Tesla Model Y - Roof Rack vs Cargo Rack Impact on Range
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- When we upgraded to the 7 passenger Tesla Model Y, one thing I was concerned about was how we would fit 7 people in the car and accommodate all the required luggage. Its true that the 7 passenger Model Y does fit more people, but you do sacrifice some space in the cargo of the car.
There are some solutions to this problem and they have been around for a while. The first and most obvious is to add a Roof Box, much like the Thule one we added here. With this option, you will maximize added space without sacrificing any functionality of the car.
Your alternative option is to get a cargo rack that attaches to the tow hitch if equipped on your Tesla Model Y. I found X-Racks, who specializes in Tesla specific tow hitch racks and have installed one on our Tesla Model Y.
Although the tow hitch mounted X-Rack does not provide as much storage as the roof rack does, it offsets space with lower impact to range. On the flip side, the roof box provides substantially more space, but comes at the expense of efficiency with a much larger hit to your Tesla Model Y's performance.
Both options provide a different solution to this problem, and their uses are different enough that there is a case for both. Having the option, if a long trip is on the horizon, the tow hitch mounted cargo rack is the way to go. If it is a shorter trip, then the roof box may be the better options with more space.
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As an avid skier approaching my first winter with my Model Y, this is exactly what i was looking for!!
Thanks for your commitment to Tesla owners out there! This helped us make a decision on which type of storage to buy.... 👍
Most welcome!
This is that dedication to helping your fellow model y road trippers. Thank you for taking the time to drive back and forth for everyone. Auto pilot makes it a little easier, but seriously thanks!
Most welcome!
Very helpful! I plan to do more skiing/snowboarding next winter & it will be interesting to see how the range is impacted with the combo of cold/bad weather while carrying the equipment on the roof rack or rear rack. Luckily Tesla just opened two new charging stations in NH/MA in proximity to the route I normally take to go skiing.
That will be really nice!
Hey BTG! Several people have reported less of a hit on range by facing the blunt end of the roof box forward. IIUC the reason for this is having the taper in the back creates less turbulence.
I’ve heard the same
Nice! You answered the questions that I didn't know I had 😄
Haha cheers
Thanks, Mr. BTG! If you have the time, would love for you to run an efficiency test (clean, no roof/cargo rack) going various speeds, say, from 55 mph to 80 mph at 5 mph increments. I haven't seen anyone plot out a real-world efficiency curve, which is supposedly exponential. Thanks for all you do...#HUAH!
Sure thing battle. I think I can work something like that up
@@BeardedTeslaGuy This is a great idea, if you're willing. A lot of people reference the teslike chart to note the impact of speed on range, but it's never been updated to include the Model Y.
Thank you
Would be nice to the effect of both installed
Great info. What would yield better results would be a more aerodynamic roof box such as a Yakima grand tour.
Very likely
I was looking for EXACTLY this info, thanks! We are planing a 1000 mile trip to FL with 4 or 5 adults. But most of the trip will be just 3 adults, so we think a platform that fits within the car for most of the trip would be better. Thanks, this was great! I now subscribed!
Cheers
very useful information; THANK YOU for sharing :)
4:48 get together Tesla. You have a tow package. Presumably people are going to use it lol. Have a feature to state you have something there. Or recognize a stationary object and/or trailer😅
They already did. It's called Tow Mode.
Great information, thank you
My man, you read my mind. We are picking up out MY 7 seater tomorrow and I was just researching roof racks v cargo carriers for a road trip this summer.
Yea, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out best options on this
Super helpful
Glad to hear!
Thanks for the video. We have 3 kids and my wife really wants a minivan. I am dead-set on getting a 7-seat model y. Hopefully something like this will alleviate her cargo space concerns.
Have you had kids do a long road trip in the 3rd row? How did they like it?
I've made several long road trips with a roof carrier. It is murder on range. Thank goodness for super chargers being widespread.
Yea, it’s a big hit
Does using superchargers all the time degrade the battery over time versus charging at home?
Thanks for the comparison. From my experience and having a tow hitch bike rack, you need to place it on tow mode to clear the sensors off the screen.
Yep, but the downfall is you lose autopilot
Can I activate tow mode just with a hitch bike rack?
You only need trailer mode if you have a trailer. The car will auto sense that you have something attached and put it in trailer mode but you can deselect that if you have a bike rack or storage box. It allows you to use autopilot but not FSD.
