Tesla releases Model 3 tow hitch for European markets

Tesla has released a Model 3 tow hitch for European markets. The accessory is available for order in the Model 3 configurator, and is rated to tow up to 910 kg (around 2,000 lbs). With the tow hitch installed, the Model 3’s software will monitor trailer movements, adjusting wheel braking as necessary.

Tesla is offering the Model 3 tow hitch as a £970 (around $1,200) add-on for the electric sedan. Quite interestingly, Tesla notes in the European Model 3 configurator that the tow hitch cannot be installed after delivery, suggesting that vehicles that have already been delivered will not be compatible with the accessory. Members of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit who are from Europe state that the current no-retrofit rule for the Model 3’s tow hitch might be due to regulations in the region.

Elon Musk himself has stated that the Model 3 will have its own tow hitch, mentioning that there will be an optional accessory for the vehicle when it gets released. One can only hope that in the near future, tow hitch retrofits for existing Model 3 vehicles in Europe will be allowed in the future.

The Model 3 tow hitch has the potential to push even more sales of the electric sedan in Europe, mainly since the accessory is quite popular among motorists in the region. Trailers are widely used in European markets, with drivers using them even for simple tasks such as short trips to a grocery or an appliance store. For tasks such as these, the Model 3 tow hitch will be more than enough.

In the United States, Model 3 owners have explored aftermarket and DIY solutions to give their electric sedans the capability to tow. Last year, Tesla owner enthusiast Ben Sullins of Teslanomics collaborated in such a project with tech YouTuber JerryRigEverything, installing a DIY tow hitch on a Model 3 that allowed the vehicle to tow almost 2,000 pounds. Observations from the YouTube influencers suggested that the Model 3 did not feel too weighed down while it was pulling the heavy load.

Tesla’s electric cars are quite ideal for towing, especially with the instant torque produced by their electric motors. This has resulted in several impressive towing feats in the past. The Tesla Model X, for example, has managed to pull an actual aircraft over an airport runway. The all-electric SUV had also been filmed hauling 250,000 pounds of dirt from a Boring Company tunnel.