EV towing capacity is the maximum trailer mass the manufacturer rates for that car, in that configuration. It is a legal and warranty limit, not a prediction of range, cooling, or hitch hardware you actually have. The number on a US brochure is usually pounds. The number in this catalog is kilograms.
Snapshot 6 September 2026. 1,372 available rows in the evstats.org file. 957 store a positive tow_capacity_kg (69.8%). 351 store 0. 64 have no value. Among the 957 that can tow, the median is 1,500 kg and the maximum is 3,000 kg. This is not a US pickup census. The file has no Rivian, Cybertruck, F-150 Lightning, Hummer, Silverado, or Sierra row.
Table of Contents
- What towing capacity means
- How we counted
- The catalog census
- Named rows and option packages
- kg vs lb, and SAE J2807
- Braked vs unbraked
- Payload, hook load, and GTW
- Range while towing
- What this file is not
- Quick answers
- Sources
What towing capacity means
The rating is the heaviest trailer the maker says that vehicle may pull when it is set up as the brochure describes. Change the towbar, the wheels, the market, or the options list and the number can move. Porsche states that in public: the Cayenne Electric’s optional towbar is 3,000 kg and a 120 kg hook load; add the Off-Road package and those become 3,500 kg and 140 kg (Porsche, international Cayenne Electric page, retrieved 6 September 2026).
People mash this together with payload. Payload is people, cargo, and tongue weight on the tow vehicle. Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the car plus that load. Gross combination / train weight is the car plus the trailer. A trailer under the hitch limit can still put you over payload if the cabin is full. KBB’s EV towing explainer is built on that split. So is every competent handbook.
Power is a rate. Energy is a quantity. The hitch rating is neither. It is a mass. kW vs kWh is the other pair people confuse on the same spec sheet.
How we counted
We read tow_capacity_kg on every row with is_available true in cars-summary.json on 6 September 2026. Positive means greater than zero. Zero means the file stores no towing. Null means the cell is empty, not that we inferred zero. We do not average zeros into the median of the cars that can tow. We do not collapse variants into one model. ev-database.org’s towing cheatsheet publishes its own average (1,086 kg on the page we fetched) and says that figure is corrected for multiple versions. That is a different method. Do not mix the two.
The summary file has one towing cell. It does not store a separate unbraked kilogram figure. On the named rows we checked against OEM tables, the cell matches the published braked number (Cayenne 3,000, iX 2,500, EV9 AWD 2,500, EV9 RWD 900). Treat other rows as catalog values, not as a second homologation document.
The catalog census
Available rows, 6 September 2026:
| Set | Rows | Share of 1,372 |
|---|---|---|
| Positive rating | 957 | 69.8% |
| Stored as 0 | 351 | 25.6% |
| Null | 64 | 4.7% |
Positive ratings only: minimum 300 kg, median 1,500 kg, mean 1,376 kg, maximum 3,000 kg. The most common positive value is 1,000 kg (174 rows). 1,500 kg is 3,307 lb. 3,000 kg is 6,614 lb. Those conversions use the international pound (0.45359237 kg).
| Bucket | Rows |
|---|---|
| 0 kg (no towing in file) | 351 |
| 1–749 kg | 42 |
| 750–999 kg | 154 |
| 1,000–1,499 kg | 266 |
| 1,500–1,999 kg | 344 |
| 2,000–2,499 kg | 129 |
| 2,500–2,999 kg | 16 |
| 3,000 kg | 6 |
Body type is the useful cut. An SUV in this file usually has a number. A hatchback usually does not.
| Body | Available | tow > 0 | Share | Max kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV | 676 | 588 | 87.0% | 3,000 |
| Van | 146 | 120 | 82.2% | 2,300 |
| Sedan | 288 | 186 | 64.6% | 2,300 |
| Wagon | 61 | 30 | 49.2% | 2,100 |
| Hatchback | 189 | 33 | 17.5% | 1,200 |
| Convertible | 9 | 0 | 0% | — |
| Coupe | 3 | 0 | 0% | — |
The cars live in the catalog. Put two side by side in the comparison tool if the decision is a pair, not a histogram.
Named rows and option packages
The six 3,000 kg rows are Porsche Cayenne Electric MY26 variants, including the Cayenne Electric at 520 km WLTP. Porsche’s own page allows 3,500 kg only with the Off-Road package. The catalog stores the un-optioned 3,000 kg figure. If a listicle prints 3,500 kg as the default, it is quoting the package, not this cell.
