Planning a UK staycation or caravan trip in your EV? Here's what every family needs to know before hitching up and heading off.
As more UK families make an EV their primary car, the question of staycations and towing has moved firmly into the mainstream. A caravan weekend in the Lakes or a bike-rack trip to the Peaks sounds simple enough — but towing dramatically changes the rules. Understanding battery consumption and what your car can and can't do before you leave the driveway will save you a stressful roadside education.
This is the single most important thing to understand before hitching a caravan or trailer to your EV: towing typically cuts your usable range by 30 to 50 percent. A car that comfortably covers 250 miles on a clear motorway run may deliver as little as 125–175 miles with a loaded caravan in tow. On a hilly route or in cold weather, the figure can fall further still.
The reason is straightforward physics. EVs are remarkably efficient on their own, but they rely heavily on aerodynamic slipperiness to achieve their headline range figures. A caravan or large trailer creates a substantial wall of drag behind the vehicle. The motor has to work significantly harder to maintain motorway speeds, drawing more energy from the battery per mile than any WLTP test ever intended to account for.
The practical consequence is that "splash and dash" charging stops become a necessity, not a luxury. Rather than aiming for a single long charge at your destination, experienced EV towers plan shorter legs — typically 80–100 miles between stops — and use rapid chargers along the route to top up to 80% (above which charging slows noticeably). This approach keeps the trip moving without the anxiety of watching the range estimate creep towards zero.
Real-world range is also affected by the weight of your trailer or caravan. A lightly loaded bike rack has far less impact than a fully laden touring caravan at the maximum tow rating. If possible, pack the caravan thoughtfully — heavy items low and forward, and nothing unnecessary — to keep the noseweight correct and reduce the aerodynamic penalty where you can. Be aware that cold weather will further reduce your towing range.
Here's a detail that catches many EV owners completely off guard: not all electric vehicles are legally approved for towing. The ability to fit a towbar is separate from whether the manufacturer has type-approved the car to pull a trailer. Attempting to tow with a vehicle that has no approved tow rating is illegal in the UK, invalidates your motor insurance, and puts you and other road users at serious risk.
The most prominent example is Tesla. Early Model 3 variants and the Model S were not type-approved for towing in the UK when first sold, meaning no towbar could legally be fitted. Tesla has since revised its position on some models, but older examples remain legally prohibited from towing anything, regardless of what aftermarket towbar suppliers might suggest. The situation with smaller city-focused EVs — such as the original Renault Zoe, the Citroën Ami, or many A-segment electric cars — is similar: their suspension, braking, and drivetrain are simply not engineered for trailer loads.
To check whether your specific vehicle is approved to tow, there are two reliable methods:
If you are buying a second-hand EV specifically to use for towing or holidays, verify the tow rating before purchasing, not after. Retrofitting towing capability to a vehicle with no factory approval is not straightforward, and in many cases not legal.
Even once you've identified a rapid charger on your route, there's a practical problem that many first-time EV towers discover too late: most charging bays are designed for solo cars, not vehicle-and-trailer combinations. Standard charging bays at motorway services or supermarkets are often arranged in tight rows with barriers or kerbs that make it impossible to pull in with a caravan attached. The charger may be on the wrong side of the car, or the bay simply too short for the combined length of car and trailer.
The solution is to specifically seek out networks that offer "pull-through" bays — charging positions accessible from both ends, with enough length and clearance to accommodate a towing outfit without unhitching. Two networks in particular have become the go-to choice for UK towers:
Beyond these two, it is worth checking BP Pulse sites at larger motorway services, some of which have pull-through capability, and Pod Point hubs at superstore car parks where the layout is less constrained. The Zap-Map app allows you to filter by connector type and, on many listings, check user comments that flag whether a site is trailer-accessible — often the most reliable real-world guide. For more information on the full public charging network, see our comprehensive guide.
It is also worth noting that some rapid charger bays at motorway services are patrolled or time-limited. A 40–50 minute rapid charge is generally within the spirit of these limits, but a long top-up combined with unhitching, a comfort break, and a meal can push you towards penalty territory at sites with strict enforcement. Check the signage on arrival.
Experienced EV drivers planning a towing trip often describe the mental shift required as "thinking like a lorry driver." You are no longer routing to a destination — you are routing from charger to charger, with the destination being the last stop on a carefully planned chain. The good news is that the tools to do this have improved dramatically.
A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) is widely regarded as the most capable tool for EV towing route planning. It allows you to specify your vehicle, set a custom consumption figure to reflect towing load (typically 50–80% higher than the default), and plan a route that automatically identifies suitable charge stops at appropriate intervals. The app is free at basic level and well worth the premium subscription for a regular tower.
Beyond the app, a few practical habits make towing trips significantly smoother:
Before you hitch up and pull out of the drive, run through these checks. Several of them are worth doing well before the day of departure — a legal or equipment issue is far easier to resolve in the week before you leave than at 7am on a Saturday morning with a packed caravan and impatient children.
Towing with an EV requires more planning than an equivalent petrol trip, but the experience of arriving at a campsite or holiday park having spent a fraction of the fuel cost — and with no petrol smell in the caravan — is one that converts most people quickly. For making sure you're also getting the best value from your charging subscriptions day-to-day, use the EV Subs UK calculator to compare network costs before you sign up.
How much does towing affect the range of an electric car?
Towing typically cuts an EV's usable range by 30% to 50% due to increased aerodynamic drag and weight. For planning purposes, a good rule of thumb is to halve your car's official WLTP range and plan for charging stops every 80–100 miles.
Are all electric vehicles allowed to tow a caravan or trailer?
"No. Not all EVs are type-approved for towing. You must check your vehicle's VIN plate (located in the engine bay or door frame); if the train weight is zero or blank, the car is not legally allowed to tow. Retrofitting a towbar to a non-approved vehicle is illegal and invalidates your insurance.
Can I use standard public chargers while towing a trailer?
Most standard charging bays are too small for car-and-trailer combinations. You should specifically seek out 'pull-through' bays provided by networks like GRIDSERVE and Osprey. If these aren't available, you may need to unhitch your trailer in a safe area before charging.
Does towing a caravan affect EV insurance in the UK?
Most comprehensive policies cover towing, but you must verify that your car is type-approved for the load. Towing with a vehicle not rated for it will invalidate your insurance. It is also recommended to check if your policy covers the caravan's contents while in transit.
How can I improve my EV's range while towing?
Reducing your motorway speed from 70 mph to 60 mph can extend your range by 15–20% by decreasing aerodynamic drag. Additionally, pre-conditioning your battery before reaching a rapid charger ensures faster charging speeds, especially in cooler weather.
