Electric vehicles can easily fulfill most use cases for modern combustion vehicles. Towing can be a glaring exception. EVs can make towing feel very easy in small doses at press events. Their prodigious torque is excellent for accelerating or hiking up steep grades. The drawback in real life is their range.
As with combustion trucks, towing heavy items with an EV hampers a vehicle’s efficiency. EV range—already a source of anxiety—can drop by as much 50 percent or more while towing. Charging on the road can be time-consuming. An EV with a solid 300 miles of range for everyday driving could be a non-starter for a road trip with a trailer.
The best EVs for towing have a few prominent qualities. They have a high towing capacity and a large amount of range—enough to still deliver a substantial amount with reduced efficiency. Available technology and towing aides can also make the experience much more pleasant.
Here are our choices for the best EVs for towing.
Gallery: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado RST EV First Drive
Best Overall EV for Towing: Chevrolet Silverado EV RST
- Starting MSRP: $96,495
- EPA Range: 440 miles
- Max Towing: 10,000 lbs
The Chevy Silverado EV RST is about as good as it gets for EV towing. Having 440 miles of EPA range means you still have a solid 220 miles when factoring in losing 50% efficiency while towing a full load. And the Silverado EV’s exceedingly quick DC fast charging, which can add an estimated 100 miles of range in 10 minutes, gets you back on the road quickly.
Gallery: Rivian R1T
Best Electric Pickup for Towing: Rivian R1T Max
- Starting MSRP: $69,900
- EPA Range: 270-420 miles
- Max Towing: 11,000 lbs
The refreshed 2025 Rivian R1T offers an impressive package for towing. The R1T can tow up to 11,000 pounds when equipped with the Max battery pack. The Max pack offers up to 420 miles of range, which should provide decent range even while weathering substantial efficiency losses. The R1T’s adaptive suspension adjusts to the load, and sensors factor in the trailer to deliver accurate range metrics.
Gallery: Rivian R1S
Best Electric SUV for Towing: Rivian R1S
- Starting MSRP: $75,900
- EPA Range: 270 to 410 miles
- Max Towing: 7,700 lbs
The Rivian R1S can’t tow as much as the R1T Max. But 7,700 pounds — the same as the base R1T — is still the largest towing capacity for an electric SUV. With up to 410 miles of EPA range, the R1S can deliver substantial distance while towing on a single charge. Like the R1T, the Rivian R1S can factor in trailer weight and aerodynamics to give accurate range metrics.
Gallery: 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Black
Best EV Towing Tech: Ford F-150 Lightning
- Starting MSRP: $55,495
- EPA Range: 240-320 miles
- Max Towing: 10,000 pounds
The Ford F-150 Lightning can offer up to 10,000 pounds of towing capacity with the available Max Trailer Tow package for Flash and Lariat trims. Its 775 lb-ft of instant torque can get you moving with ease. What the F-150 Lightning lacks in outright range, it makes up for with state-of-the-art towing tech from the combustion F-150 like Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Smart Hitch, making the process much easier.
Gallery: 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Review
Best Tesla for Towing: Tesla Cybertruck
- Starting MSRP: $99,990
- EPA Range: 301-318 miles
- Max Towing: 11,000 pounds
The best Tesla for towing is the Cybertruck. It can’t out-drag a Porsche 911 while towing a Porsche 911. But it does offer an impressive max capacity of 11,000 pounds, more than twice the capacity of the Model X. Competitors provide more range for now. However, Tesla is taking deposits for a range extender coming in 2025 that will boost the estimated range to 470 miles.
Best Affordable EV for Towing: Tesla Model Y
- Starting MSRP: $44,900
- EPA Range: 279-320 miles
- Max Towing: 3,500 pounds
The Tesla Model Y is America’s best-selling EV. Its value proposition is a major reason why, and that holds true when it comes to towing. The Model Y offers a 3,500-pound capacity when optioned with the $1,000 tow hitch. EV trucks dwarf that number. But it’s still around 1,000 pounds or more than its sub $50,000 competitors and enough for a decent-sized camping trailer.
