Can Electric Trucks Tow? | The Range Hit Most Buyers Miss

Electric pickup trucks can tow, with maximum capacities from 7,500 to 11,000 pounds, but towing typically cuts driving range by roughly half.

You’ve seen the ads: an electric truck barreling down a highway, a boat behind it, power on tap. The instant torque, the hushed acceleration, the promise of ditching gas pump trips forever. It’s a compelling picture, especially if you own a camper, a horse trailer, or a flatbed loaded with lumber.

The honest answer is more nuanced. Yes, electric trucks can tow — some can match or beat gasoline half-ton trucks on raw capacity. But the range penalty is real, and it changes how you need to plan a trip. Many buyers discover this after the purchase, not before. Here’s what the numbers actually look like across current models.

How Much Can Current Electric Trucks Pull?

The towing capacities on today’s electric pickups land squarely in the half-ton class. The Ford F-150 Lightning, equipped with the Max Trailer Tow Package, tops out at 10,000 pounds. The Rivian R1T pushes even higher at 11,000 pounds — enough for a travel trailer or a pair of snowmobiles on a tandem trailer.

The GMC Hummer EV sits at the lower end of the group with a 7,500-pound capacity. Meanwhile, the 2026 GMC Sierra EV splits the difference at 10,000 pounds with a 1,500-pound payload rating. For context, a typical gasoline Ford F-150 can tow between 8,000 and 13,000 pounds depending on configuration, so the electric versions are not far behind on paper.

The Low-Center Advantage

Where electric trucks surprise drivers is handling. Consumer Reports testers noted that the battery pack sits low in the chassis, giving a low center of gravity that kept the Rivian R1T and Lightning stable with nearly 10,000 pounds hooked up. Instant torque also makes merging easier than with a diesel that needs to spool up.

Why The Range Hit Matters More Than Horsepower

Raw towing numbers make electric trucks look competitive. The real gotcha is what happens to your miles of available range once you actually hook up a load. Most manufacturers rate towing range at roughly 50 percent of non-towing range, assuming you’re pulling up to 80 percent of the truck’s maximum capacity.

Think about what that means in real numbers. A Ford F-150 Lightning with the extended-range battery is EPA-rated at about 320 miles. Hook a 7,000-pound trailer behind it, and you’re looking at closer to 160 miles between charges — less in cold weather or hilly terrain. A gas truck might drop from 22 mpg to 10 mpg, but it fills up in five minutes at any exit.

• Range anxiety shifts to charging logistics: Instead of worrying about running out, you’re worrying about whether the charging station you need can accommodate your trailer. Many highway fast-chargers are pull-through stalls; many are not.
• Towing kills efficiency harder than payload: The battery-electric motor must work harder against aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance. A trailer that doubles your frontal area hurts range more than an extra 500 pounds in the bed.
• Cold weather compounds the loss: Winter temperatures already cut EV range by roughly 20 to 30 percent. Add towing on top, and a 200-mile battery could realistically deliver 100 miles or fewer.
• Charging time adds up: Even a 350 kW fast charger takes 30-40 minutes to bring a large truck battery from 10 to 80 percent. On a 500-mile towing trip, you could be spending two hours or more at chargers, not including detours to find trailer-friendly stations.
• Trip planning becomes mandatory: You cannot assume a charger will be available at your half-range point. Apps like A Better Routeplanner can filter for pull-through stations, but options are sparse in some regions.

None of this makes electric towing impossible — it just changes the calculus from “can it pull?” to “where will I recharge along the way?” Drivers accustomed to filling a gas tank in five minutes need to adjust their expectations.

Real-World Towing Tests: The Sierra EV and a 30-Foot Camper

The 2026 GMC Sierra EV recently demonstrated real-world towing capability with a 30-foot camper. The Sierra EV towing capacity of 10,000 pounds proved sufficient for a large recreational trailer, and the driver reported stable behavior at highway speeds. The test also highlighted that electric trucks can actually tow cheaper than gas trucks in certain scenarios, depending on local electricity rates versus diesel or gasoline prices.

But the same test confirmed the range penalty. The Sierra EV’s estimated range of roughly 400 miles on a full charge dropped significantly with the camper attached. The driver needed to plan charging stops roughly every 100 to 120 miles, versus a gas truck that might make it 250 miles between fuel stops with the same trailer.

Range estimates assume moderate speeds, flat terrain, and temperatures above 50°F. Real-world results will be lower with headwinds, hills, or cold weather.

How To Towing Range Loss Without Regretting Your Purchase

The gap between an EV’s paper spec and its real-world towing range is the biggest source of buyer disappointment. These steps can keep you from being caught off guard:

1. Test-tow before you buy. A dealer test drive without a trailer tells you nothing about towing. Ask if you can hook up a loaded trailer for a 15-mile loop or rent the truck from a place like Turo for a weekend with your own trailer.
2. Map your common route. Plug your most frequent towing trip into A Better Routeplanner or PlugShare with your trailer weight and the specific EV model. If the route requires a 50-mile detour to find a compatible charger, you need to know that before signing.
3. Watch the temperature. If you tow mostly in summer, a Lightning might work fine. If you tow a sled trailer through mountain passes in January, the range loss could turn a 5-hour drive into an 8-hour day.
4. Consider the charging network. Tesla’s Supercharger network is opening to other EVs, but not all stations have pull-through spots. A trailer adds 20 feet to your vehicle; backing into a tight charging spot is not always possible.

Towing with an electric truck is absolutely doable for many people. The key is matching your actual towing habits to the truck’s real-world range, not its EPA number.

What Consumer Reports And Real World Tests Reveal About EV Towing

Independent testing from Consumer Reports towing test of the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T found that both trucks towed “impressively easy” with heavy loads. Testers praised the instant torque for merging and passing, and the low center of gravity for preventing the tail-wags-dog feeling that can happen with shorter-wheelbase gas trucks.

However, the same test confirmed the practical limitation: the range reduction is severe enough that long-distance towing requires deliberate planning. Consumer Reports noted that the Lightning’s 10,000-pound capacity is real — you can pull 10,000 pounds — but you won’t go very far doing it before you need to find a compatible charger.

The Bottom Line

Electric trucks can absolutely tow — the Rivian R1T’s 11,000 pounds and the Lightning’s 10,000 pounds prove the hardware is capable. The trade-off is range, which effectively halves under load, and the charging infrastructure that still favors sedans over trucks with trailers. For short hauls, local towing, or campers under 5,000 pounds, an electric pickup is a solid choice. For cross-country towing with a heavy boat or fifth wheel, you may find yourself planning your route around chargers instead of your destination.

Every electric truck tows a little differently based on battery size, aerodynamics, and curb weight, so check the manufacturer’s towing guide for your specific model year and trim before you hook up a heavy load. An ASE-certified technician or the truck’s owner manual can confirm whether your hitch receiver and wiring match the trailer’s requirements.