Please comment how long anybody waited after they pay for FSD? Paid 3 months ago and still waiting. 🤷🏽♂️
For beta? It goes out in waves
I was very nervous putting my brand new beach cruiser on this rack. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxG6JIgwJhur8_Rg8UeQ3EmePzi_wSncL8 But after reading many reviews I decided to get this one and take a chance. When arrived it was very simple to adjust and put together. I also added spike tape over the metal hooks before securing and tightening the straps, and no scratches. I also purchased the top bar made by the same company so that my cruiser sits straight on the rack without having to turn upside down. Extra bungee cords are used to secure the front wheel from flapping and even piece of mind knowing your bike is secure. Definitely recommend...
Yep
I would love to see how it compares to install a rooftop cargo box "backwards" so it more closely resembles an airplane wing. I've always wondered why they put the sharp end in front and the dull end in back... I cringe every time I see one on the road. I bet most boxes perform far better that way.
Forward-facing installation generates a force that holds the vehicle downwards, reducing the cruising range but increasing the grip of the tyres. Installation in the opposite direction generates a lifting force, which reduces grip and has a significant negative impact on safety.
@Bearded Tesla Guy: Turn your roof box around. Tapered end towards the back, blunt end towards the front.
That’s what I’ve heard
Does the rails without the roofbox have any effect on the range?
I saw a recent video by Iowa Tesla Guy. He was also with a Model Y and traveled a litle bit faster tha 70 miles hour. With only the bars he had a aditional impact of 21%.
@@pedrofigueiredo64loss of 21%?, geez!
Very Nice Bearded Bro! Get Good People/Tesla!
Cheers
awesome video, Fyi - you show your plate in the video around the 10 min mark. That could be a privacy issue if you have fans/stalkers in the area? i'd blur it out if it were me. Cheers!
Nah, in the 90’s they passed a law that restricts information you can get from just a plate number. Won’t do anyone much good
Very useful, acceptably controlled analysis and extrapolation. Thank you. Of course, as others have commented, the addition to the X Rack is going to have a major negative impact. (Because the basic rack is mostly low and within the car's wake, while the stand up addition will be higher into the wind flow and create significant resistance.)
Yea, if you stack more on top, it will have a bigger impact. I was surprised at how much more efficient this setup would be though
Just out of curiosity, is there an appreciable weight difference between the roof and hitch racks? I'm wondering whether the difference was all air drag, or if some was rolling resistance. I'd also be interested in hour much drag the fishing rack caused.
The roof rack is pretty hearty as is. I estimate both setups to be similar in weight in this test.
I think the X-rack is my choice. I wish they could add an actuator to let the car know there’s some type of rack hooked up on it so the sensors stop popping up. I know, asking for too much lol
Yea, but if they did, it would think there’s a trailer on there and no autopilot
@@BeardedTeslaGuy Good point!
Have you tested the range with the crossbars on vs no crossbars? I installed them for my last road trip but haven't taken them off.
It doesn’t have much of any impact. You do get some wind noise though
The parking sensors are the worst part of hitch add-ons.
it really is too bad. Makes the car not so happy lol
You need to do a part 2 to this video with BOTH racks on and see how that goes. Also try fully loading the back rack with bikes and fishing rods as a bonus!
Haha
@@BeardedTeslaGuy do you have an aftermarket tow hitch recommendation? Tesla doesn’t offer it as an after sale add-on in the US yet
Two years later and Tesla still hasn't added a manual disengage feature for the rear sensors while hooked up to a cargo or bike rack.
Do you happen to have a working coupon code for the xrack? Your video was super helpful and I'm going to get an x-rack for my Y but I'd love to save the 10% (and the code BTG is expired). Thank you for posting!
oh no, thats a bummer that they ended the code. I dont have a different code, but I guess to be fair this was like a year and a half ago.
We Use a hitch basket. Only lost about 5% MY21LR 20in wheels. UP performance suspension
There are some videos that reversing the roof carrier reduces the impact of range loss. Can you give that a test?
I will try it some time
How do you keep it from being stolen?
Well it locks so you can't access the areas that you'd need to release to remove the box.
what size of Thule box is that? Sport, Large, XL ??
Large
@@BeardedTeslaGuy Nice, thx!
We’ve use an older Thule roof box (narrower and longer than what you have) and also a cheap hitch cargo tray from harbor freight to bring a big cooler plus an inflatable boat on some of our road trips. The extra storage space is definitely nice and needed at times with our 7 seater Y. I have to admit that I’ve bumped the signs in front and fortunately not the actual super charger with the hitch mount rack since it was packed all the way covering the camera. I tend to drive slower with all that gear (speed limit so 60~65) but haven’t measured the impact but haven’t had range anxiety b/c superchargers were along the way. Will do a half-cross country move to in the fall from the PNW to Cleveland in our Y with the dogs and plan on having the roof cargo box so I can keep the inside clear for the dogs and car camping at night.
