Tesla Cybertruck Towing Capacity
The Tesla Cybertruck is rated to tow 11,000 lb — the same maximum on every trim, from rear-wheel-drive to the CyberBeast, with no add-on package required. Expect roughly 175 milesof real-world range when you're near that rating.
Verified May 2026.
Cybertruck range loss by load
How far the Cybertruck tows depends on two things: what the trailer weighs and how much air it pushes. Weight is the smaller of the two on flat highway — the columns move further left-to-right than they do top-to-bottom, because a tall box trailer punches a hole in the air that no amount of battery makes free.
| Trailer weight | Open utility / car hauler | Travel trailer (box) | Toy hauler / tall box | EPA range left (box) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No trailer (EPA) | 350 mi | 350 mi | 350 mi | 100% |
| 5,000 lb | ~213 mi | ~183 mi | ~171 mi | 52% |
| 7,500 lb | ~202 mi | ~175 mi | ~164 mi | 50% |
| 11,000 lb (max) | ~190 mi | ~165 mi | ~156 mi | 47% |
Estimates from EVMath's towing model (aerodynamic drag + trailer weight, calibrated against independent electric-truck road tests) at a steady 65mph in mild weather, applied to the Cybertruck Long Range RWD's 350 mi EPA rating. The ~175 mi headline figure is the flat 50% cut near the rating; this table splits that single number out by trailer shape.
Reading this for a Foundation Series or CyberBeast
All three Cybertruck trims carry the same 11,000 lbrating, so every row above is within spec for all of them — but the dual-motor Foundation Series and the tri-motor CyberBeast are EPA-rated below the Long Range RWD, so their mileage lands under these columns. The last column is the one that transfers: the percentage of EPA range left is set by the trailer, not the drivetrain, so multiply your own trim's EPA rating by it. EVMath's model data tracks the Long Range RWD, so that is the truck the mileage columns describe.
What independent tow tests actually measured
Treat the table as a mild-weather ceiling. The two published Cybertruck tow tests both landed under it:
- ~115 mi behind a 7,500 lb travel trailer. TFL Truck measured 1.1 mi/kWh over a mixed 22-mile run with a 33-foot box trailer — about 135 miles on a full pack, or ~115 miles once you leave a realistic reserve. The model puts that same load at ~175 mi.
- ~100 mi at the full 11,000 lb in freezing weather. A widely-reported winter test hauling a Hummer on a trailer covered 90 miles to 2% state of charge at 1,193 Wh/mi (Electrek). Cold and a brick-shaped load stack, and this is roughly what the bottom of the range looks like.
Neither is a standardised loop, and both are single runs — which is why they sit next to the model rather than replacing it. The practical read: plan a mild-weather day on the table, plan a cold or fast one on the test numbers, and never plan a leg you couldn't finish on 100 miles. Why EVs lose range when towing explains the physics under both.
Model your own trailer behind the Cybertruck
Each link opens the towing calculator already loaded with the Cybertruck's 122 kWh / 350 mi spec and the trailer below at 65 mph — change the weight, shape, or speed from there.
Comparing trucks rather than trailers? Best EVs for towing ranks every EV rated above 3,500 lb by tow rating and real-world towing range, with the same hitch and tongue-weight figures for each.
Tesla Cybertruck towing specs
Tesla gives the Cybertruck an 11,000 lbmaximum conventional tow rating as standard equipment, and — unlike most pickups — the number doesn't change by trim. The rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck, the dual-motor Foundation Series, and the tri-motor CyberBeast all carry the same 11,000 lb ceiling. Behind it sits a 122 kWh pack that DC fast-charges from 10–80% in about 35 minutes at up to 250kW when you're not towing.
- Max tow rating: 11,000 lb (standard, all trims)
- Max tongue weight: 1,110 lb
- Battery: 122 kWh usable
- EPA range (unladen): 350 mi
- Energy use (unladen): 43 kWh per 100 mi
- Peak DC fast charge: 250 kW
- Onboard AC charging: 11.5 kW
The rating is class-leading, but the figure that decides your day is range under load. The Cybertruck starts from 350 mi empty, and towing changes every assumption baked into that number at once — which is why the real-world towing figure lands far lower.
Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T vs F-150 Lightning: towing compared
| Vehicle | Max tow | EPA range | Towing range* | Tow package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Cybertruck LR RWD | 11,000 lb | 350 mi | ~175 mi | standard |
| Rivian R1T Max | 11,000 lb | 410 mi | ~205 mi | standard |
| Ford F-150 Lightning ER | 10,000 lb | 320 mi | ~160 mi | optional |
*Towing range is each model's EPA range reduced by its corroborated range-loss estimate near the max rating (about 50% for all three), based on independent road tests. Lighter, more aerodynamic trailers cost less; tall travel trailers at 70+ mph cost more.