The next band is 2,500 kg. That includes the BMW iX xDrive60 (525 km) and the Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD (435 km). BMW’s UK technical table lists that iX family as 2,500 kg braked (up to 12% grade) and 100 kg towbar download. Kia UK splits the EV9: RWD braked 900 kg and 45 kg tow ball; AWD braked 2,500 kg and 125 kg tow ball. The catalog matches both: the EV9 76.1 kWh RWD is 900 kg. Same nameplate, not the same hitch.
Range and towing are different jobs. The Lucid Air Grand Touring (MY25–26) is 720 km WLTP in this file and stores 0 kg towing. The Lucid Gravity Grand Touring (MY26) is 615 km and 2,500 kg. Lucid’s US press release (Gravity Grand Touring, towing package) says up to 6,000 lb, about 2,722 kg. That is a different market figure and an option. We do not overwrite the 2,500 kg cell with it. The longest-range leaderboard sorts kilometres, not kilograms on the hitch.
Other rows we checked against OEM pages: Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD stores 1,600 kg; Tesla’s UK/EU Model Y manual lists 1,600 kg braked, 750 kg unbraked, and 100 kg at the coupling point. Ioniq 5 84 kWh AWD (MY24) stores 1,600 kg; Hyundai’s tech-spec table for that family is 1,600 kg braked / 750 kg unbraked / 100 kg noseweight. The 63 kWh RWD Ioniq 5 in this file is 750 kg. ID. Buzz LWB GTX stores 1,600 kg; Volkswagen’s March 2024 GTX press note is 1,600 kg braked on the long wheelbase (8% gradient).
kg vs lb, and SAE J2807
US listicles rank in pounds because that is what US window stickers and truck ads use. SAE J2807 is a recommended practice for setting gross combination weight rating and trailer weight rating on vehicles up to 14,000 lb GVWR. SAE reaffirmed it on 21 November 2024 (J2807_202411). It is a test-and-calculation method, not a law, and it is not how this catalog’s kilogram cell is stored.
11,000 lb is about 4,990 kg. That is Rivian’s published R1T figure. It is also 1,990 kg above the highest row in this file. A page that crowns a 3,000 kg Cayenne as “the best EV for towing” against that SERP is answering a different market.
Braked vs unbraked
Braked capacity assumes the trailer has a working brake system. Unbraked capacity is the much smaller figure for a trailer that relies on the car. EU type-approval (Regulation 1230/2012) caps unbraked towable mass at 750 kg and braked towable mass at 3,500 kg. Coupling-point mass must be at least 4% of the towable mass and at least 25 kg. In the UK, GOV.UK also requires working trailer brakes above 750 kg loaded (retrieved 6 September 2026). That is why so many European unbraked ratings sit at 750 kg, and why this catalog’s 3,000 kg ceiling is still under the EU braked cap.
This summary file does not give you both numbers. If you are looking at a small box trailer, read the vehicle plate and the handbook, not only the catalog cell.
Payload, hook load, and GTW
Hook load (tongue / tow-ball weight) is the downward force on the hitch. It counts against payload, not against the trailer-mass rating. Porsche quotes 120 kg or 140 kg on the Cayenne Electric. BMW quotes 100 kg on the iX. Tesla’s Model Y manual quotes 100 kg. Kia UK quotes 45 kg on the RWD EV9 and 125 kg on the AWD. A 10% tongue on a 2,500 kg trailer is 250 kg, which is already over those hook limits. The door-jamb plate wins over a listicle.
Gross train weight is the other ceiling. Kia UK prints it on the same EV9 table (3,970 kg RWD, 5,740 / 5,690 kg AWD by seat count). You can be legal on trailer mass and still over GTW once the cabin and boot are full. We do not store GTW on the summary row. The EV specifications note is the right one: keep braked and unbraked as separate fields if you are building a schema. This file has not done that yet.
Range while towing
A hitch rating does not hold WLTP range constant. Drag from a boxy trailer usually costs more than the kilograms. ADAC’s 2022 caravan test on a Kia EV6 with a 1,600 kg van recorded 83% extra consumption and range falling from about 400 km to 220 km. That is a European car and a European trailer, not a US pickup. Rivian’s support page still says the R1T is rated 11,000 lb and that hauling that mass “will reduce range by about 50%.” That truck is not in this catalog. Neither figure is a universal multiplier. Independent US tests (Consumer Reports, MotorTrend, Edmunds) spread from about 27% loss on an aero trailer at 55 mph to under a third of EPA range at near-max load and highway speed.
We have no towing-consumption field. Do not turn 1,500 kg into a secret range multiplier. For cold, unladen range the existing page is cold-weather range. Towing on a motorway is a worse experiment than that page describes.
