How Much Can The Tesla Cybertruck Tow?

‍Tesla Cybertruck Factory Tow Rating

According to Tesla, the stock maximum tow rating of the Cybertruck will be an astonishing 14,000 lbs, or 6,350 kg. Granted, the 14,000 lb tow rating will likely be reserved for the tri-motor variant, which is considerably costlier than the base two-wheel-drive model.

The tow rating of the base-model Cybertruck is still impressive nonetheless, as the company states it will have a towing capacity of 7,500 lbs, or about 3,400 kg. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant sits between these two and comes in with a tow rating of 10,000 lbs, or 4,535 kg.

Does Towing Affect Range?

Many prospective Cybertruck owners wonder how their driving range will be affected by towing. The Cybertruck does indeed have its own version of a “tow/haul” mode, and when the vehicle is towing, it has a significant effect on driving range.

According to some experts, the Cybertruck’s range will likely be cut in half when doing any serious towing. That means a 500-mile tri-motor Cybertruck could end up with 250 miles of range or less when a trailer is connected, assuming the driver is keeping up with traffic.

The exact range differences are yet to be seen, and we probably won’t have solid numbers until real-world user testing is complete. That said, Cybertruck owners should plan for a 50% range reduction when towing just to be safe.

Possible Extended Towing Range

There has been a considerable amount of speculation that the Cybertruck will be able to tow in excess of 500 miles, as this would be required to compete with many conventional half-ton trucks. Again, we’ll have to wait and see—but if Tesla pulls off an extended towing range, it’ll put the Cybertruck at the top of its class in terms of tow capacity and feasibility.

How is Tow Rating Calculated?

There is a bit of a caveat to these impressive tow ratings, though it is virtually the same issue with the rest of the industry. Tow ratings aren’t issued based on real driving tests. Instead, auto companies test their vehicles in simulated environments, which some argue are designed to benefit the vehicle.

The most useful points to derive from the tow rating are these: it gives you an idea of what your Cybertruck is capable of, and it helps you compare the Cybertruck to other popular industry offerings such as the F-150, F-250, and Silverado.

Is the Tesla Cybertruck a 3/4-Ton Pickup?

With tow ratings that exceed 10,000 lbs, it’s easy to equate the Cybertruck with some pickup trucks in the 3/4-ton class. However, it’s not designed for the kind of heavy hauling that 3/4-ton and 1-ton conventional pickups are capable of. Instead, a more accurate comparison would be to “heavy-half” pickups—or half-ton pickups with beefier suspension and more powerful engines.

So, what does that mean for the consumer? Is the Tesla Cybertruck a good towing rig? For its class, the tri-motor Cybertruck is the most powerful towing rig on the market. That means it’ll probably handle your boat, your camper, or your firewood trailer without breaking a sweat.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s a viable candidate for true heavy-duty work. The Cybertruck can’t compete with big brawny diesels for hauling oil rig parts or sections of buildings quite yet. But for most towing and general light-duty “truck stuff,” the Cybertruck is one of the best options on the market.

How the Cybertruck Compares to Competitors

So, how exactly does the Cybertruck compare to its competitors in terms of towing capacity? In most cases, the top-trim Cybertruck outshines the toughest conventionally-powered half-ton pickups. That said, the base model falls in line with the current industry standard.

Cybertruck Vs Ford F-150 Tow Capacity

The Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the United States and also the most popular pickup truck on the market today. Given that fact, it’s safe to use the F-150 as the standard-bearer for tow capacity and customer expectations.

Current iterations of the F-150 have a towing capacity between 5,000 lbs and 11,300 lbs, or 2,267 kg and 4,990 kg. This falls in line with the base two-wheel-drive Cybertruck and the dual-motor model, though the tri-motor all-wheel-drive Cybertruck offers an additional 3,000 lbs (1,360 kg) of towing capacity.

Cybertruck Vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 Tow Capacity

If you didn’t already know, the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra are mechanically identical and (almost) cosmetically identical. It’s been this way since the 1960s, so we can safely lump the two together for comparison. So, how does GM’s most popular half-ton lineup compare to the Cybertruck?

The Silverado and Sierra can tow between 8,900 lbs (4,036 kg) and 9,700 lbs (4,400 kg). This is a higher base towing capacity than an equivalent F-150, with a lower maximum towing capacity. These vehicles compare best with the rear-wheel-drive and dual-motor Cybertrucks, which have towing capacities of 7,500 lbs (3,400 kg) and 10,000 lbs (4535 kg), respectively.

Cybertruck Vs Ram 1500 Tow Capacity

How does the Cybertruck stack up against the Ram 1500? As you might expect, the tri-motor Cybertruck vastly outdoes the best half-ton ram on the market. The max towing capacity of a Ram 1500 is 8,280 lbs (3,755 kg), which is just shy of 6,000 lbs less than the tri-motor Cybertruck. The base towing capacity of the Ram 1500 is 6,120 lbs (2,775 kg), which is more in line with the two-wheel-drive Cybertruck.

Cybertruck Vs Toyota Tundra Tow Capacity

Interestingly, the Toyota Tundra is the closest half-ton offering to the Cybertruck in terms of towing capacity. The base-model Tundra is rated for 8,300 lbs (3,764 kg), which is higher than the base-model Cybertruck. Additionally, the highest Tundra tow rating is 12,000 lbs (5,443 kg), which is industry-leading and close to the Cybertruck’s 14,000 lb (6350 kg) rating.