The Cybertruck and R1T share the top 11,000 lb rating, but the R1T starts from more EPA range, so it holds a real-world towing-distance edge. The Lightning's 10,000 lb ceiling needs Ford's optional Max Trailer Tow Package and starts from the least range of the three. If your trailers stay well under 11,000 lb, all three tow them comfortably — the deciding factors become charging-stop access and how far you go between stops.
Cybertruck range while towing
The Cybertruck's 350 miEPA figure assumes an empty truck on flat ground in mild weather. Towing changes all three of those assumptions at once. Independent electric-truck tow tests — and Tesla's own trailer demonstrations — consistently show a 40–60% range cut near the maximum rating, and the loss is dominated by aerodynamics: a box-shaped travel trailer has a frontal area several times the truck's, so wind drag, not trailer weight, sets your real range.
Speed is the variable you control from the driver's seat, and it is the one that pays best: drag grows with the square of speed, so the same trailer at 70 mph costs far more than the 65 mph the table above assumes, and 60 mph buys miles back. Cold weather stacks on top of all of it, because a cold pack and cabin heat take their cut from a number the trailer has already halved.
Want to model your own trailer, speed, and temperature instead of using a rule of thumb? The EV towing range calculator estimates the hit from a specific trailer weight and shape, and the EV range calculator lets you adjust speed and weather to see how each one moves the number.
Hitch, tongue weight, and payload
An 11,000 lbtrailer puts you firmly into heavy-duty hitch territory, and the Cybertruck's towing limits interact with its payload — get them right before your first trip.
Hitch class
A loaded trailer near 11,000 lbis Class IV. The Cybertruck uses a standard 2" receiver; use a ball mount and hitch ball each rated at or above your loaded trailer weight (a 2-5/16" ball is standard at this weight). On tall travel trailers, a weight-distribution hitch settles rear squat and sharpens stability — worth it above roughly 5,000 lb.
Tongue weight and payload
The Cybertruck is rated for a maximum tongue (vertical hitch) load of 1,110 lb. Keep loaded tongue weight at roughly 10–15% of trailer weight and within that limit — too little and the trailer sways, too much and you overload the rear axle. The catch most buyers miss: tongue weight counts against payload. Every pound pressing down on the hitch is a pound you can't also carry as passengers and bed cargo, so a heavy trailer and a full bed of gear can run you up against the payload limit before either one alone would.
Charging access while towing
The setup detail people forget: most DC fast-charging stalls are laid out for cars, and a Cybertruck plus a long trailer often can't pull in without unhitching. Plan stops in advance around pull-through stalls where you can, and carry a portable Level 2 charger so RV-park pedestals become a backup. Towing means charging more often, at more kinds of plugs.
How to enable Trailer Mode on a Cybertruck
Most of the Cybertruck's towing setup happens by itself — the hitch is factory equipment, the brake controller is built in, and Trailer Mode engages when you plug the trailer in. These are the seven things that are still on you, in the order you do them.
- 1
Fit a ball mount — the Cybertruck doesn't come with one
The receiver is standard equipment and takes a 2" ball mount, but Tesla doesn't supply the mount or the ball. Buy both rated at or above your loaded trailer weight (11,000 lb trailers use a 2-5/16" ball), and pick a drop or rise that leaves the trailer sitting level.
- 2
Hitch up, then plug in the trailer's electrical connector
The Cybertruck's trailer outlet takes both plug types with no adapter: a 7-pin (SAE J2863) blade connector for trailers with their own electric brakes, and a 4-pin (SAE J1239) flat connector for lights-only trailers. Check the lights and brake circuit before you pull out.
- 3
Trailer Mode turns itself on with the plug
Connecting the trailer's electrical connection engages Trailer Mode automatically, and unplugging it disengages the mode again. To switch it on or off by hand — an unwired trailer, or a plug you left connected in the driveway — touch Controls > Towing & Hauling > Trailer Mode on the touchscreen.
- 4
Set the trailer brake gain before you drive, not on the on-ramp
The Cybertruck has an integrated trailer brake controller, so there's no aftermarket box to add. Trailer Brake Gain in the same menu is a 0–10 slider setting how hard the trailer's electric brakes come on with the pedal. Tesla recommends leaving trailer brakes enabled — a gain of 0, or Trailer Mode off, means the trailer isn't braking itself and your stopping distance grows. Start low, test at parking-lot speed, and raise it until the trailer pulls up without grabbing.
