Tesla trailer coupling: The comprehensive guide

A trailer coupling (AHK) is a great thing. For vacation trips with the caravan, weekend excursions with the bike rack or for picking up a cupboard from your trusted furniture dealer.

If you have a trailer coupling, it is easier in many situations. Of course, you can survive very well without it, and you probably don't need it 360 days a year, but a trailer coupling (just like many of our accessories) is one of those things for which the following applies: "better to have than to need".

Tesla was viewed differently for many years. A Tesla with a trailer coupling - a long time ago. There were probably too many concerns that the aerodynamically less advantageous trailers would damage the range too much. Or they didn't think a Tesla tow bar was necessary - after all, it is (also) a stylish trend vehicle.

In the meantime they have changed their minds, a Tesla trailer coupling is now available on almost all models, at least as an option.

Many Tesla customers, especially buyers of a Model 3 or Model S, have purchased their vehicle without a Tesla towbar. Even if your model were generally suitable for a Tesla tow bar, Tesla does not retrofit them. Accordingly, only the third-party market remains, where retrofits are offered as a matter of course.

In this Tesla trailer guide we provide you with an overview of the topic of Tesla, trailer couplings and their retrofitting.

Tesla towbar: when does it need to be retrofitted?

The first Tesla model to have a towbar was a large and heavy gullwing - the Model X. But even the Tesla Model X trailer coupling had to be selected as an option by 2018. If you bought before that, you may have to make do without a tow bar and need to retrofit it.

Happily, the device has been included as standard since 2018.

The situation is different for the oldest Tesla still on sale. The Tesla Model S trailer coupling was not offered at all until 2020, so there are probably a lot of vehicles on the road without it.

It is only since the facelift and the introduction of the Plaid variant that Model S customers have had the opportunity to have an AHK, regardless of the version selected. However, this must be purchased separately in the Tesla store and cannot be added directly in the configurator.

It was similar at the beginning with the Tesla Model Y. Here, too, the trailer coupling had to be purchased separately for a long time.

However, the change followed in mid-2022; since then, a Tesla Model Y with trailer coupling can also be selected directly in the Tesla configurator.

The good news: A towbar is available directly from the Tesla Shop for all Model Ys, which means that retrofitting is not necessary and the Model Y towbar costs remain calculable.

Currently they amount to 1.500 €. In addition, a plug-in system makes the Tesla Model Y towbar detachable.

Tesla Model 3 trailer coupling

It only gets really complicated when you want to tow a trailer with the Model 3. Before May 2019 there was no Tesla Model 3 trailer coupling, since then it has been available as an extra charge option in the configurator. However, the Tesla Model 3 with trailer coupling could only be ordered if you opted for the Standard Range or Long Range variants.

This situation has not changed to this day.

There is no Tesla Model 3 Performance towbar, and retrofitting it is not easy either, because only the "Base Performance" model, which is available on request and differs from the Long Range model only in that it has more power, is suitable for towing at all.

A full 500 kilograms of towing capacity can be achieved with this performance variant.

There is also a need to retrofit the Tesla Model 3 towbar, because all customers whose vehicle is older than May 2019, who drive a Base Performance model or who have simply not selected the Tesla Model 3 Long Range towbar or Standard Range towbar option are probably still driving without a towbar.

By the way: At Teslabs you will find high-quality Model Y accessories. No trailer coupling, but things like B. high-quality rim protection or roof racks.

Tesla towbar retrofit: Everything you need to know at a glance

Whoever decides to retrofit a Tesla towbar usually asks themselves the following questions: Who offers a retrofit or a retrofit package? Will I get through the TÜV with it? And how much will the fun cost me anyway?

In this section, we want to address these questions.

Tesla towbars from third-party providers

Safety and reliability are also the be-all and end-all on the third-party car market. Last but not least, you lose the Tesla warranty and the warranty for the parts in question if you retrofit something that interferes as deeply with the vehicle structure and electronics as a complete trailer coupling. In addition, the status of the construction before the TÜV inspector is important.

One supplier that installs TÜV-certified matching parts and offers a two-year guarantee on the towbar is Kupplung-vor-Ort in Lower Bavaria. There you can have a Tesla Model 3 trailer coupling retrofitted, and solutions are also offered for the Model S and Model X.

Another provider that is often recommended in the tff forum is MisterDotCom. There are also TÜV-approved retrofits for the Model S and Model 3, whereby the towing capacity of the installed Model S towbar is even 1.850 kilograms.

The Tesla Model 3 Performance towbar can also be retrofitted at MisterDotCom, whereby it is pointed out that this is currently only technically possible - formal approval is still being worked on with the TÜV.

A large selection of compatible towbars for all Tesla models, from rigid to swivel, as individual parts or complete sets, can be found under towbars.de. However, not all models are specified as being TÜV-compliant.

In general, it can be said that the offer on the AHK market is mainly focused on Model 3 and S. Since most Model X and Y were available with an AHK,  this is not surprising.

Tesla trailer coupling retrofit: costs

The costs of retrofitting towbars can vary enormously. The Tesla Model 3 trailer coupling costs at MisterDotCom amount to about 1.350 for the parts and another €550 for installation (if required).

With clutch.you will find solutions for approx. 700-800 € plus at least 319 € for installation.

