Towing with an EV: Our Tesla Model Y and Airstream Experience
Everywhere we go, people are curious about our Tesla/Airstream setup. Whether at campgrounds, charging stations, ferry lineups, or on board ferries, we’re constantly approached with questions. Our rig—a Tesla Model Y towing a 28’ Airstream—certainly turns heads.
The Setup
Our Model Y has impressive torque, making it surprisingly capable as a tow vehicle. We had our rig configured by Can-Am RV in London, Ontario, a dealer with deep experience—over 100 EVs set up for towing to date. They reinforced the hitch, installed an electronic brake controller, weight distribution bars, and anti-sway gear. Thanks to this setup, towing has been smooth and worry-free.
At the midpoint of our cross-country journey from Milton, Ontario to the West Coast and back, we’ve towed our trailer more than 5,500 kilometres without a hitch—pun intended.
Our Airstream has a dry weight of 6,825 lbs and a loaded weight of approximately 7,800 lbs.
Dealing with Doubt
We’ve encountered our share of skeptics online—some claim our setup is illegal, unsafe, or likely to land us in jail. But here’s the thing: what makes a great tow vehicle isn’t brute size—it’s a low centre of gravity, independent rear suspension, strong pulling power, and a short hitch-to-rear-axle distance. The Model Y checks all those boxes.
Can-Am RV’s team knows what they’re doing. For those interested in towing with an EV, I’d strongly suggest checking out their website or talking directly with them.
Energy Use & Range
Average Consumption (So Far)
Our average energy consumption while towing has ranged from 400 to 425 Wh/km depending on terrain and weather:
Ontario to Winnipeg (via Lakes Huron and Superior) – 425 Wh/km
Manitoba, Saskatchewan & Alberta – 411 Wh/km
British Columbia – 400 Wh/km
It’s important to note that these are averages—some legs were over 500 Wh/km, others well under 400.
Range Forecasting: Tesla’s Energy Screen
Tesla’s trip planner is excellent—when not towing. While towing, it tends to be overly optimistic. Fortunately, the Energy screen is a lifesaver. It lets you track your real-time efficiency and forecast whether you’ll reach your next charger. If it looks doubtful, you only have two options:
Slow down – A lower speed significantly extends range.
Unhitch and charge solo – If you're really tight on range, unhitch the trailer, drive ahead to charge, then return.
So far, we’ve only had to unhitch and charge once during the entire 5,500+ km journey. This was caused by an "out of service" Flo charger.
Charging Strategy
As most EV owners know, the 10% to 80% state-of-charge range is the charging sweet spot—especially with DC Fast Charging. Above 80%, charging slows significantly. While towing, we often need to charge beyond that range to play it safe.
We make good use of that extra time—grabbing a snack, brewing coffee in the trailer, or working on this blog. Time never feels wasted.
Charging Network: Superchargers & Beyond
When you’re not towing, Tesla’s Supercharger network can get you just about anywhere in North America.
When towing, though, range is significantly reduced. In our case, we consume about 2.8 times more energy than normal driving. That means we sometimes need to access alternative networks like Flo, BC Hydro, ChargePoint, etc. A Tesla CCS adapter has been essential.
The Tesla Supercharger network remains the most reliable, but having the ability to use others has expanded our flexibility.
Daily Planning
Each travel day, we review:
Wind direction (headwinds hurt range, tailwinds help)
Elevation changes
Charger distances and availability
We aim for a maximum of two charging stops per day, which has worked well.
APPS
When needing to make use of non Tesla chargers, we have apps from PlugShare, ChargePoint, Switch, Electrify Canada, ChargeHub, Shell and Flo. We've also made good use of A Better Route Planner software and used a very conservative consumption rate of 440 Wh/Km for planning.
Unhitching to Charge
So far, traveling westbound across Canada, we’ve gone from Barrie, Ontario to Cranbrook, BC without needing to unhitch—except once. Many Supercharger sites were empty, allowing us to pull in sideways. At several busy sites, other EV drivers graciously moved aside to make space for us. Those little moments of thoughtfulness make a big difference.
Charging Costs
As of July 29, we’ve towed our trailer 5,511 km and spent $765 on charging—a very reasonable amount for such a long journey.
At campgrounds, we often plug the car into shore power using 30A and 50A adapters. Our trailer has a robust lithium battery bank and solar setup, so it rarely needs external power.
Final Thoughts
We’ve been very pleased with how the Model Y handles towing our Airstream:
No white-knuckle moments
Excellent stability and control
Cruise control + regenerative braking makes mountain driving a breeze
On long downhills, we’ve even gained up to 10% charge back through regen
We’d love a future EV tow vehicle with more range, so we can stay comfortably within the 10–80% charge window. But we’re not interested in massive battery trucks that take forever to recharge. The upcoming Lucid Gravity looks promising—and it’s on our radar to explore when we return home.
