Tesla Model Y Towing Capacity — Full Guide
The Model Y is rated to tow 3,500 lb with Tesla's tow package — which is an option box, not standard equipment. Hitched to a box travel trailer at the rating, expect around 175 miles of real range, a 46% cut from the unladen 326 mi.
Verified May 2026.
Tesla Model Y towing specs
- Max tow rating: 3,500 lb, with Tesla's tow package fitted
- Recommended tongue weight: 350–525 lb at the rating (10–15% of loaded trailer weight)
- Hitch receiver:2″, Class III territory at the full rating
- Trailer brake controller: none integrated — an aftermarket unit is required for a braked trailer
- Battery: 75 kWh — 326 mi EPA
- Energy use (unladen): 28 kWh per 100 mi
- Peak DC fast charge: 250 kW (10–80% in about 27 minutes unladen)
The tow package is where most Model Y towing questions actually get answered. It is a factory option, its availability has moved around by model year and trim, and a car without it carries no tow rating — bolting on an aftermarket hitch does not create one. If you are shopping used specifically to tow, confirm the package on the window sticker or the original order rather than trusting a listing photo of a receiver.
Model Y range while towing
Towing range is set by the trailer's shape far more than its weight. Aerodynamic drag grows with the square of speed, so a tall, flat-fronted box costs a Model Y more than a heavier low trailer does. The estimates below hold speed at 65 mph and vary only the trailer.
| Load | Weight | Towing range* | Loss vs. 326 mi EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small utility trailer | 1,000 lb | ~244 mi | −25% |
| Teardrop camper | 1,500 lb | ~241 mi | −26% |
| Boat + trailer | 2,500 lb | ~220 mi | −33% |
| Open utility / car hauler | 3,000 lb | ~206 mi | −37% |
| Box travel trailer at max rating | 3,500 lb | ~175 mi | −46% |
*Estimates from EVMath's towing model (aerodynamic drag + trailer weight, calibrated against independent road tests) at a steady 65 mph in mild weather. Cold, hills, and headwinds lower every figure.
The practical read: the Model Y tows a teardrop nearly as far as a long-range gas SUV goes on a tank, and tows a box trailer barely half as far. If your trailer is tall and square, the rating is not what limits your day — the charging stops are. Every 175-mile leg ends at a Supercharger, and the running-cost math against a gas SUV shifts when a third of your towing miles get charged at road-trip DC rates instead of at home.
Estimate your own trailer
The calculator below is preloaded with the Model Y. Change the trailer weight, shape, and speed to model the load you'll actually pull — it flags anything over the 3,500 lb rating.
Vehicle
⚠ This exceeds the Tesla Model Y's 3,500 lb max tow rating. Don't tow above the manufacturer limit.
Trailer shape
Standard box-front travel trailer or small RV — shape matters more than weight at highway speed.
Estimated range while towing
167 mi
vs 326 mi EPA unladen
Range lost
−49%
51% of EPA range remains
Plan a charging stop roughly every 134 mi when towing — you want to stop and recharge before dropping below ~20%, and DC fast sites that fit a truck and trailer are still scarce.
Where the range went
- Aerodynamic drag−125 mi
- Trailer weight−33 mi
- Consumption vs unladen×1.95
For unladen driving, the EV range calculator adds temperature and payload effects, and why EVs lose range when towing explains the physics behind these numbers.
Model Y vs. Model X towing
The Tesla Model X LRis the obvious step up inside Tesla's lineup: it tows 5,000 lb to the Model Y's 3,500 lb, and its 100 kWh pack pulls the same trailer farther. Against the same 3,500 lb box trailer at 65 mph, the Model X estimates out to about 186 miles versus the Model Y's 175 — 11 extra miles between stops.
What that gap is worth depends entirely on your trailer. Under 3,500 lb, the Model X buys you range and headroom, not capability, for about $40,000 more. Above it, the Model Y is simply out of the running — a trailer between 3,500 lb and 5,000 lb is a Model X question, and anything past 5,000 lb is a Cybertruck question.
| SUV | Max tow | EPA range | Range with a 3,500 lb box trailer* | Peak DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model X LR | 5,000 lb | 348 mi | ~186 mi | 250 kW |
| Tesla Model Y | 3,500 lb | 326 mi | ~175 mi | 250 kW |
| Polestar 3 Long Range | 3,500 lb | 350 mi | ~188 mi | 250 kW |
| Cadillac Lyriq | 3,500 lb | 314 mi | ~168 mi | 190 kW |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 2,300 lb | 303 mi | Over 2,300 lb rating | 235 kW |
*Every SUV measured against the same trailer — a box travel trailer at the Model Y's 3,500 lb rating, 65 mph — rather than each against its own maximum, which would compare different trailers. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 cannot legally pull this load in the US.
Note how little the tow ratings separate these SUVs. 3,500 lb is the standard ceiling for a mid-size electric SUV — the Polestar 3 Long Range and Cadillac Lyriq land on the same number. What separates them at the hitch is starting range and charging speed, because both determine how long a towing day takes.
