4 HN users recommended this explainer3 months2025–2026score 3
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN cites it as data-backed evidence that weight has little effect on EV range while air resistance from trailers does.
Aging Wheels tests how towing trailers affects the range of electric trucks, including a Silverado EV. It shows that trailer aerodynamics matters far more than added weight.
“The YouTube channel Aging Wheels has two good videos on this.” (HN, 2026)
It’s pretty complicated. The issue with hauling is that it craters your aerodynamics and explodes your rolling resistance, so you need massive battery capacity. Or to slow down, but most people don’t want to do that. Aging wheels has a recent video on the subject: [this video]
The new huge GM EV & SUV trucks do have way more battery - and weight. The GM Silverado EV Work Truck is EPA 492 miles, tested at 530 by edmonds. So take the common rule of thumb, divide range by half or maybe a little more and you get about 250 miles of towing range. [link] . In a couple of recent youtube videos, "Aging Wheels" thoroughly tested a variety of trailers towed behind a variety of vehicles and then also added weight to the trailer to see the efficiency impact of towing a trailer with a lot more weight. They found a 4.3% efficiency drop by adding weight to max out the towing, compared to towing without the extra weight. Weight isn't what matters on towing impact, it's the wind resistance of the trailer that matters much more. They did a long series of comparison drives (in the about 30 mins video) with different trailers and then loaded them with extra weight to see the impact. It was smaller than you expect. The video with all the tests is [this video] . I heard about this on the batteries included podcast where they interview the author of the video above, and kind of give high level summary with some details, [link] .
Thorough tests of trailers and added weight on EV efficiency
> single-charge range issues are pretty much non-existent (for non-towing applications). Readers might enjoy this, though I can't find the conclusions section at a glance: [this video] "The Truth about Electric Towing" - The video author says that weight doesn't make much difference, but aerodynamics does. Towing a big flat piece of plywood that weighs 50 pounds but catches the wind is much worse for your range (or MPG) than towing an entire second truck, if the towed truck is aerodynamic.
Weight matters little, aerodynamics matters a lot when towing
Weight has nearly no effect on range of an EV. The YouTube channel Aging Wheels has two good videos on this. Here he talks about towing, and he demonstrates loading the truck to max capacity makes nearly no difference: [this video] He also covered an attempted Cannonball run where they stuffed two extra battery packs into a Rivian R1T: [link] Real differences makers are smaller wheels and aerodynamics
Loading a truck to max capacity barely changes range
This guy did tests in a different EV truck [this video] The results were: 1. Adding weight to the bed, if it doesn't affect aerodynamics, doesn't affect highway range much. For stop-and-go traffic I assume the range would get worse, but he didn't test it. 2. Adding a big air pusher to an otherwise empty trailer murders the range 3. Adding an aerodynamic car or truck on a trailer is better for your range than the air pusher I do wish it was a hybrid. Maybe small companies don't have the knowledge built up to make a good hybrid drivetrain but hell, Edison is going for it. They're planning to build logging trucks with a diesel generator under the hood as prime mover for a series plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It looks very practical and their initial tests show it tows great. (Since that's their entire selling point, they'd have to fold if it couldn't haul logs)
Weight matters little; trailer aerodynamics matters most
I understood that reference. :) One funny thing though... the issues have had more to do with volumetric energy capacity than weight. See also tests like this: [this video] That's why vehicles like Semi trucks can get by with batteries that are only ~4x bigger than a Silverado EV, weigh 8.5x more, and still manage to also produce higher ranges.
Tests showing weight matters less than expected for EV range
> 500 miles with what load? Since cargo is enclosed on most semis, assuming identical trailers load doesn't really matter. Aging Wheels has a video on testing that in the silverado ev and got about 5%: [this video]
> Rivian an electric car company admits that towing will reduce your range. There’s a reason for that. The reason is the increased resistances (air and rolling) from the trailer: [this video]
Shows air and rolling resistance from trailers reduce range
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