For the Model S, MisterDotCom requires 1.500 € plus 650 € installation, with clutch.prices range from approx. 900 up to several thousand euros.

Kupplung-vor-Ort provides prices for all products only on request. In addition to the installation and material costs, you must also add the fees for a TÜV inspection, which amount to around €100.

For comparison: The original Tesla Model 3 trailer coupling 2021 (since the facelift) currently costs 1.350, Tesla charges the same for the Model Y. Separately sold couplers for the Model S or earlier versions of the Model Y are available in the Tesla Shop for €790 or 1.500 €.

Towing load, drawbar load, price: differences between the Tesla models

A trailer coupling is now available for almost all Tesla models. Nevertheless, there are still major differences in what you can ultimately do with the device. This section provides an overview of permissible trailer and drawbar loads.

Interestingly, the values stated here often differ significantly from those given in the USA, for example - so in purely technical terms, more is probably possible with many models.

Tesla Model 3 2021 trailer hitch

The 2021 Model 3 facelift has changed little about the vehicle's trailer specifications. The maximum trailer load has increased from 910 kilograms to 1.000 kilograms, the permissible Tesla Model 3 drawbar load from 91 to 100 kilograms.

The latter, however, is reduced to 54 kilograms for vertical loads such as a bicycle carrier . If you have the 20-inch rims, you only get a vertical drawbar load of 20 kilograms.

If you select the trailer package, Tesla will charge you 1.350 € will be charged.

As already mentioned at the beginning, the "trailer coupling" option is now the only model not available for the Model 3 Performance. If you choose the "Base Performance" model with trailer coupling, you can expect a maximum towing capacity of 500 kilograms and a drawbar load of 25 kilograms.

Here, however, the question is whether the low values have a technical or a regulatory background.

Given the fact that the Model 3 Performance is not allowed to tow a trailer mainly because of its 20-inch wheels, which the "Base Performance" model does not have, the latter seems more likely.

Tesla Model Y trailer hitch

Tesla is giving the slightly larger Model Y a trailer package with a little more towing capacity - also available for 1.350 € directly when configuring. For his money the buyer receives 1.600 kilograms maximum towing load, the Tesla Model Y trailer coupling drawbar load is also 100 kilograms - but only shrinks to 72 kilograms for vertical loads.

In addition, the Model Y also includes the Performance version, which has exactly the same specifications as its Standard and Long Range siblings.

Tesla Model X trailer coupling

The Tesla Model X is the only Tesla to date that has automatically installed the trailer hitch at no extra charge - and has been doing so since 2018. It is also the only model with which you can seriously consider towing larger trailers.

This is possible thanks to 2.250 kilograms (plaid) and 2.300 kilograms towing capacity and 90 (Plaid) or 100 kilograms drawbar load, which drops to 54 kilograms vertical load.

Tesla Model S trailer coupling

For a long time there was no towbar for the Model S and numerous professional and semi-professional retrofit solutions had emerged, but with the 2021 facelift a towbar was also introduced ex works - or the option to do so. You still have to buy the detachable coupling separately; it is available for €790 in the Tesla Shop.

As with the Model Y, the maximum trailer load is 1.600 kilograms, the drawbar load is 100 kilograms.

Fitting a Tesla towbar

Just owning a towbar is of little use, it must also be fitted to the vehicle. So how does the assembly take place?

This of course depends on whether the clutch is fitted ex works or not. With factory-fitted towbars, the ball head can usually be removed or refitted using a simple plug-in mechanism. However, if you want to fit your Tesla Model 3 towbar, for example, which you bought on the third-party market, it is advisable to go to a specialist garage.

If you are a handyman, however, self-assembly is also an option.

Reputable manufacturers such as those mentioned above supply detailed installation instructions, which make it possible to install them yourself.

Be aware, however, that fitting a complete towbar is a major undertaking that usually requires the temporary removal of the bumper and other visible parts.

Tesla trailer guide: Conclusion

For a long time, the words "Tesla" and "towbar" didn't really go together. Due to a lack of initiative on the part of the e-car pioneer, the first third-party retrofit solutions developed over time, but the majority of customers still had to do without an AHK.

Only since Tesla became a competitive mass producer with the Model 3 and later the Model Y, and the customer base expanded significantly, has the issue been addressed by the manufacturer itself. At the same time, demand on the third-party market naturally also grew, which led to an increase in supply there too.

If you buy a new Tesla today, you will most likely have the option of a towbar - and at a relatively reasonable price compared to the third-party market.

However, the truth is that the possible towing capacity is usually limited, especially if you were previously used to reasonably equipped combustion engines.

Interestingly, the maximum towing capacity of a Tesla can be increased with some third-party devices - TÜV-approved, mind you. There are also many older Teslas on Germany's roads that did not have or did not choose the option of an AHK.

Both of these factors mean that the demand for retrofitting Tesla towbars continues and will probably continue for some time to come.

On the other hand, it is to be expected that the range of capable towbars from Tesla will increase in the future. Better batteries, expanded charging infrastructure and optimized software are making the range less and less important, even with a large trailer; a Tesla has enough power and weight for this in any case -and if something changes, you are guaranteed to find out about it on our blog.

Does your Tesla already have a towbar or do you still have to get by without one? Tell us about it in the comments below!