Towing capacity?

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

It certainly would be nice if Ford would list some sort of Towing Capacity for this vehicle. EVs can have incredible potential if they just bother to beef up the frame. Any hope for anything?

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[benboy12]

It certainly would be nice if Ford would list some sort of Towing Capacity for this vehicle. EVs can have incredible potential if they just bother to beef up the frame. Any hope for anything?

The European model is rated somewhere between 1500-2000 pounds, I believe. One of the Ford execs said there was a market over there to pull small things (I think referenced bikes and motorcycles?). However he said that if enough interest in the US was expressed they could look into getting something similar for the US market. Either way, you won’t get something that can town like 5000 lbs or anything.

 

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

Thanks. Americans love to pull things. Me included. Would love to have some real capacity for the toys. All my past SUVs can pull but the MachE is something in between....

 

[bjmsam]

Agreed. My 2009 Rav4 V6 (269 hp / 246 lb-ft) is rated for 3500 lbs and has towed substantially more...

 

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

I certainly agree the MachE has the potential to tow. The torque available could easily do it. But does the gear it has (most EVs are single gear. Porsche has two on their new EV. Tesla tried in the roadster but the transmission failed prematurely) and the frame support the potential?

I hope Ford considers it. I'm afraid they want this to be a Mustang instead of a SUV. But we all know this isn't a Mustang. I've taken to calling it a MachE. Please don't let a nameplate ruin the potential usefulness of the platform.

It isn't a sports car. But I'm sure it will be quicker than my old 911 which is the definitive sports car. Times change. Sometimes for the better.

 

[bjmsam]

I neither need nor expect the "Mustang Mach-E SUV" to match the 5000 lb tow rating of a Tesla Model X (which has no special gearing), but I do need and expect it to be a Vehicle that offers as much Utility as it does Sport. My Toyota has delivered that experience for over ten years now; whether the Ford will be able to replace it remains to be seen. I hope so!

 

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

So why do you expect less from the MachE then the Model X? I hope Ford can beat your 10 year old Toyota. Would be sad if it didn't.

 

[bjmsam]

When it comes to towing capacity, vehicle size matters as much as (if not more more than) power. For example, a Highlander with the same V6 as my Rav4 is rated for 5000 lbs vs. 3500 lbs.

The Mach-E is about the size of the Model Y, so I don't expect it to be rated to tow as much as the considerably larger Model X. Comparing the dimensions below (not to mention the center of gravity), 3500 lbs seems realistic:

2021 Mach-E vs. 2009 Rav4
Wheelbase: 2,972 mm (117.0 in) vs. 2,660 mm (104.7 in)
Length: 4,724 mm (186.0 in) vs. 4,620 mm (181.9 in)
Width: 1,880 mm (74.0 in) vs. 1,855 mm (73.0 in)
Height: 1,600 mm (63.0 in) vs. 1,755 mm (69.1 in)

 

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

Ok. But if you read the start of this thread evidently the European spec for the MachE is half of your Rav 4. And dimensions are nice but no weight or CG is known. But EVs are usually heavy and hace a lower CG due to battery location.

3500 lbs would be acceptable. I think 1500 to 2000 lbs is a Toyota Camery's capacity. Not an SUV.

 

[bjmsam]

Right. So instead it would be targeting my 2010 G37, but as I use that for long trips (5 minutes to refuel every 400 miles), the challenge shifts from towing capacity to driving range, which already is being discussed in the Vacation Trips - Not in a Mach E thread.

I reserved a GT in hopes of replacing both of my vehicles to help justify the expense, but perhaps it's still too early to have my cake and eat it, too.

I am disappointed that nothing about towing capacity was mentioned during the reveal. If it's an SUV that can't pull a moderate load, then for the money, why not get a CPO Tesla with superior warranty?

How can you call a vehicle that cannot tow an SUV? The equates to a lame CUV also. If it cant tow its a four door hatchback, nothing more. I bet the Model Y will tow. The Model X does.

 

[MyFirstMuatangPlugsIn]

I think you summed it up perfectly. Not sure if we are just too early in development to eat our cake too.

This will be my first EV. I have owned a NGV for years and lack a home fueling station so range anxiety is a known issue for me. But electric is definitely the way the industry is going. Already need a second car. Just hoping I can have an economical car instead of something that needs moderate towing capacity.

Hopefully Ford knows this. Elon seems to be getting it but I'm not ready to buy a car from him.

 

[Billyk24]

Summer of 2020 the RAV4H Plug-in with 309HP will arrive. The base engine remains 175Hp but the motor generators work with it to significantly boost the HP total. The 2018 RAV4H had 194HP while the 2019 RAV4H was boosted to 219HP.

 

[bjmsam]

Yes, that model most certainly is on my short list. Towing capacity has yet to be announced (the current hybrids are rated at half of the current ICE versions, for some reason).

https://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/rav4prime/

 

[Billyk24]

The 2018 RAV4H has a towing capacity of 1750lbs. The 2019 RAV4H has got to be 2000lbs with the extra HP. If Toyota brings out the 2021 plug-in RAV4H Prime with an air-cooled HVB, ( a huge mistake), then I would avoid this vehicle.

 

[EVolution]

I'm reading this thread with great interest because I need a tow hitch on my Mach E to carry bicycles on a bike carrier. I reserved a Mach E, but am considering cancelling it after reading the last question of the Q&A session the Mach E Forum had with Ford Managers on Nov. 25.

Question: Will there be a trailer hitch available?
Answer: Not for the U.S.

Why is everyone discussing towing capacity when there isn't going to be a trailer hitch. When you look at photos of the rear underbody, I don't even see how a third party could put a hitch on it due to the casing covering the battery, etc. for aerodynamics.

Am I missing something? I'm in the U.S. and need a 2-inch receiver hitch on my Mach E.

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