I'd read somewhere of a Tesla owner who towed a model S with a model X, and charged it using the regenerative braking.
I thought I'd try that - see if I could tow my 2016 Leaf with my gas pickup truck with a tow strap, all wheels on the ground.
Yes, you can. Mechanically, it's the same as descending a hill. I put the Leaf drive in "B" while my daughter towed it steadily with the truck. No problems, except I almost didn't take it out of "P" in time when she started. We had hands-free cellphones for communication - a huge improvement over my experience in the 1970's being towed through a city by an auto-club mechanic.
Here's a plot from Leaf Spy Pro. From left to right, that's driving the Leaf to a clear stretch of road, stopping, being towed, stopping again, then driving it home.
The handbook specifically says you should not do this - no flat towing. I'm not sure why not; as I say, it's exactly like driving for miles downhill, something you'd do any time you cross a mountain range.
I thought I'd try that - see if I could tow my 2016 Leaf with my gas pickup truck with a tow strap, all wheels on the ground.
Yes, you can. Mechanically, it's the same as descending a hill. I put the Leaf drive in "B" while my daughter towed it steadily with the truck. No problems, except I almost didn't take it out of "P" in time when she started. We had hands-free cellphones for communication - a huge improvement over my experience in the 1970's being towed through a city by an auto-club mechanic.
Here's a plot from Leaf Spy Pro. From left to right, that's driving the Leaf to a clear stretch of road, stopping, being towed, stopping again, then driving it home.
The handbook specifically says you should not do this - no flat towing. I'm not sure why not; as I say, it's exactly like driving for miles downhill, something you'd do any time you cross a mountain range.