Hitch, tongue weight, and trailer brakes
- Hitch receiver:Tesla's tow package fits a 2″ receiver, along with the trailer wiring and Trailer Mode in the software, which adapts the parking sensors and stability control once a trailer is detected. At 3,500 lb the setup sits in Class III territory.
- Tongue weight: keep the vertical load at the ball at 10–15% of the loaded trailer — 350–525 lb at the 3,500 lbrating. Under 10% invites sway; over 15% overloads the rear axle. Tesla publishes a maximum vertical hitch load in the Model Y owner's manual; confirm the figure for your model year.
- Trailer brakes: the Model Y has no integrated trailer brake controller. Most US states require trailer brakes above roughly 3,000 lb, so a trailer anywhere near the 3,500 lbrating needs its own brakes and an aftermarket controller. Check your state's threshold before you hitch up.
- Payload counts too:tongue weight lands on the rear axle and comes out of the Model Y's payload along with passengers and cargo. A full car and a heavy tongue can reach the payload limit before the trailer reaches the tow rating.
- Charging with a trailer attached: most Supercharger stalls are pull-in, not pull-through. Plan for end stalls, or expect to unhitch. At the rating the Model Y needs a stop roughly every 122 usable miles — often enough that stall geometry becomes the real constraint on a towing route.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a Tesla Model Y tow?+
Up to 3,500 lb, and only with Tesla's tow package fitted. The package is a factory option box rather than standard equipment, and availability has moved around by model year and trim — a Model Y without it has no tow rating at all. Check the window sticker or the original order before you buy a used one to tow with.
Can a Tesla Model Y tow a camper?+
Yes, within limits. A 3,500 lb rating covers teardrops, pop-ups, and small box travel trailers — but the number that matters is the trailer's loaded weight, not its dry weight on the brochure. Water, propane, and gear routinely add several hundred pounds. It is not enough for a mid-size travel trailer or a toy hauler. Expect about 175 miles of range with a box trailer at the rating, so a camping trip becomes a charging trip: plan stops roughly every 122 usable miles.
What is the Tesla Model Y range while towing?+
Plan on roughly 175 miles with a box travel trailer at the 3,500 lb rating at 65 mph — about a 46% cut from the unladen 326 mi EPA figure. Lighter, lower trailers cost far less: a teardrop at the same speed estimates out near 241 miles, and a boat on a trailer near 220 miles. Cold weather, hills, and headwinds push all of those lower.
What is the Tesla Model Y's tongue weight limit?+
Aim for 350–525 lb at the ball at the 3,500 lb rating — the conventional 10–15% of loaded trailer weight. Below 10% invites trailer sway; above 15% overloads the rear axle and eats into payload, since tongue weight counts against the same limit as passengers and cargo. Tesla publishes a maximum vertical hitch load in the Model Y owner's manual; confirm the figure for your model year before loading to the top of the band.
What size hitch does the Tesla Model Y use?+
Tesla's factory tow package fits a 2-inch receiver — Class III territory at a 3,500 lb rating — along with the trailer wiring and Trailer Mode in the software. Trailer Mode adapts the parking sensors and stability control once a trailer is detected. There is no integrated trailer brake controller, which matters at the top of the rating: most US states require trailer brakes above roughly 3,000 lb, so a trailer near 3,500 lb needs its own brakes and an aftermarket controller.
Tesla Model Y vs Model X towing — which is better?+
The Tesla Model X LR tows 5,000 lb to the Model Y's 3,500 lb, and its larger 100 kWh pack goes farther with the same trailer — about 186 miles versus 175 with a box trailer at 3,500 lb at 65 mph. Both need Tesla's tow package, and both charge at 250 kW. If your trailer is under 3,500 lb, the Model X buys you roughly 11 extra miles per charge for about $40,000 more — the Model Y is the better value unless you need the capability.
Does towing void the Tesla Model Y warranty or hurt the battery?+
Towing within the published rating with the factory tow package is normal use — it does not void the warranty. It does raise energy consumption sharply while you're hitched up, which means more charging cycles per mile driven. The bigger practical cost is time: at roughly half your normal range, a towing road trip has about twice as many charging stops as the same trip unhitched.
Related calculators and guides
- EV towing range calculator — estimate the Model Y's range for a specific trailer weight, shape, and speed.
- Best EVs for towing in 2026 — every EV that can tow, ranked.
- EV vs. gas TCO calculator — what a Model Y costs to run against the gas SUV it replaces.
- Tesla Cybertruck towing capacity — the 11,000 lb Tesla, when 3,500 lbisn't enough.
- Why EVs lose range when towing — the physics behind the numbers on this page.
- Tesla Model Y full specs
- Tesla EV buyer guide
Tow ratings, range, and consumption figures from EVMath's shared model data (manufacturer and EPA sources, 2025–2026 model years). Real-world towing ranges are estimates from EVMath's towing model, not manufacturer figures. Tongue-weight, hitch-class, and trailer-brake guidance is general — verify against your trailer's ratings, Tesla's owner documentation, and your state's towing laws before hauling.