- 5
Weigh the tongue, then check it against payload
Load for roughly 10–15% of the trailer's loaded weight on the ball and stay inside the Cybertruck's 1,110 lb maximum vertical hitch load. Too little tongue weight starts sway; too much overloads the rear axle. Remember it comes out of payload, so tongue load plus passengers plus bed cargo all draw on the same budget.
- 6
Know what Trailer Mode changes before you reach the highway
Autosteer is unavailable while Trailer Mode is on — only Traffic-Aware Cruise Control works, and it holds a longer following distance. Automatic emergency braking applies noticeably less force, automatic steering interventions are disabled so a correction can't unsettle the load, and features that rely on the rear camera can drop out while a trailer blocks it. The air suspension also stops making the speed-based drop from Medium to Low and won't auto-raise at saved locations.
- 7
Re-plan the route on towing range, not EPA range
Halve the range you'd normally plan for, then find the stops. Most DC fast-charging stalls are laid out for cars, so look for pull-through sites you can enter hitched, and treat any stall you'd have to back into as a place you'll unhitch. Plan on roughly 175 miles between charges near the rating — and less in the cold.
Menu paths, connector standards, gain range, and the list of what Trailer Mode changes are from Tesla's Cybertruck owner's manual (Towing a Trailer), read August 2026. Software updates move menus — if yours differs, the manual in the touchscreen is the authority.
Gear we'd look at
Cybertruck towing gear
The Cybertruck ships the parts most trucks charge extra for — a 2" receiver, combined 7-pin and 4-pin trailer outlets, and an integrated trailer brake controller — so the shopping list is short and specific. These are the pieces it does not include, sized against the tongue-weight and rating figures above. Categories, not listings: every link goes to Amazon search results so specs and pricing stay current. Check your owner's manual before buying any of it.
Ball mount and 2-5/16" hitch ball rated above your trailer
Tesla supplies the receiver, not the mount
The first thing a new Cybertruck owner buys. Plenty of 2″ ball mounts stop at 10,000 lb — under this truck's 11,000 lb rating — and the mount, the ball, and the pin each carry their own number, so buy to the loaded trailer weight and tongue load, not the receiver size. Pick a drop or rise that leaves the trailer level.
Shop on Amazon →
Weight-distribution hitch with sway control
For a tall box trailer above roughly 5,000 lb
Spreads tongue weight across both axles instead of squatting the rear, which keeps steering and headlight aim where they belong on a long travel trailer. Match the bar rating to your measured tongue weight, not the trailer's gross weight — and check Tesla's owner documentation first, since manufacturers differ on whether a weight-distributing hitch is required, optional, or not permitted.
Shop on Amazon →
Trailer breakaway kit with a charged battery
The brake controller is built in; this part isn't
Cybertruck's integrated proportional controller means no aftermarket brake-controller box — you set gain on the touchscreen instead. What the truck can't provide is the trailer-side breakaway system that applies the trailer's own brakes if it separates, which is required with electric brakes in most states at these weights. Test that the battery still holds charge before every trip.
Shop on Amazon →
Tongue weight scale
10–15% is a target you can't eyeball
Tongue load decides whether the trailer tracks straight or starts to sway, and it counts against payload alongside passengers and bed cargo. A drop-on or hitch-mounted scale reads it in a minute, so you move cargo forward or back in the driveway rather than discovering the problem at 65 mph.
Shop on Amazon →
As an Amazon Associate EVMath earns from qualifying purchases. Product links are sponsored and go to Amazon search results, not specific listings — verify specs, amperage, and connector type before buying.
Charging hardware for tow days — the portable Level 2 unit for RV-park pedestals, the adapters, and the long J1772 extension that reaches a stall you can't pull into hitched — is in the EV accessories guide, and the towing accessories list covers the gear that applies to every tow-rated EV, not just this one.
Is the Cybertruck good for towing?
For local and regional towing, it's among the best EV trucks you can buy. The 11,000 lb rating on every trim, enormous torque, and built-in stability aids make it easy and confident to tow with. Where it struggles is the same place every electric truck does — distance: about 175 miles between charges near the rating, and a footprint that makes fast-charging stalls hard to use with a trailer attached.
Buy it for towing if your trips are boat ramps, job sites, and campsites within roughly 150 miles each way. Plan on a charging stop every couple of hours — and a little extra patience finding stalls that fit — if you tow a tall trailer cross-country. The Rivian R1T matches its rating and starts from more range; the F-150 Lightning trails on both but is the cheaper way into an electric tow rig.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Tesla Cybertruck's max tow rating?+
Tesla rates the Cybertruck to tow 11,000 lb, and that figure is the same across every trim — rear-wheel-drive, the dual-motor all-wheel-drive Foundation Series, and the tri-motor CyberBeast all carry the same 11,000 lb maximum. It needs no optional trailering package to reach it. That ties it with the Rivian R1T (11,000 lb) at the top of the EV-truck class and beats the F-150 Lightning Extended Range (10,000 lb, and only with Ford's Max Trailer Tow Package).
