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If you tow that much with a half ton it's not ideal (or even smart), because even though it can tow that much it's not particularly good at it. I own a vehicle

If you tow that much with a half ton it's not ideal (or even smart), because even though it can tow that much it's not particularly good at it. I own a vehicle that can tow 11,000lbs in a half ton format and it's nothing when compared to towing with a similar model 3/4 ton variant. 1/2 ton trucks are designed for the occasional tow of recreational vehicles and light duty trailers. I would never tow anything over 10k lbs even though my vehicle was rated at it. A half ton towing 6-7k lbs is a heavy load and it's getting a bit ridiculous that auto manufacturers are putting ideas in people's heads that 1/2 ton trucks are direct replacements for a 3/4 or full ton vehicle. Suspension, transmission and drivetrain in a half ton are designed first and foremost for comfort these days. They are not full time tow vehicles and they don't tow like 3/4 ton trucks. At some point the NHTSA is going to need to step in and put limits on what 1/2 tons are limited to towing because it's becoming dangerous. For those who don't know the rating is mostly the GVWR of the truck. In simple terms that means the GVWR of a 3/4 ton truck is 1.5x that of a 1/2 ton truck. That is a huge difference and for those who have done a lot of towing in their lives it's night and day in terms of tow performance all around. Acceleration, braking, sway control, visibility, handling under load, etc.

sunstone 7y ago
All true, though the electric trucks with a much lower center of mass and the evenly distributed weight of the battery will improve on this somewhat.
- windexh8er 7y ago
  The Cyber Truck is 1000-1500lbs heavier than an F150 (depending on models/options). Weight is a huge factor in towing as you need a heavier tow vehicle as your tow weight increases, otherwise you lose handling characteristics when said trailer starts to push and pull on the tow vehicle through normal (and abnormal) driving circumstances. The added weight of the Cyber Truck will actually help it in terms of stability during towing and, in many cases, it will likely tow better than most half ton trucks currently on the market. I'm curious to see how it plays out in reality. And your points help as well - since trucks are naturally higher CG vehicles the batteries are also going to be a competitive advantage in making it more nimble all around. I'd happily trade my current tow vehicle for something that can do 500 miles towing 6k lbs. That would cover 95% of my use cases I have a tow vehicle for in the first place.
  - sunstone 7y ago
    That's a good point about the extra weight of the Cyber Truck which I wasn't aware of and yes, I can see how that all translates into better towing characteristics all around.
mattmaroon 7y ago
Right, so I assume that an F-150 that's rated for 14,000 lbs towing a 6,000 lb camper is safe. I do this for about 15,000 miles a year. I've had no problems, but I wouldn't want to tow much heavier of a load. Which makes me wonder how much is that Tesla (that at the lowest end is rated for 7,000 lbs) actually safe to tow? I'm going to guess it's a lot less than 7,000 lbs. And the higher-end models just have more pulling power, and I guess they weigh a bit more due to the battery.
- rhinoceraptor 7y ago
  I think the limiting factor for towing in EVs is just the ability to reject heat.

sunstone 7y ago

All true, though the electric trucks with a much lower center of mass and the evenly distributed weight of the battery will improve on this somewhat.

windexh8er 7y ago
The Cyber Truck is 1000-1500lbs heavier than an F150 (depending on models/options). Weight is a huge factor in towing as you need a heavier tow vehicle as your tow weight increases, otherwise you lose handling characteristics when said trailer starts to push and pull on the tow vehicle through normal (and abnormal) driving circumstances. The added weight of the Cyber Truck will actually help it in terms of stability during towing and, in many cases, it will likely tow better than most half ton trucks currently on the market. I'm curious to see how it plays out in reality. And your points help as well - since trucks are naturally higher CG vehicles the batteries are also going to be a competitive advantage in making it more nimble all around. I'd happily trade my current tow vehicle for something that can do 500 miles towing 6k lbs. That would cover 95% of my use cases I have a tow vehicle for in the first place.
- sunstone 7y ago
  That's a good point about the extra weight of the Cyber Truck which I wasn't aware of and yes, I can see how that all translates into better towing characteristics all around.

mattmaroon 7y ago

Right, so I assume that an F-150 that's rated for 14,000 lbs towing a 6,000 lb camper is safe. I do this for about 15,000 miles a year. I've had no problems, but I wouldn't want to tow much heavier of a load. Which makes me wonder how much is that Tesla (that at the lowest end is rated for 7,000 lbs) actually safe to tow? I'm going to guess it's a lot less than 7,000 lbs. And the higher-end models just have more pulling power, and I guess they weigh a bit more due to the battery.

rhinoceraptor 7y ago
I think the limiting factor for towing in EVs is just the ability to reject heat.