Verdict After nearly 700km of testing with both cars, it’s fair to say that the Tesla is indeed a capable tow vehicle, provided you keep the distances relatively short and plan around charge station locations. Overall average - Penrith to Bathurst to Penrith Fuel and energy consumption will always depend on the driving conditions, which is why we chose different routes for each leg of our testing. Averaged across the two legs, towing the caravan with the Model X used 101 per cent more energy than without, or halved its driving range, which sounds a bit scary. The LandCruiser by comparison added 63 per cent on average, which is still a big difference, but matters less in the real world when its big fuel tanks would still give you about 760km of driving range, which can be refilled quickly at any diesel-stocked servo. So you could do a weekend trip with the caravan from Penrith with one supercharge in Bathurst, but it would’ve been highly unlikely to manage the extra 55km if you were leaving from Sydney CBD. The bottom line is that there’s plenty of things - like smaller camper trailers - lighter than our caravan that will help the Tesla to do the towing job better right now. Compared to the ‘Cruiser, the Tesla is a lesson in the benefits of a lower centre of gravity and road-focused handling. As always, bigger batteries and more recharge points will go a long way to rectifying the Tesla’s towing shortcomings, and I'm sure we'll get there eventually. But no matter what, its acceleration performance under load is simply excellent. Thanks to our friends at Avida for making this test possible with the use of the 17-foot Avida Wave Tourer Electric Pop-Top single-axle caravan. They can also be reached on 1300 428 432. Verdict So, how does this radically different Lotus measure up to the brand’s reputation and stack up against its would-be competitors in the final summation? It doesn’t reset the benchmark in any area or stand out head and shoulders above its competition, but crucially for Lotus (and its overlords at Geely) it doesn’t feel behind its rivals. For the Lotus diehards this is an unrecognisable addition to the brand’s legacy of great sports cars. But this new version of the brand is looking to reach fresh customers and the Eletre will likely grab their eye with its dramatic looks. It’s a highly competitive luxury, performance SUV that should have anyone considering a similar sized Bentley, BMW, Mercedes, or even the Lamborghini taking it for a test drive. It has both elements - luxury and performance - that will appeal to those looking for something special. Driving Energy consumption is just one element of a tow vehicle though, with stability, braking and acceleration performance being the most important details. The big ‘Cruiser is always a safe bet for towing heavy loads, but it's fair to say its off-road ability, tall body and short wheelbase mean it could be better on the road, and the Tesla goes some way to proving that. With all those batteries mounted nice and low, the Tesla is significantly more stable with 1.7 tonnes on the back than the LandCruiser, in all conditions. It’s also helped by that longer wheelbase. The Tesla’s airbag suspension is another surprise advantage, and while it can be a bit choppy around town over minor bumps, bigger bumps on the highway are soaked up really nicely and it all settles quicker than with the LandCruiser - even with the caravan on the back. Tesla is famous for instant acceleration at any speed, and this effect remains when towing. The LandCruiser’s twin-turbo V8 (with max torque available from 1600-2600rpm) has long been a benchmark for tow vehicles, but the Model X makes it feel sluggish by comparison. You know how caravan vehicles are usually the slow ones up hills? This time, we were the ones doing the overtaking, even up the steep bends heading out of Lithgow. To overtake, it just takes the slightest flex of your right foot. Clearly there’s a big caveat though when it comes to how much energy it’s consuming while you’re enjoying that performance, and it’s deceptive because it doesn’t make any more noise like a conventional engine when you’re pushing it. You’d also think the weight of the van would overcome the engine-braking effect of the regenerative brakes, but they are still very effective at conserving your brakes downhill and preventing the car from running away from you, and no doubt giving the batteries a bigger boost at the same time. On that note, the LandCruiser’s cruise control also does a great job of witholding speed on downhill runs, proactively dropping gears to engine brake enough to keep the Avida Wave in check. Driving The challenge for Lotus, and its competitors, is to make its cars stand out from the pack despite the increasing similarities in performance brought on by electric powertrains. Whereas in the past we could have assessed the difference between a Lotus-built V8 compared to a BMW manufactured V8 or even a Mercedes-Benz V12, these days all the electric models produce the same quiet, effortless punch. So, it creates a generic driving experience in some regards, when what you’re hoping for at this end of the market is something special and different. And it’s important to note I don’t use the term ‘generic’ in a negative sense, but simply the Eletre has similar driving characteristics to the electric models from BMW, Mercedes-AMG and others. Where it does give a hint to Lotus’ heritage is in its handling, where the combination of the air suspension with adaptive dampers, torque vectoring (by braking) and the British brand’s decades of experience combine to create a surprisingly direct and responsive SUV. You won’t mistake it for an Emira, Exige or Elise, but the Eletre does have dynamic ability a cut above your average luxury SUV. Interested in a Tesla Model X? Insurance Quote