Will Mach-E tow the Lightship RV?

[RedHookEnzo]

I I think it’s definitely an interesting take on a pop up, but more of a wealthy persons toy. The concept of being self powered via solar is great, but not knowing anything about trailers, I’d imagine there must be a cheaper alternative to the same idea?

It also doesn’t strike me as being capable of going anywhere too off the beaten path when it comes to camping, given its size etc.

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[Ghost Ryder]

The problem with towing something so heavy is not just that you have enough power to pull the thing, but also that your brakes and suspension are up to the task. I would guess the MachE is not set up to safely tow a 7500 lb trailer.

 

[generaltso]

I would guess the MachE is not set up to safely tow a 7500 lb trailer.

I don’t think guessing is necessary. It’s certainly not.

 

[RickMachE]

I added a Class 3 Reese hitch to my MME GT-P primarily to carry my bike rack, but I fear it could jeopardize my warranty.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with Ford using the aftermarket hitch to void warranty?

BTW, it was about $225 and putting it on at a casual pace w my son helping took about 1.5 to 2 hours with no drilling.

To clarify - the hitch you put on the Mach-E may be sized as a class 3 hitch, but in fact the Mach-E can't tow anywhere near the capacity of that hitch. I didn't know there was a Reese branded hitch (and cant' find it), but here's some of the available hitches and their limits on the Mach-E:

EcoHitch - 525 pound tongue weight, 3,500 pound towing
Hidden Hitch - 350 pound tongue weight, 3,500 pound towing
Curt - 200 pound tongue weight, 2,000 pound towing

Regardless of the tongue weight capability, you can see that a 3,500 pound trailer is the max that can be towed by the hitch. This says nothing about the vehicle's ability to stop the trailer, or the drivetrain's ability to pull it without damaging the car.

In the UK, the towing limit is 1,500kg (3,307 pounds), up from 1/2 that prior. But you don't know if the UK version has any different reinforcement, etc. to handle that. Even then, it's still not the hitch limits shown above.

 

[johndenver]

With the low center of gravity and instant power the MachE makes a great vehicle to tow with. I enjoy towing my UTV more with my MachE than my new SuperDuty! Its just stable and planted to the ground.

Watch your capacity and get the proper hitch for your requirements. I went with the curt stealth hitch, then re-enforced it like the eco hitch to give me more tongue weight capasity.

Check out my post:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/draw-tite-76919-hidden-hitch-installed.28959/#post-675874

 

[kindofblue]

There's also the wheelbase of the Mach e vs the length of the trailer or whatever. A relatively shorter tow vehicle with a longer trailer is akin to the tail wagging the dog.

 

[ChasingCoral]

A 7,500 pound trailer has a tongue weight of 975 pounds. That exceeds a Mach-E's payload.

It is also too heavy for a Lightning without a weight distribution hitch, and Max Tow.

While a weight distribution hitch wouldn't be required on a Lightning with Max Tow, I would definitely recommend it.

Mach-E can't tow. If you get F-150 Lightning, it can tow, but it will have very low efficiency when towing a heavy trailer. EVs aren't good at towing. According to MotorTrend testing, an F-150 Lightning Platinum saddled with a camper that nearly maxed out its 8,500-pound towing capacity couldn't even cover 100 miles, equivalent to about 10 gal of gasoline for a combustion-powered F-150. Amount of solar power you can get is miniscule, doesn't materially change the equation.

Actually, the weight doesn't impact the range nearly as much as the poor aerodynamics. I'd love to tow a Lightship behind my Lightning. Despite being almost twice the weight of our trailer, the improvement in aerodynamics would probably increase the range significantly. Having towed my rig from Maryland to California and back with the Lightning, I can assure you the impacts of aerodynamics is the biggest factor. Our worst and best efficiency were on consecutive days when we went from northbound to westbound and the wind went from southbound to westbound. 0.9 mpk one day and 1.8 mpk the next!

 

[RickMachE]

While a weight distribution hitch wouldn't be required on a Lightning with Max Tow, I would definitely recommend it.

A WDH is required on EVERY F-150 out there, including the Lightning, once you exceed 500 pounds of tongue weight.

This is the receiver sticker from my Lariat Max Tow. 500 pound tongue weight without WDH, 1,000 with WDH.

 

[ChasingCoral]

A WDH is required on EVERY F-150 out there, including the Lightning, once you exceed 500 pounds of tongue weight.

This is the receiver sticker from my Lariat Max Two. 500 pound tongue weight without WDH, 1,000 with WDH.

Good to know. Our trailer is below 5000 but we use one anyway

 

[kindofblue]

Good to know. Our trailer is below 5000 but we use one anyway

It never hurts to be too conservative when towing.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Ford of Europe sells a Ford-approved tow setup for the Extended Range AWD Mach Es with a maximum tow weight of 3,306 pounds and a tongue weight (for towing) of 135 pounds. The same Ford of Europe tow hitch can carry a vertical non-towing load (for bike racks etc.) of up to 175 pounds. NOTE: these are values converted from the European "D" 7.18 and "S" 75 tow label ratings for this tow kit on this model of the Mach E, as adjusted. At max tow weight, this system is limited to speeds of around 60 mph.

The tow bar is a European "swan neck" design, and its one disadvantage is that it's not height-adjustable. Its use instruction also specifically says to NOT USE any weight distribution device such as a ProPride hitch.

Also, any bike rack used with it must also be designed for the swan neck.

However, this Ford-authorized, Ford-sold tow hitch has another advantage: it contains an electronic tow module which integrates with the Mach E's CANBUS and other electric systems to make towing a whole-system activity.

