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The answer is both yes and no.
Do pickup trucks really need to be able to tow a ton of weight? Does the Tesla Cybertruck need to tow a lot? As it turns out, most light-duty trucks aren’t really used to tow. So then, the Cybertruck doesn’t exactly need strong towing ability, or does it?
When the Cybertruck debuted, we finally got the lowdown on its specs. Among those specs was the pickup truck’s towing ability:
- Towing capacity: More than 14,000 lbs
That’s a very impressive figure, but the number was immediately called into question because with that amount of weight in tow, what will the range be for the Cybertruck? Rated at up to 500 miles per charge for the high-spec version, the Cybertuck has loads of range, but towing will surely diminish that number big time.
- Range: 500+ miles
However, as this video points out, most lighter-duty trucks don’t really see a whole lot of towing and certainly not a lot of near-limit towing. While that’s certainly true, some light-duty truck owners do push their trucks to the max, so the ability still needs to be there.
This all still leaves us with the question of what will the Cybertruck’s range be when towing. The fact of the matter is there are far too many variables to determine this. What is it towing? A pop-up camper or a full-size travel trailer? What’s the aerodynamics like on whatever is being towed?
We believe that a general rule of thumb for towing can be applied though. Expect range to be reduced by half when towing at highway speeds (a figure that’s very similar for a gas pickup truck as well). As always, your mileage may vary, but that’s a starting point for reference. So, the 500-mile Cybertruck will become a 250-miler in tow applications. Pick your Cybertruck version accordingly.
Oh and grab a look at the video for more on towing with trucks.