By: Otaiba Ahsan
The Tesla Cybertruck has been a polarizing vehicle. Whether it’s because of the unique design, the price point, or the bold claims made by eccentric Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, the car has divided many. Through all the noise, people can forget that this is still a vehicle that you’ll see on the road, and they may neglect some of the more important details. With this being a truck, a critical factor for many is how much the car can load. So, what is the towing capacity for the Tesla Cybertruck? Continue for more.
Towing Capacity
Towing capacity refers to how much weight your car can safely pull behind your truck with a trailer. For both the dual- and tri-motor Cybertruck models, they have a respectable towing capacity of 11,000 pounds. As for the single-motor variant, this drops down to 7,500 pounds.
How does this compare to other trucks on the market? While it’s not number one on any list, it’s still among one of the best for electric trucks. For example, the Ford F-150 Lightning has a towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds, and the Rivian R1T comes in at 11,000 pounds, which is the same as the Cybertruck.
Towing Guidelines
There are several guidelines that one should follow when towing a trailer, as it puts additional load on the motors, drive train, brakes, suspension, and more. As a result, this can significantly decrease the range. With that being said, here are some of the tips provided by Tesla directly:
- Driving Speed: You should reduce the speed you drive at and avoid sudden maneuvers. This is especially important, as things like steering, turning radius, and braking performance are all altered when towing.
- Following Distance: Increase the distance you keep between yourself and the next car. Tesla recommends keeping this gap twice as much as it normally is, which helps avoid any sudden and heavy braking scenarios.
- Avoid Sharp Turns: Extremely sharp turns can cause the trailer to come in contact with your Cybertruck, which could lead to damage. Wider turns are always preferred.
- Periodic Checks: It’s important to periodically check on things like the trailer lights, the trailer brakes, and to confirm if the cargo is secure.
If you follow these guidelines when towing using the Cybertruck, you can hopefully decrease the likelihood of any issues arising.
The Bottom Line
So, what is the towing capacity for the Tesla Cybertruck? In short, it’s 11,000 pounds, or 4,990 kg for the dual- and tri-motor configurations. Additionally, for the single-motor model it drops down to 7,500 pounds, or 3,402 kg. Overall, these are extremely respectable numbers in comparison to other electric trucks such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T. Hopefully, in future iterations of the Cybertruck, Tesla will be able to build on this aspect of the car, and improve its overall towing capacity.