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We wish to dispel some FUD and have loads of enjoyable on the identical time. Colin Stiff lately advised me how he towed his teardrop caravan from Yeppoon to Sydney for an early “shock” viewing of the Tesla Cybertruck. He went Cybertruck tripping.
We’re regularly advised: “You possibly can’t tow a caravan with that!” and “There are not any electrical utes on this planet.” Phrases that generally come out of the mouths of Australia’s conservative politicians. So, Colin and his spouse, Susan, got down to disprove the naysayers, towing their Tucana teardrop van behind a Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary the 1500 km (1000 miles) to Sydney, New South Wales. By comparability, readers may wish to discuss with earlier towing tales. Right here’s one a few two-ton boat.
The unique plan was to drive simply from Yeppoon to Brisbane for his or her daughter’s college commencement, then take a look across the northern rivers of NSW. Then they noticed the announcement that the Cybertruck was in Sydney on show for a month. Colin was prepared to attend for the Cybertruck to return to Brisbane, however Susan arrange a shock. “We received impatient and determined to go to Sydney. I’ve had a reservation for 5 years. It was solely a $150 deposit and nicely price it,” Colin tells me.
It took Colin two days to do the drive from Yeppoon to Brisbane (675 km). His regular driving vary (450 km) was halved attributable to towing the van. The Tucana van weighs 850 kg. The automobile dealt with the burden simply. Colin collected some stats that may curiosity the technically minded: “The automobile used a mean of 320 wh/km when towing. Usually, with out the van, it makes use of 175 wh/km. The very best we did with the van on was 260, the worst was 360 wh/km. Not solely have been we towing, however we additionally had a headwind.”
Colin experimented with completely different cruising speeds: “Sooner or later I sat on 90 km per hour for the 200 km stretch. Then the following day I drove at 80 km per hour. I used much less energy at 80 km per hour than I had at 90 km per hour. However in all probability irritated extra folks.” Colin’s Tesla has a elevate equipment fitted which raises the automobile 40mm and produces extra drag, and in addition has bigger tyres — 235/45 R19.
I requested about charging with a van connected. He advised me that “I needed to take the van off 75% of the time to cost the automobile.” Was this a little bit of an inconvenient course of? “Effectively, the extra usually you do it, the faster it will get. If nobody else is there, you possibly can park throughout and entry the chargers.” See photograph beneath. Though extra charger stations are being constructed to accommodate EV drivers who tow, there’s nonetheless a little bit of a dearth. Colin advised me about one he makes use of in Calliope close to Gladstone. This Supercharger has one charger out of 8 allotted for towers. You possibly can drive in forwards — however you need to drive in and again out, however don’t need to disconnect. The opposite 7, you need to reverse in.
As you’d count on, Colin and Susan had loads of attention-grabbing conversations on the charging stations and caravan parks the place they stopped to relaxation and “refill.” At instances, they felt like they have been a “cell information financial institution.” There was a lot of curiosity from fellow campers. Whereas they have been establishing, folks came visiting and exclaimed “That’s superb you’re towing your van with a Tesla!” or “My daughter/ son has a Tesla, however I didn’t know you would tow!”
As they have been maneuvering their van into place, they needed to be conscious that the curious onlookers couldn’t hear the automobile, and thus needed to take nice care. When Colin request charging at a powered caravan web site, the reply was all the time constructive. He paid from $30 to $67 per evening for a powered web site with no further cost for plugging within the Tesla.
And the shock? That they had initially solely deliberate to go to Brisbane, however Susan had deliberate a shock. The cat was out of the bag when Steve (TOCA committee member) rang to clarify the viewing protocol for the Cybertruck in Tesla’s Parramatta showrooms in Sydney. It’s laborious to maintain secrets and techniques when the automobile solutions the telephone for you. Susan laments: “Colin all the time finds out when I’ve organised a shock for him!”
Susan and Colin have pushed from Brisbane to Sydney earlier than (it’s about one other 1000 km). “Three years in the past, each different Tesla driver would madly wave to you. Now that Tesla’s are widespread, folks have stopped doing it. Nonetheless, the driving force of a white Mannequin Y waved, in all probability as a result of he was towing a tandem cage trailer.”
They arrived in Sydney at lunchtime, which meant that “site visitors was mild, so had run navigating with Tesla. Our buddies are solely 10 minutes from the showroom at Parramatta.” I requested about their reactions on first seeing the Cybertruck in particular person: “It was identical to going to nighttime membership. Two safety guards stood on either side they usually registered us on an iPad. There was no lineup as a result of it was the second week of show. A gentle stream of shoppers got here to view the automobile. We spent 2 hours within the showroom totally trying out the Cybertruck. I even received down and appeared beneath.”
“After all of the hype, I used to be anticipating an enormous monster truck like a RAM or a Silverado. My first thought was, sure, this may slot in my carport and driveway. I used to be anticipating to need to construct a shed simply to suit it in. I’m nonetheless planning to construct a shed, as I solely have lodging for one automobile at dwelling. But it surely received’t need to be such an enormous shed. The Cybertruck on show was set at its highest suspension stage.”
“Sadly, we weren’t allowed within the truck due to an incident within the earlier week. Tesla had restricted entry. There have been about 6–10 folks across the truck at any time. We had a lot of chats with different prospects about what they’re driving. One man was an engineer and was downsizing from two ICE vehicles to 1 EV. Did the mathematics and ended up with two Teslas — 3 and Y. The cash saved made it doable.”
It’s too unhealthy Colin and Susan had missed the particular TOCA member occasion by one week after they would have been allowed to enter the truck.
Whereas on the showroom, they took the chance to look at the Mannequin 3 Highland Efficiency mannequin. The Tesla showroom is located within the automobile gross sales district of Parramatta — so Colin checked out different automobile showrooms, particularly Subaru’s. He discovered gross sales workers have been eager and educated in regards to the Solterra EV. Colin has a historical past with Subaru. “My different automobile is an Outback H6 and I’ve owned a WRX and a Forester.”
A drive in Sydney wouldn’t be full with out being rear ended. Colin’s tow bar received pushed into the rear of the automobile. The automobile was drivable (the petrol-powered wrongdoer not so), but it surely made it tough to connect the van. A little bit of bush mechanic work with a hacksaw they usually have been on the street once more on the return journey to Yeppoon.
Colin and Susan revisited the chargers they’d used on their southern journey, as they knew the place to park to entry them with ease. They travelled at evening and found that Tesla Superchargers are less expensive (39 cents per kWh vs 84 cents per kWh). Our readers will probably be glad to know that Susan, Colin, the Mannequin 3, and the van made it safely dwelling. The Tesla has been assessed by the insurers and is awaiting repairs at Beau Murphy’s in Rockhampton.
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