Yea it certainly opens up the possibilities and to be honest it looks cool
Nice test, thanks so much! Any experience or knowledge about the possibility of the roof rack cracking the glass roof when installing on a Tesla? I have read about instances where the rack cracked the glass roof with the owners saying they followed the installation instructions properly, others saying the rack was installed wrong. I called Yakima who makes the rack for Tesla, asking about the issue, and they would not provide me any input, telling me to contact Tesla. I checked with Thule and they refuse to make bars for the Tesla's that use the u-clip mounting method saying they cannot be attached and meet both Thule's and Europe's safety and weight standards.
The cracked glass seems to happen when over-tightening the mounting points, not the actual weight of cargo. At least that’s what I have seen
what about roof box PLUS Wind Fairing will it help ?
have you seen the swingaway hitch frame? Wife and I have been thinking about getting one of those and putting a camp kitchen on it. That said, we were able to do a 7000 mile car camping road trip with no external storage boxes or anything, still not sure if the convenience would be worth eating the range hit.
I haven’t seen that, but towing definitely reduces range and it will get old if the trip is long
If you envoke “towing” you should not get alerts
But, you’ll lose autopilot.
can you do quick rack model x
I may need to
Hi and thank you, exactly the questions I needed answered. I do have one more after watching it again, can you open the trunk with the Tesla bag and other things loaded on the cargo crate? It kinda looks like it can, but close.
Yea you can open the lift gate without issue
Where where you stationed when you where active duty?
Ft Sill
I requested this video a little while back. Thanks for making it. I live in Southern Indiana and have a Model Y on order. Due in August at this point. I've been debating whether to buy the roof cross bars to go with the carrier I already have. I have the same one as you but I think mine is a little longer. Mine is the XL model. Do you know which one you have?
This one is the Large
Looking to get the xrack for our next trip! Thanks for the review.
For your Diono car seat, have you had any issues with the back of the headrest portion? My forward facing car seat ended up making a small puncture/tear on the cars headrest.
Nothing out of the ordinary. Those head rests on car seats do push into the seat
Have you tried flipping the roof box? I've read many people say it's more efficient that way.
No because it doesn’t do much
Thanks for making this man. Needed this info. 🙏
Welcome
Awesome video. Considering taking out Bolt to California this June and was going to use Thule box. For security, nothing beets a roof box. Sadly, I would never trust any of our belongings hanging on the back trailer.
This is a very real advantage of the roof box over the trailer
I am still thinking to get the Roof Rack from Tesla. My only concern is the roof rack with the box might crack the roof glass. What's your thought on that ? I heard some comments from MY owner and tesla will not cover the roof glass damage regardless you overload or not.
People that crack the glass do it by over tightening the brackets to the top.
Have you tried an utility trailer? Would that be a good option for even more storage?
I have for local stuff only
For the sensors, what if you put it on trailer mode?
Hello, I don’t know if you’ve addressed this issue. But are you supposed to turn on Trailer Mode when using a bike carrier in the OEM hitch mount? When using my Kuat bike rack I can’t seem to get rid of all the warnings about Blocked parking sensors, proximity alarms, etc. very annoying. Also, when using Trailer mode the Icon is RED rather than Blue…? Seems like there should be a Bike Hitch Mode🤷♂️
You can absolutely put tow mode on, but you will then lose autopilot
I finally figured I’d try to fit in the back of my 7 seater 😂. I’m 5’9 and I fit ok BUT 1. I had to sit on the left side and 2. I had to take off my work shoes. Size 13 here. And the biggest 3. I had to keep the seats all the way forward on the driver side. Great video again sir.
Yea, that 3rd row is not for adults lol
What size was the Thule box you used in the video? I noticed that have different sizes.
It’s the 16 cu ft
I feel like you're my souls doppelganger... How weird.
Haha cheers
Did you get your hitch installed from Tesla ot it's an aftermarket one. I wonder if that changes the alarm system when you have a bike back in there.
OEM from order
what size is your Tule roof box? I was thinking about getting the XL one... not sure if it would clear the hatchback door
Large
@@BeardedTeslaGuy thanks I just went and check at the store, so no matter which size you buy it wont matter the back will always be at the same place its the front that will be longer and extend 👍
I think you should just move to Florida 😂 you’d love it here! I live in Orlando and EV’s are becoming a way of life here for people who love being outside and have kids.