What this file is not
It is not SAE J2807. It is not a US lb sticker. It is not a list of “best EVs for towing” scored by vibes. It is one kilogram cell on a Type 2 / CCS-weighted catalog. A row at 0 can still grow a towbar in another market. A row at 2,500 kg can still need a package you did not tick. Confirm the VIN, the plate, and the handbook before you put a trailer on the road.
Quick answers
How much can an EV tow? In this file, 69.8% of available rows have a positive kg rating. The median of those is 1,500 kg. The maximum is 3,000 kg. Plenty of hatchbacks store 0.
What is the difference between braked and unbraked? Braked assumes trailer brakes. Unbraked is lower. EU type-approval caps unbraked at 750 kg and braked at 3,500 kg. This catalog cell is a single number, usually the braked figure on the rows we checked.
Does towing cut EV range? Yes. How much depends on the trailer’s drag, speed, and grade. ADAC measured 83% extra use on an EV6 with a 1,600 kg caravan (about 400 km to 220 km). Rivian publishes about 50% at 11,000 lb on the R1T. That truck is not in this file.
How do I convert kg to lb? Divide kilograms by 0.45359237, or multiply by about 2.2046. 1,500 kg is 3,307 lb. 3,000 kg is 6,614 lb.
Why does a long-range sedan show 0? Because the maker did not rate that variant for a trailer, or this file has no figure. The Lucid Air GT is 720 km here and 0 kg. The Gravity GT is 615 km and 2,500 kg.
Sources
- evstats.org catalog extract, 6 September 2026. 1,372 available rows. Field:
tow_capacity_kg. Arithmetic in this page is on that extract. - Porsche, Cayenne Electric (international): 3,000 kg / 120 kg hook; 3,500 kg / 140 kg with Off-Road package. https://www.porsche.com/international/models/cayenne/cayenne-electric-models/cayenne-electric/
- BMW iX technical data (UK/SG/CA tables): 2,500 kg braked up to 12% / 100 kg towbar download. https://www.bmw.co.uk/en/all-models/bmw-i/ix/bmw-ix-technical-data.html
- Kia UK, EV9 specifications: RWD 900 kg braked / 45 kg ball; AWD 2,500 kg / 125 kg. https://www.kia.com/uk/new-cars/ev9/specification/
- Lucid Group IR, 2026 Gravity Grand Touring: up to 6,000 lb with towing package (US). https://ir.lucidmotors.com/news-releases/news-release-details/introducing-2026-lucid-gravity-grand-touring-force-attraction
- Rivian Support, “How does towing affect range?”: R1T 11,000 lb; R1S 7,700 lb; ~50% range at 11,000 lb. https://rivian.com/support/article/how-does-towing-affect-range
- GOV.UK, trailers and towing equipment: working brakes if the loaded trailer weighs over 750 kg. https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/trailer-and-towing-equipment
- SAE J2807_202411, reaffirmed 21 November 2024. Vehicles up to 14,000 lb GVWR. https://saemobilus.sae.org/standards/j2807_202411-performance-requirements-determining-tow-vehicle-gross-combination-weight-rating-and-trailer-weight-rating
- Regulation (EU) No 1230/2012 (consolidated 2 Dec 2019): unbraked towable mass ≤ 750 kg; braked ≤ 3,500 kg; coupling-point mass ≥ 4% and ≥ 25 kg. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02012R1230-20191202
- Tesla Model Y owner’s manual (en_gb): 1,600 kg braked / 750 kg unbraked / 100 kg coupling-point. https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_gb/GUID-A6D6CF75-C9CA-4140-97FA-341E27E3B4D8.html
- Hyundai IONIQ 5 tech-spec table: 1,600 kg braked / 750 kg unbraked / 100 kg noseweight. https://dmassets.hyundai.com/is/content/hyundaiautoever/IONIQ_5_Tech_and_Spec_Guidepdf
- Volkswagen newsroom, ID. Buzz GTX (21 Mar 2024): LWB 1,600 kg braked (8% gradient). https://www.volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/press-releases/world-premiere-of-the-new-id-buzz-gtx-with-4motion-all-wheel-drive-18306
- ADAC, Elektroauto mit Wohnwagen (2022): EV6 + 1,600 kg caravan, +83% consumption, ~400 km to ~220 km. https://www.adac.de/reise-freizeit/ratgeber/tests/elektroauto-mit-wohnwagen/
- NIST SP 1038: avoirdupois pound = 0.45359237 kg.
- ev-database.org towing-weight cheatsheet (SERP peer, different average method). https://ev-database.org/cheatsheet/towingweight-electric-car