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Tesla Model X Range Impact When Towing
The Model X is a great tow vehicle — quiet, comfortable, and powerful. But its range is severely reduced when towing a heavy load. Actual range may be less than half that available in normal driving.
Tesla Model X owner Max Kennedy took full advantage of the optional tow package by towing his 4,850 lb. boat and trailer to Tampa Bay, FL on New Year’s Day. He reports his Model X makes an excellent tow vehicle — quiet, comfortable, and powerful as demonstrated in the last segment of the video (6:51 min. marker) where Kennedy effortlessly accelerates from 55 mph to 80 mph within seconds. However, the ability to tow a near 5,000 payload doesn’t come without a cost, and in this case it’s energy consumption.
With a full charge at the beginning of the trip, Kennedy observes the amount of energy consumption by comparing the Tesla’s Instant Range reading with the change in speed and surface street elevation. The Model X consumed an average of 575 watt-hours per mile while traveling at 55 mph in steady state cruising on level roads. Not surprisingly, the amount of energy used drastically increased when the 5,441 lb. Model X plus the additional 4,850 lb. boat and trailer combination was faced with an incline and a slight increase in speed, to the tune of 800 – 900 Wh/mi.
At that rate of energy consumption, the range impact when towing could be cut by 60% or more.
Model X consumed 922 Wh/mi at 60mph (5 mi avg) while towing a 4,850 up a slight incline [Source: Max Kennedy via YouTube]
Reaction to the video on Reddit was immediate. TheSpocker posted, “That’s a huge hit on range. Yikes. I mean, we all knew it would be this way. Aerodynamics are a huge part of Tesla design and that boat wasn’t designed with those concerns. It’s just unfortunate that towing hurts range so much. I hope that most owners of the X can still make it between superchargers while towing on their long-haul routes.”
He continued, “I love Tesla’s. I love electric cars. We still need to recognize that the range when towing on an electric is almost laughable. That’s not a big problem for most people who don’t tow, but it has to be overcome for electric vehicles to directly compete with ICE vehicles.”
The question then becomes, Can the Tesla Model X really compete with conventional trucks or SUVs as a tow vehicle? The answer really depends on a number of factors. If there is no charger available where you are going, your destination may need to be within 50 miles of home or a roundtrip of 100 miles from the originating charging facility. “The problem is it’s more or less irrelevant with an ICE. A truck might have half the range, but it takes a whole two minutes to fill up and keep going.”, writes another user.
In other words, if you are towing a heavy payload up into the mountains or in areas where there’s prolonged inclines (ie. Flagstaff, AZ to Moab, UT), the Model X may not have the range to get you there unless the distance between Supercharger stations are shortened. Some people will have no problem with frequent charging along the way, but for some, towing using an internal combustion engine might still be king.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
