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Model X tow capacity is too low for me

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Looks like I am going to pull the plug and cancel my order. I was reluctantly wiling to pay the crazy price tag on this vehicle if all the promised specs were delivered with this vehicle . It looks like the promised 10,000 lb towing capacity stated by Jim Chen will not materialize.

Towing capacity is the deal breaker for me. Only 5000lb towing capacity? You have got to be kidding. what a disappointment!
 
Looks like I am going to pull the plug and cancel my order. I was reluctantly wiling to pay the crazy price tag on this vehicle if all the promised specs were delivered with this vehicle . It looks like the promised 10,000 lb towing capacity stated by Jim Chen will not materialize.

Towing capacity is the deal breaker for me. Only 5000lb towing capacity? You have got to be kidding. what a disappointment!

Sorry, but please don't cancel until you have had a chance to think it over!

I'm sure there are lots of compromises for people in a lot of areas on the MX. It can't be perfect for everyone. I assume you wanted the towing capacity for launching a boat or some short-haul reason? Did you realistically think you would load up a 10,000 pound travel trailer and head cross-country?

Maybe you can keep an old pickup to do your short distance towing?
 
Looks like I am going to pull the plug and cancel my order. I was reluctantly wiling to pay the crazy price tag on this vehicle if all the promised specs were delivered with this vehicle . It looks like the promised 10,000 lb towing capacity stated by Jim Chen will not materialize.

Towing capacity is the deal breaker for me. Only 5000lb towing capacity? You have got to be kidding. what a disappointment!
Good bye!

Before you go... Can you point me to the "promised 10,000 lb towing capacity" source?
 
Looks like I am going to pull the plug and cancel my order. I was reluctantly wiling to pay the crazy price tag on this vehicle if all the promised specs were delivered with this vehicle . It looks like the promised 10,000 lb towing capacity stated by Jim Chen will not materialize.

Towing capacity is the deal breaker for me. Only 5000lb towing capacity? You have got to be kidding. what a disappointment!

I don't remember 10k ever being mentioned (let alone promised). I do believe a towing capacity classification was given -- maybe folks extrapolated from there.

I'm not cancelling, but seriously considering deferring. There's very little information available. Some folks are saying "wait, there's more!". There might be, but the Model S sigs thought so too, and nothing ever came of it. Then we were ridiculed for putting faith in anything not mentioned in writing beforehand. So, based on what I can currently see, I'll likely drop down to a production vehicle.
 
Looks like I am going to pull the plug and cancel my order. I was reluctantly wiling to pay the crazy price tag on this vehicle if all the promised specs were delivered with this vehicle . It looks like the promised 10,000 lb towing capacity stated by Jim Chen will not materialize.

Towing capacity is the deal breaker for me. Only 5000lb towing capacity? You have got to be kidding. what a disappointment!

Bummer that the towing doesn't meet your needs.
I would encourage you to not cancel until you are asked to pick your options and see exactly what is what with towing.
Of course, if you are right up front you wouldn't have time for that.
 
According to wikipedia class III towing capability means:

It's more complicated...
And I think this is where benzer's confusion comes...
Trailer Hitches, Hitch Accessories, Hitch Wiring
Class III
  1. Class III hitches are weight carrying (WC) and also are weight distributing (WD) depending on the vehicle and hitch specifications.
  2. Not all Class III hitches are rated to be both. See the specific hitch for that information.
  3. Class III hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 6000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 600 lbs.
  4. Class III hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1000 lbs.
  5. A Class III hitch usually has a 2" square receiver opening.
  6. A higher class drawbar does not increase the towing capacity of the hitch. To use this class of hitch for weight distribution requires a weight distribution system.
  7. Class III hitches attach to the vehicle frame only.

Some info on weight carrying vs weight distributing hitches.
“Weight Carrying” refers to the amount of load a receiver hitch is capable of carrying when used as a “deadweight” hitch — that is, using only a standard utility ball mount to connect the hitch to the trailer. “Weight Distributing” is the rating used to describe the capacity of that same receiver hitch when used in conjunction with a weight-distributing hitch kit, which increases the hitch’s capacity, because it spreads some of the weight of the trailer out over the tow vehicle’s, and a trailer’s suspension and tires, as opposed to concentrating it at the hitch and trailer coupler. Typically, a receiver’s Weight Carrying load rating is much less than its Weight Distributing rating: For example, a Class III receiver might be rated to carry 5,000 lbs. as a Weight Carrying hitch, and 10,000 lbs. when used with a Weight Distributing hitch.
 
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Tesla executive discusses towing capacity

Company executive Jim Chen, who is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, made the claim during a speech at the Georgia Technology Summit in April this year. Skip to around 9:40 in this video to hear his exact words, which came directly after addressing the Model X's falcon-wing doors.

Chen says that the towing capacity is a feature that is not often discussed, but it is one that should be important to potential Tesla buyers. “This vehicle will have Class III towing capability. That means over 5,000 pounds, actually close to 10,000 pounds of towing capability,” he said.

- - - Updated - - -

It's more complicated...
And I think this is where benzer's confusion comes...
Trailer Hitches, Hitch Accessories, Hitch Wiring


Some info on weight carrying vs weight distributing hitches.