How far can a Cybertruck tow on a single charge?+
Plan on roughly 175 miles near the max rating in mild weather, and closer to 100 miles in the cold. The Cybertruck's EPA range is 350 mi, and electric trucks lose about half of it under a heavy, box-shaped trailer at highway speed. EVMath's towing model puts a 5,000 lb box travel trailer at about 183 miles at 65 mph, a 7,500 lb one at about 175, and the full 11,000 lb at about 165. Published tow tests have landed below those estimates: TFL measured 1.1 mi/kWh behind a 33-foot 7,500 lb travel trailer — roughly 115 usable miles — and a winter test at the full rating covered 90 miles to 2% charge. Treat the model as a mild-weather ceiling and the tests as the planning floor.
Does towing a trailer really cut Cybertruck range in half?+
Near the maximum rating with a tall trailer, yes — independent electric-truck tow tests consistently show a 40–60% range cut. The loss is dominated by aerodynamics, not weight: a box-shaped travel trailer has a frontal area several times the truck's, so wind drag sets your real range. A low, slippery load such as a boat or flat utility trailer costs far less, sometimes only 30%.
What is the Cybertruck's hitch and tongue-weight rating?+
The Cybertruck uses a standard 2" receiver and is rated for a maximum tongue (vertical hitch) load of 1,110 lb. Aim to keep loaded tongue weight at roughly 10–15% of trailer weight and within that 1,110 lb limit. Tongue weight counts against payload, so it eats into what you can carry in the bed and cabin at the same time. An 11,000 lb trailer is Class IV territory — match your ball mount and hitch ball rating to the loaded trailer weight.
How do I turn on Trailer Mode in a Tesla Cybertruck?+
In most cases you don't have to: connecting the trailer's electrical connector engages Trailer Mode automatically, and unplugging it turns the mode off again. To toggle it by hand — for a trailer with no wiring, or a plug left connected in the driveway — touch Controls > Towing & Hauling > Trailer Mode on the touchscreen. While it's on, Autosteer is unavailable (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control still works, with a longer following distance), automatic emergency braking applies less force, automatic steering interventions are disabled, and the air suspension stops making its speed-based drop from Medium to Low. Set the trailer brake gain in the same menu before you drive.
Does the Cybertruck have a trailer brake controller?+
Yes — it's integrated, so there's no aftermarket controller box to buy or wire in. Trailer Brake Gain is a 0–10 slider under Controls > Towing & Hauling that sets how hard the trailer's electric brakes come on when you press the brake pedal; Tesla recommends leaving trailer brakes enabled, since a gain of 0 or Trailer Mode switched off means the trailer isn't helping to stop and your stopping distance grows. Most US states require trailer brakes above roughly 3,000 lb, so nearly any trailer worth putting behind this truck needs them. The truck can't supply the trailer-side breakaway kit, which is a separate purchase.
Is the Cybertruck good for towing?+
It's one of the most capable EV trucks for towing on paper: an 11,000 lb rating on every trim, huge torque, and stability aids built in. The catch is the same as every electric truck — range. Plan on about 175 miles between charges near the rating, and remember that many DC fast-charging stalls can't physically fit a Cybertruck plus a long trailer without unhitching. It's excellent for local and regional towing and demanding on long hauls.
Related calculators and guides
- EV towing range calculator — estimate range loss from a specific trailer weight and shape.
- Best EVs for towing in 2026 — every EV that can tow 3,500+ lb, ranked.
- GMC Hummer EV towing capacity — the 7,500 lb alternative, compared.
- Why EVs lose range when towing — the aerodynamics behind the range-loss table above.
- Tesla Cybertruck full specs
- Cheapest electric trucks of 2026
Tow ratings, range, tongue weight, and consumption figures from EVMath's shared model data (manufacturer and EPA sources, 2025–2026 model years). Range-by-load figures are estimates from EVMath's towing model, calibrated against independent electric-truck road tests; the measured figures beside them are single published tests, cited inline. Trailer Mode steps, connector standards, and brake-gain settings follow Tesla's Cybertruck owner's manual, read August 2026. Hitch-class, tongue-weight, and payload guidance is general; verify against your trailer's ratings, Tesla's owner documentation, and your state's towing laws before hauling.