Tesla Model 3 and a glider

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.

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 1:19:35 PM UTC-8, 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.

I found this youtube video of a towing test with a model X. The results were not impressive. They were towing a horse trailer (4,500 lb), not a glider trailer. Power consumption jumped 3.8x at 70 mph, lower at 55 mph (about 2..7x). This was on flat ground at high altitude (less air resistance). My guess is that you will be around 2x with a glider trailer. Better plan your trip carefully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhX3BmhJXc8

Tom

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 1:19:35 PM UTC-8, 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUDg86sKZMg

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 8:54:15 PM UTC-8, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 1:19:35 PM UTC-8, 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUDg86sKZMg

How stupid is that?

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

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 9:19:35 PM UTC, 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.

Towing capacity is 910kg (legally, not practically). Hope it's a light glider.

I tow my 1-26 with a 3/4 ton ford pickup and we still take a pretty good shaking when around the semi’s.

2G wrote on 12/13/2019 7:49 PM:
On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 1:19:35 PM UTC-8, 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.

I found this youtube video of a towing test with a model X. The results were not impressive. They were towing a horse trailer (4,500 lb), not a glider trailer. Power consumption jumped 3.8x at 70 mph, lower at 55 mph (about 2..7x). This was on flat ground at high altitude (less air resistance). My guess is that you will be around 2x with a glider trailer. Better plan your trip carefully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhX3BmhJXc8

My Dodge Caravan got about 27 mpg when not towing, about 20 mpg when towing a 1700
pound glider trailer. A Model 3 is slightly heavier, a modern trailer is lower
drag, so I would expect a Model 3 range to drop no more than it did on my Caravan;
ie, a power consumption increase of 35%, not 100%. My measurements on two other
vehicles I used to tow glider trailers indicated the change in mileage was
proportional to the weight change. For a 4000 pound vehicle towing a 1700 trailer,
that would be about a 40% increase in power consumption.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

If I was just towing within civilized areas an elect vehicle might be ok. I know Marion Cruze used to tow his 1-26 all across the country with a vw beetle without problems. But if I am operating out in the wilds of say UT/NM/NV, I dont think I would depend on something small and/or electric.

Wow!Â* Terrific!!!Â* A whole quarter of a mile.Â* Let's fill 'em both up
and send them out across Kansas...

On 12/13/2019 9:54 PM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 1:19:35 PM UTC-8, 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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUDg86sKZMg

--
Dan, 5J