I guess the Model X hitch must then be rated as a weight distributing hitch. I will have to wait and see what Tesla says.
thanks .
 
I don't remember 10k ever being mentioned (let alone promised). I do believe a towing capacity classification was given -- maybe folks extrapolated from there.

I'm not cancelling, but seriously considering deferring. There's very little information available. Some folks are saying "wait, there's more!". There might be, but the Model S sigs thought so too, and nothing ever came of it. Then we were ridiculed for putting faith in anything not mentioned in writing beforehand. So, based on what I can currently see, I'll likely drop down to a production vehicle.

I'm on the Sig X Waiting list,

Would love to be bumped up to a sig X, if you cancel.

The towing capability doesn't bother me (I've never towed anything in my life). But would love the Signature Red
 
I'm probably cancelling as well because of towing, but I think I'll wait for the official unveiling to be sure. I originally got a reservation to hold a slot, in case the X was so awesome that a huge order backlog hit after the release - I didn't want to find the queue grew by many months before I could get in.

Jim Chen's comment could have been interpreted in two ways - (a) tow capacity is capped at class III (5000 lbs), and he just didn't know that class III == 5000 lbs, or (b) tow capacity is closer to 10,000 lbs, and he said "class III" when he meant to say "class IV" (again, confusing/not knowing the rating limits for the towing classes).

I viewed the reservation as purchasing an option to lock my place in line. Since it is refundable, the only really cost was the opportunity cost on $5k.

I'm not really a huge fan of SUV's anyway (or big vehicles in general) - they are pretty much a compromise vehicle that does a lot of things OK, but none of them well. Yes, you can haul lots of people, tow a moderately large trailer, etc. But they suck for commuting, parallel parking in the city, etc. Plus I don't have a big family, so I don't need a 7 passenger vehicle.

I dumped my SUV long ago and bought a pickup and a Mini Cooper S. I thought the X could replace the Mini (fuel efficient commuter, fast, fun to drive) and the truck (tow, dump/lumber runs, etc). Since it doesn't look like I can replace all my "truck stuff" with the X, I'm probably passing.

Looks like I'll keep the truck until it rusts away, and replace the Mini with a Model 3 ASAP (deposit as soon as the site opens). If the Mini doesn't make it, I'll look for a CPO S as a commuter for a year or two.

I have no doubt the X will be the most awesome SUV on the road. It's just looking like it's not quite the fit for my needs that I had hoped it would be.
 
Jim Chen's comment could have been interpreted in two ways - (a) tow capacity is capped at class III (5000 lbs), and he just didn't know that class III == 5000 lbs, or (b) tow capacity is closer to 10,000 lbs, and he said "class III" when he meant to say "class IV" (again, confusing/not knowing the rating limits for the towing classes).

That is incorrect. Class III towing can be 5000 lbs (6000 gross trailer weight) or 10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight depending on whether the hitch is rated to be weight carrying (WC) or weight distributing (WD), respectively.
A hitch can be BOTH WC and WD, but does not have to be - in EITHER case it is still a Class III hitch!

Now, Chen could have known about Class III specs and knew they were testing both WC and WD hitches... maybe WD did not make the cut (could not certify?). We don't know the details just yet.
 
I dumped my SUV long ago and bought a pickup and a Mini Cooper S. I thought the X could replace the Mini (fuel efficient commuter, fast, fun to drive) and the truck (tow, dump/lumber runs, etc). Since it doesn't look like I can replace all my "truck stuff" with the X, I'm probably passing.

I have no doubt the X will be the most awesome SUV on the road. It's just looking like it's not quite the fit for my needs that I had hoped it would be.

IF the model X tows up to 10,000 lbs it , then it can tow a decent size travel trailer and also haul stuff around using a utility trailer. Add in the 7 passenger seating, performance and space; it becomes a winner for me!
 
That is incorrect. Class III towing can be 5000 lbs (6000 gross trailer weight) or 10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight depending on whether the hitch is rated to be weight carrying (WC) or weight distributing (WD), respectively.
A hitch can be BOTH WC and WD, but does not have to be - in EITHER case it is still a Class III hitch!

Now, Chen could have known about Class III specs and knew they were testing both WC and WD hitches... maybe WD did not make the cut (could not certify?). We don't know the details just yet.
I see your point. To carry that further, we also don't know what is the limiting factor for the stated 5k lbs max trailer weight. Is it the hitch or something in the vehicle (drivetrain, brakes, frame strength, etc). Maybe the will clarify later and say 5K WC and something more WD.

I haul several trailers periodically, from <1000lb class I boat trailers (WC) to a 7000 lb gross race car trailer with a weight distributing hitch. I wouldn't think to pull the big trailer without the WD setup - it tows much better with it.
 
Just some really quick googling shows that the Model X with it's rated tow capacity can pull the largest trailer that Uhaul rents. It *could* tow a flatbed carrying a vehile if the vehicle doesn't weigh too much. It also looks like it could pull approx. 25-28ft travel trailer, depending on how many amenities it has. Not bad for an electric SUV that is the fastest SUV on the planet.