I found the limit of towing with a 2005 FEH.

3200 lb trailer 7x9 foot frontal area. 8% grade.

too much for it!!! I almost got stuck on the grade.

NOTHING GOT HOT OR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO OVERHEATING.

I simply ran out of horsepower ( and battery power ) and the rig got slower and slower to the point where I was pedal to the floor doing 20 mph with flashers on.

On a 6% grade I can keep it above 40 mph.
On a 5% grade 50 mph.

On the flat roads 60 mph is not difficult.

Of worthy note, below 40 mph your engine MUST SLOW DOWN.
You don't have any low gear on these eCVT transmissions.
Thus you cannot have high engine rpm and low wheel speed.

I believe 133 HP would have pulled me over the hill.
But to get 133 HP I needed 5900 rpm.
This car can't do that.

At the low wheel speed I was engine limited to 3500 rpm and only about 80 horsepower.
The electric motor and battery ( up to 94 HP boost ) is there to make up for this limitation.
And it works well and tows uphill like a champ!
Until the battery is depleted.
On the 8% ( 12 mile road ) I got battery assist until SOC was 30%.
Then not a watt from the battery. That is when my speed dropped from 40 mph to 20.

my battery went from 53% to 30% in less than a mile.

Its really a pretty small battery pack, and most don't realize that.

 

What's the max factory towing capacity? What happens if you cause a accident towing over the limit?

 

Exactly the same thing as if towing a 500 lb trailer or no trailer at all.

We've been through this before. I've talked to local law enforcement.
Is is perfectly legal (and safe) so long as the maximum axle weight of the FEH and the trailer is not exceeded.

Every trailer over 1000 lbs is required to have independent brakes and mine does.
I'm putting no greater braking stress on my FEH.

I had 3200 lbs on a trailer rated for 3500 lbs.
I had 200 lbs on my FEH rear axle rated for 1000 lbs. ( well, to clarify, 1000 pounds of additional cargo weight on the vehicle so I can have up to 500# of tounge weight per Ford specs )
Perfectly legal.

The tow limit ONLY is there with regard to warranty.
Towing more COULD void your warranty ( but not automatically ).
Towing more than 1000# would have to been shown as the cause for the warranty claim.

 

Hmmm, yes, I remember the last time now.

 

That's some great information. Thanks for sharing.

I have a 1000 lbs. tent trailer that I used to take into the mountains with a 2000 Honda crv, it was a little sluggish but it was fine. I guess with my FEH it should be just as good. But it's definitely good to know that if there's too much for the vehicle, it should just slow to a crawl, rather than overheat.

Do you think in the situation you described above, if you were towing around 1000 lbs (instead of 3200), you would have slowed to a less degree, and would have managed more than 20 mph? I would think with less weight youd manage a higher speed, no? (edit: just reread this and I know it sounds like a dumb question... I imagine less wait would act like less grade.)

Again, thanks for the info. I've been hella paranoid towing things since my overheating issues, even after my repair which I'm sure addressed the issue. On a personal note, I love my scanguage... That thing is genius.