Towing a caravan with an Electric Vehicle
Discussion
SpeckledJim said:
The EV will also be able to harvest c.75% of the kinetic energy when slowing down (an amount of energy which increases due to the caravan, whereas the ICE will always just throw all of that energy away as heat in the brakes. So the nature of the test will also be significant. Stop-start will favour the EV.
Caravans and most trailers over 750kg are braked. The brakes are applied via the force on the tow hitch when the car slows, so regeneration will only recoup the kinetic energy of the car.archie456 said:
SpeckledJim said:
The EV will also be able to harvest c.75% of the kinetic energy when slowing down (an amount of energy which increases due to the caravan, whereas the ICE will always just throw all of that energy away as heat in the brakes. So the nature of the test will also be significant. Stop-start will favour the EV.
Caravans and most trailers over 750kg are braked. The brakes are applied via the force on the tow hitch when the car slows, so regeneration will only recoup the kinetic energy of the car.We need next-gen caravans with dynamos for brakes!
Mr Magooagain said:
Apologies if I've missed it already in this thread,but what about the fridge etc while towing the caravan? Gas?
I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
Something is very wrong with your towbar electrics if the fridge continued to drain the car battery whilst the engine was switched off. The auxiliary circuit from the car should only ever be live with the ignition on. I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
TwinKam said:
monkfish1 said:
Diesel genset in the caravan, lead to the car.
Problem fixed.
You heard it here first.
This is genius! Problem fixed.
You heard it here first.
In practical terms the answer is to put extra batteries, motors and regen into the caravan, so I would hazard that the solution revolves around not buying a caravan, but buying a motorhome instead.
Whether that's a good solution or not might be a different question, it sounds very expensive, especially for something that's generally relatively low use. Now if you could remove the battery pack from both your cars and use those in your motorhome as well that might be a decent start perhaps.
Whether that's a good solution or not might be a different question, it sounds very expensive, especially for something that's generally relatively low use. Now if you could remove the battery pack from both your cars and use those in your motorhome as well that might be a decent start perhaps.
vikingaero said:
TwinKam said:
monkfish1 said:
Diesel genset in the caravan, lead to the car.
Problem fixed.
You heard it here first.
This is genius! Problem fixed.
You heard it here first.
paulrockliffe said:
Whether that's a good solution or not might be a different question, it sounds very expensive, especially for something that's generally relatively low use. Now if you could remove the battery pack from both your cars and use those in your motorhome as well that might be a decent start perhaps.
This is the issue, I have no doubt that har electric motorhomes can work, and will exist.But for something that is used maybe ten weekends and a fortnight per year, 30 out of the of 365 days, it's a lot of cost tied up unless battery prices fall a lot, or you can make the work/pay while idle.
We shall see.
dhutch said:
TwinKam said:
Mildly humourous, if obviously staged af. 
jfdi said:
Mr Magooagain said:
Apologies if I've missed it already in this thread,but what about the fridge etc while towing the caravan? Gas?
I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
Something is very wrong with your towbar electrics if the fridge continued to drain the car battery whilst the engine was switched off. The auxiliary circuit from the car should only ever be live with the ignition on. I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
Could be wired incorrectly - 13-pin electrics have a pin for "fridge" or leisure battery charging which is a switched live (on when the car is), the one next to it should be permanent live.
sjg said:
jfdi said:
Mr Magooagain said:
Apologies if I've missed it already in this thread,but what about the fridge etc while towing the caravan? Gas?
I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
Something is very wrong with your towbar electrics if the fridge continued to drain the car battery whilst the engine was switched off. The auxiliary circuit from the car should only ever be live with the ignition on. I always travelled with mine running electric 12v on the vehicle as my mrs wanted the food cooled. Found out the hard way when on a ferry with a flat battery when unloading.
Could be wired incorrectly - 13-pin electrics have a pin for "fridge" or leisure battery charging which is a switched live (on when the car is), the one next to it should be permanent live.
GlenMH said:
Big Stevie said:
Caddyshack said:
You really need a caravan with batteries in the floor to run the car.
My friend had the Tesla x and even a small pop up caravan killed his range to the point that he found it hard to travel
Through France.
That would add weight to the caravan, perhaps partially negating the benefit. A heavier caravan requires a heavier car to pull it, a catch 22 maybe?My friend had the Tesla x and even a small pop up caravan killed his range to the point that he found it hard to travel
Through France.
Cars getting heavier means that caravans need to get lighter...
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