If you’re an active outdoor person or simply like your car to have all the features, then being able to tow a utility trailer is a must-have.
If you own a Nissan LEAF, you’ll be happy to know that it can pull a trailer. While many believe electric vehicles aren’t equipped to perform the task, Nissan LEAF pulls through and can tow around 1,500 lbs (or 680kg), including the trailer’s weight.
Below are more details surrounding the Nissan LEAF’s towing capacity and a few tips to safely tow using your Electric vehicle.
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Can A Nissan Leaf Pull A Trailer?
The Nissan LEAF is a complete package car – it provides the ability to tow on country roads and highways or city traffic.
While the Nissan LEAF is capable of towing, it’s not the best-equipped car for heavy trailer-duty jobs.
To compare, the 2022 Nissan Armada can tow around 8,500 lbs (or 3856kg) – a drastic increase from the LEAF’s towing capacity.
The Nissan LEAF is the perfect car if you’re going on small family vacations where you need a utility trailer to tow beach or camping gear that wouldn’t fit into the car.
How To Safely Tow With The Nissan Leaf
Now that we’ve established the Nissan LEAF’s towing capacity, let’s look at how you can safely tow using your LEAF:
Do Not Overload Your Trailer
Many Nissan LEAF owners claim that their car can tow over 1,500 lbs – and while this may very well be possible, you do put your car at risk.
Towing limits of cars are set by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), to ensure the safety of the car and the passengers.
The limits are set to ensure that the car is not compromised and that the OEMs do not have to pay warranties.
OEMs generally keep their finances at heart when setting these limits. If you tow more than their recommended weight and the car is damaged, you are liable for incurred damages.
Do Not Speed
You want to drive extra cautiously and keep your speed slow whenever you tow anything.
Whenever you tow something, the car becomes more challenging to control – this is especially important to know and note since the LEAF is not designed for heavy-duty towing, so go easy on the accelerator pedal.
Consider Your Battery Pack Capacity And Range
When towing something, your Nissan LEAF will lose range because the powertrain uses more power from the battery pack to compensate for the increased load – the same happens when you use a gas & diesel engine.
It would be best if you didn’t bet on your Nissan LEAF getting a maximum of 239 miles when you tow something.
Many Nissan LEAF owners find that they lose around 20% to 40% range when they’re towing. The percentage of the lost range depends on what the towing weight is as well as the condition of the road.
If you tow in hot weather on sandy terrain, the range will drastically decrease compared to driving on a highway in optimal conditions.
Ensure Your Tires Are In Good Condition
Ensuring your tires are in good condition and have good pressure is vital when you’re planning on towing for longer distances.
Before your trip, you want to ensure that your Nissan LEAF has gone for its most recent service and that your tires are roadworthy.
Conclusion
The Nissan LEAF can tow small loads – it’s the ideal car if you like going on family road trips to the beach or love camping.
There are a few ways you can ensure you and your Nissan LEAF travel safely with a load in tow.
- Keep an eye on your trailer weight, do not overload your trailer.
- Do not speed when towing a trailer.
- Consider battery range.
- Make sure your tires are in good condition.
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