Well wouldn’t you know it we are moving to Florida in May! Tampa area
@@BeardedTeslaGuy oh wow!!! That’s great, welcome to the year round summer state 😎
Just a thought have you considered using a motorcycle cargo trailer? They are low height and lightweight for minimum drain on the battery. They should even be light enough for your wife to be able to unhook at a Supercharger location.
It adds so much drag
@@BeardedTeslaGuy I don't think we are talking about the same type of trailers Justin. I'm talking about ones that a motorcycle like a Goldwing would pull for a road trip. Not a trailer that a motorcycle goes on to transport it to an event by truck. The only video that I have seen use a motorcycle cargo trailer on an electric car is on Transport Evolved but Nicky never really reported how her Bolt handled it. It was just a thought.
It's very hard to find info pertaining to this very question. I was using the keyword "tow hitch" so your video never showed up on my search at first. If you can edit your title or description, please add those keywords for others to discover this video. Thank you!
I bet you'd get even more if you vacuum sealed the clothes and stuff
Lol
I purchased a hitch bike rack for our two e=bikes. I had the hitch and harness installed by Tesla when I ordered the car. When I install the bike rack and hook up the harness for the integrated lights the vehicle recognizes it and puts you in “trailer mode”. You won’t get the annoying warnings in trailer mode.
Yea but you lose autopilot which I value more than an alert on the screen
@@BeardedTeslaGuy Understood, but does the hitch cargo box obstruct the running, brake and turn signal lights?
Crazy how little this affected range vs the roof box. Did you get the tesla oem hitch receiver installed or the aftermarket? I thought that if you went with tesla they unlock tow mode so you don't get all the beeping or the warnings while driving.
I have the OEM one. Since there’s not a trailer plugged in it does not activate tow mode
@@BeardedTeslaGuy ah ok that makes sense! Wasn't sure how it worked but have been thinking about added it onto my Y
Cargo box is nice but $750 is a lot
Do you keep the roof rack on all the time or take them off when not in use? maybe not a big deal to the range?
I don’t keep the roof rack on when not using
I notice they never give me airpprt people when I run my XL 2019 VW Tig with small 3rd row
Did you set the Tesla to Tow while carrying the X-Rack?
Also it looked kind of small - Does the one they make for Model X fit the model Y?
No because when you do, you lose autopilot, which is more important to me
@@BeardedTeslaGuy thank you. I wish they had a bigger one - 36 inch wide looks small for added cargo space.
You mentioned that the rear sensors will go off like crazy because you have a cargo box blocking them, what about enabling Trailer Mode? Does this help the car realize that there is a hitch blocking the sensor and to not worry about it?
That would do it but then you wouldn’t have autopilot
@@BeardedTeslaGuyDoes Tow Mode change any settings to add torque were you would lose range?
Hi thanks for the video. When you drove without the rack or roof box, did you add the weight to the cargo inside the car to figure out what share of the efficiency reduction can be attributed to the diminished aerodynamics?
Yes, same weight on cargo rack as roof box
@@BeardedTeslaGuy Understand but how about the control test (the test with neither roof box nor rack). Let’s say the roof box weights 50 pounds. Shouldn’t we load 50 pounds extra inside the car when we are doing the control run so that we can differentiate between the effect of added drag and added weight?
I have a motion xt XL and it hits the range quite a lot. I would say easily 25%. In winter you need to really plan carefully. The box is great no complaints but be ready for a range hit.
Does the model 3 have power seats on both front seats? Lumbar?
Power yes, lumbar only on drivers seat
Which is size is that roof rack?
but did you use the same weight on both the cargo hitch and the roof box
No weight difference
If you put the car in tow mode you'll clear the alerts
But you’ll lose autopilot
I have an X rack for my X, I love that is can function as a replacement sub trunk cover!
Yea, they are brilliant
Did you try supercharging with the back rack ?
Yes, no issues
Well done video. Very well explained and solid test. You gave me exactly what I needed to know and ask about.
Have you tried putting both the roof cargo box and the hitch rack on and see how it impacts the range? I'm debating if adding the hitch rack to go with the roof cargo box would be feasible for camping trip (how far would I be able to go)
I can’t imagine it would be much more impact than just the roof box
@@BeardedTeslaGuy oh that's interesting 🤔... 😉 Only one way to find out hahah
How are you keeping your white seats clean? I have 7 Seater model y as well with White seats and want to have a good option to keep them clean
Ceramic coat as a base, then baby wipes every couple weeks for the blue jeans
@@BeardedTeslaGuy which brand did you use? Could you drop a link please?
