Tesla Model X Towing a Trailer Would Still Beat Most Sports Cars to 60 MPH

With a maximum towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), the Tesla Model X can make its owner a happy camper indeed. There aren't that many trailers that will exceed this value, and the instantly available torque specific of electric cars will make pulling these things around a child's play.

One such travel trailer is the Bowlus Road Chief, which is described by its makers as "the world's most advanced and aerodynamic" such device. They wouldn't be making that claim if there wasn't any truth to it, but since we lack the wind tunnel to put it to test, we're going to take it as it is. And, anyway, the trailer does look like it knows a thing or two about splitting the air.

To prove just how effective it is, they employed the help of a Tesla Model X, a vehicle for which energy efficiency is paramount since it doesn't have the luxury of stopping over at any of the myriad gas stations around the country and filling up the tank in a matter of minutes. So if there was ever an ideal vehicle to see the impact towing this trailer has on the car's efficiency, then the Model X must be it.

The Bowlus Road Chief weighs only 2,300 pounds (1,043 kg), so it's just under half the maximum allowed for the Model X, but it's still a hefty load to carry around. Even so, the electric SUV managed a 5.5 seconds 0-60 mph sprint (which shouldn't surprise anybody after what we've seen here), and more importantly, about 70 percent of the EPA range of the vehicle.

The test was carried on flat land at speeds between 50 and 55 mph (80 and 88 km/h). Any increase in speed will most definitely hurt the range dramatically, but in these conditions, the Model X managed to cover around 175 miles (281 km), which is more than enough to make it across country given how close the Superchargers are to each other.