Additionally, this pretty solid Ford tow mount has a safety cord / chain mounting point where I chose to install a 1-ton tow shackle for our North American safety chains, and to compensate for the North American Mach E's lack of a rear tow-out point.

I know these details because I bought and installed it on my AWD Extended Range Mach E. I don't intend to tow a Winnebago up Pike's Peak Road... just to tow utility items like a riding mower to the shop on a flat trailer, or my motor bike to the workshop. And of course to tow my car backwards just in case...

And as some of us discussed in other forum threads, an argument about "unauthorized use" can be countered by Ford-provided documentation on installation, on appropriate tow procedures and limits, and of course the big blue Ford oval on every page of the documentation holds a certain weight IMHO.

Now that I have lived with this pricey yet useful Ford-sold accessory for months, I think the cooling capacity of the electric drive train in the current Mach E and also its emergency braking - under - load limits (skinny tires etc.) are the real reason Ford is careful to not sell this here in North America, with our love of 2-axle Winnebagos and our overall easygoing approach to towing speeds (55 mph in California, right? HAH!).

 

[thekat03]

Ford of Europe sells a Ford-approved tow setup for the Extended Range AWD Mach Es with a maximum tow weight of 3,306 pounds and a tongue weight (for towing) of 135 pounds. The same Ford of Europe tow hitch can carry a vertical non-towing load (for bike racks etc.) of up to 175 pounds. NOTE: these are values converted from the European "D" 7.18 and "S" 75 tow label ratings for this tow kit on this model of the Mach E, as adjusted. At max tow weight, this system is limited to speeds of around 60 mph.

The tow bar is a European "swan neck" design, and its one disadvantage is that it's not height-adjustable. Its use instruction also specifically says to NOT USE any weight distribution device such as a ProPride hitch.

Also, any bike rack used with it must also be designed for the swan neck.

However, this Ford-authorized, Ford-sold tow hitch has another advantage: it contains an electronic tow module which integrates with the Mach E's CANBUS and other electric systems to make towing a whole-system activity.

Additionally, this pretty solid Ford tow mount has a safety cord / chain mounting point where I chose to install a 1-ton tow shackle for our North American safety chains, and to compensate for the North American Mach E's lack of a rear tow-out point.

I know these details because I bought and installed it on my AWD Extended Range Mach E. I don't intend to tow a Winnebago up Pike's Peak Road... just to tow utility items like a riding mower to the shop on a flat trailer, or my motor bike to the workshop. And of course to tow my car backwards just in case...

And as some of us discussed in other forum threads, an argument about "unauthorized use" can be countered by Ford-provided documentation on installation, on appropriate tow procedures and limits, and of course the big blue Ford oval on every page of the documentation holds a certain weight IMHO.

Now that I have lived with this pricey yet useful Ford-sold accessory for months, I think the cooling capacity of the electric drive train in the current Mach E and also its emergency braking - under - load limits (skinny tires etc.) are the real reason Ford is careful to not sell this here in North America, with our love of 2-axle Winnebagos and our overall easygoing approach to towing speeds (55 mph in California, right? HAH!).

That makes sense. My husband and I splurged on the Volvo installed hitch for his C40, for the same reasons. That car is rated to tow 2000 lb in the US, but almost twice that in Europe with their retractable swanneck hitch and driving restrictions. I don't plan to push it to that max European towing weight since we have the US hitch, but it's so nice to have the car recognize if has a trailer attached and operate accordingly. I may have to investigate how hard it is to get the European hitch and have it installed for my MME.

 

[21st Century Pony]

That makes sense. My husband and I splurged on the Volvo installed hitch for his C40, for the same reasons. That car is rated to tow 2000 lb in the US, but almost twice that in Europe with their retractable swanneck hitch and driving restrictions. I don't plan to push it to that max European towing weight since we have the US hitch, but it's so nice to have the car recognize if has a trailer attached and operate accordingly. I may have to investigate how hard it is to get the European hitch and have it installed for my MME.

The Ford tow kit's purchase cost (in Europe) in September 2022 was about $800.

The shipping cost was, er... another couple of Benjamins, as the long steel tow bar is a heavy item. Of course, there might be inventive ways around that, such as a household shipping allowance for relatives professionally moving, etc.

I installed the mechanicals myself. The clear instructions make that part not difficult for any mechanically handy person with a reasonable toolset.

The most difficult part = the CANBUS electric connnections. The North American Mach Es lack a key wiring plug & play pigtail in the left rear corner. The installer has to run some extra wiring to the front because of this. Then, FDRS can turn on the tow software.

 

[21st Century Pony]

That makes sense. My husband and I splurged on the Volvo installed hitch for his C40, for the same reasons. That car is rated to tow 2000 lb in the US, but almost twice that in Europe with their retractable swanneck hitch and driving restrictions. I don't plan to push it to that max European towing weight since we have the US hitch, but it's so nice to have the car recognize if has a trailer attached and operate accordingly. I may have to investigate how hard it is to get the European hitch and have it installed for my MME.

Actually, your note made me realize that owners who already have an aftermarket North American 2-inch tow hitch can add the whole-system tow functionality by buying just the Ford tow wiring loom and the electronic tow module.

The electronic tow module is around $99 and the wiring loom is another $62 or so... and of course shipping cost would be inconsequential (no heavy / bulky steel parts in these two items).

DM me if interested and I'll send you the Ford part numbers for both items.

 

[MachGT]

Instead of the lightship trailer, i think an Etransit class b conversion would be a much better way to go. Eventually Ford will give it a bigger battery and AWD. It'll come out at about the same time the lightship does. Sometime in the very distant future

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