On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 4:19:35 PM UTC-5, bertvaneyken wrote:
Is there anyone using a Tesla Model 3 to tow his/her glider regularly?

Curious about the impact on range and usability to go on (European) gliding holiday.

Haters will hate... that ain't stupid at all, quite the opposite, it can be a memorable trip.

I have towed my gliders around the US with a Model S, best trips were with the 1-26 which has an open trailer and thus causes quite a lot of drag, and it can get shaky when passing behind a semi-truck (wake turbulence LOL). Electric cars are subjected to the same laws of physics, drag is proportional to the square of speed and thus you need to charge more often, so you may need to drive a bit slower to make it to your destination, given the amount of energy in the car... sounds familiar Mr MacCread? You have to fine tune your Speed to Ride, yes. Same difference as with a ICE towing vehicle, except you want to charge in properly designated areas with high amp plugs.

The beauty of your Tesla is that it tells you from inside the car where are all the chargers (high amp plugs really) and how much juice you are using at the speed you're driving, so it's easier to plan than to fly cross country on weak thermal over a dense forest in the north east. And the best part: while towing, your autopilot still works just fine, so your hands are free to make a nice espresso for example (using a handpresso?).

So yes you can tow a glider with your Tesla, enjoy!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WAPiksxqyxGn3etcA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/81gyd9afDUatkCwbA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YfhfAwZkgAGGSVXD7