and NRMA, but coverage is still concentrated on the east coast; it thins out fast once you’re off the main highways, and outback and remote routes remain patchy.
If you’re planning genuine remote touring – Cape York, the Gibb River Road, the Simpson Desert – infrastructure alone still favours diesel for now. For east-coast and well-serviced regional touring, a PHEV ute or a well-matched electric SUV is a realistic option today.
So, EV, PHEV or diesel for your next tow vehicle?
If most of your travel sticks to the east coast or well-serviced regional routes, a PHEV ute or a larger electric SUV paired with a lighter, well-matched van is a genuinely practical choice in 2026. If long, remote, off-grid touring is the whole point of your trips, the charging network isn’t quite there yet, and a diesel tow vehicle remains the lower-friction option for the time being.
FAQ
Can a Tesla Model Y tow a caravan in Australia?
Yes, up to 1,600 kg braked – enough for a small-to-medium pop-top or hybrid camper, but not most full-size off-road vans.
Do EVs lose a lot of range when towing?
Expect to lose roughly 45 to 55 per cent of your unladen range towing a full-height van at highway speed.
Are PHEV utes better than pure EVs for towing long distances?
For long-distance touring, generally yes – the petrol engine gives you a fuel-based safety net once the electric-only range (typically around 45 km) is used, avoiding the charging-stop juggling act pure EVs face while towing.
Will I find fast chargers I can tow through without unhitching?
It’s improving on major highway networks like Chargefox, Evie and NRMA, but coverage is still limited outside the east coast – check ahead on regional and remote routes.
Shopping for a van to match an electric or PHEV tow vehicle?
⇒browse our range of caravans for sale
or
on CaravanSales.com.au.
SOURCE:
- Ford Ranger PHEV price and specs
- BYD Shark 6 Towing Specs
- BYD Shark 6 variants
- Kia EV9 Towing Capacity 2026
- BMW iX Towing Capacity
- Hyundai Ioniq 9 Towing Capacity 2026
- Zeekr 7X Towing Capacity
- Tesla Model Y Towing Capacity 2026
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 Towing Capacity 2026
- Kia EV6 Towing Capacity 2025
- Volvo EX30 Towing Capacity
- BYD Sealion 7 Performance specs
- BYD Sealion 7 Premium specs
- Polestar 2 Towing Capacity
- BYD Atto 3 Towing Capacity
- Volkswagen ID.4 GTX revealed (carsales)
- Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 2026 Review