Great video - thank (denmark, Europe)
Cheers
Would be interesting to know the range difference if we have the roof rack the cargo rack and 3 people in the car.
If you put the car in “trailer mode” does the issue with the sensors go away?
Yes but then you wouldn’t have autopilot
@@BeardedTeslaGuy ahh ok, that makes sense. have a trailer hitch but I’ve never even taken the cover off to confirm it is actually there… hopefully this summer I’ll have a use for it.
Very helpful test and analysis. Thank you!
Cheers
Awesome video... I had these concerns since we are considering the 7 seat Model Y
Cheers
Does your MY have the factory installed tow hitch?
Yes
Wondering what the effect of weight has on the range. Looks like you did not fill either with anything, It would be helpful to put known weights in them, note the total weight including their weight and rerun the tests to see what the effect is. That is more realistic since people don't put these on their cars unless transporting something. By the way for the older Model Y's, I don't know if it true for the newer ones, the maximum weight on the hitch is 160 lb for bicycles and 350 lb for trailers.
Weight will have an impact, but the aerodynamic impact is by far the largest hit the car will have.
Yes, I was looking for this comment. There is a weight limit, and if 160lb (73kg) is correct, which seems to be the case, then it wouldn't take much to exceed this limit with that heavy thing attached to the back of the car.
I’d love if you did the same experiment with an ICE car to see how much efficiency those cars lose. Great video as always!!
I would imagine it’s similar as this is all related to drag. That said, the body size and wind resistance of the car may play a slight impact
Some years ago I put one of those Yakima boxes atop a Jetta TDI Wagon for some extra room on camping trips.
At 80MPH (Dakota limits) the hit to MPG was about 35%
Riding with BOTH storage options would probably be bad…
Haha, yea, probably
I would guess that adding the rear rack when you already have the box on top would have very little affect. Aerodynamics has a lot to do with the turbulence you create behind the car. That is why turning the box around is better - the air releases at the back more easily. Once you have created the disturbed air with the top box, the rear one could mostly go along for the ride. It would be worth checking, but only if you have that much stuff to carry.
All the best with your dad. 🙏. Thanks for putting out content we can use and be entertained.
Thanks a bunch!
Which size roof box do you have in this setup? The link shows various sizes.
large (16 cu ft)
@@BeardedTeslaGuy hey buddy. Just asking for a little advice. I am considering the Tesla roof rack or the Tesla tow hitch. I haven’t had a need for either yet but would like the option in case we need to expand storage. The roof rack is $500 plus the cost of a roof cargo box so probably around $1250. The Tow hitch is $1300 plus there would be the cost of a carrier of some sort like the X-rack to expand storage which might another $600. I am not so concerned about range although that is a factor. The costs are not too different from each other. What are your thoughts on which one is more practical and less of a pain to use. Do you have both? Do you like one over the other? It’s me and my husband and our dog. It’s a 5 seater MY.
Everyone watching this video needs to watch RUclipsr Brian hauer channel as he is the expert roof cargo box on a model y and how it impacts range. His videos are about travel and range loss.
Cool thanks for sharing
Really, no mentioning of the exact Thule model???
There’s a link of it in the description
Always great helpful info! Thanks a lot. Please keep up with the great work.
Cheers
Question for the group - what is your recommended rise in inches to the tow hitch for rear racks? It's super low to the ground on a tesla, so I am guessing 4" or 6" but would love to have input from the group on recommendation so I don't hit the ground with rear racks for my 2023 Model Y. Thank you!
Just be careful because the higher it is, the less room you have to pop open the liftgate.
Thank you for that insight - really appreciate it and love the content! my concern is there won't be room for the liftgate either way as that hitch feels low and inside but I guess it's a trial and error situation!
Wonder what the options are for a model 3?
Same options really
Can you do the same trip with both? Just curious if you add the losses together or if it would be similar to just the roof rack. FYI, the X rack isn't very aero, I've had better efficiency with a hard shell hitch carrier. In fact the Yakima EXO affected range by 4% or less.
I am sure the effect would be amplified with both
Been looking for something like this! Thanks BTG!
Cheers
I'm considering the cargo rack for a non-ultrasonic Model Y that I hope to buy this summer. I need to know if the hitch option is worth the extra $1000 or will X-rack (and it's add on options) frustrate me by interfering with AutoPilot/FSD highway driving. Since this video was made awhile ago, do you still say that the rack does not interfere with those options? Also, when you have the attachment that hold up to 100lbs (with the fishing pole option on minute 9) does that interfere with autopilot/FSD highway driving when the attachment is folded up (vertical) for driving?
Does the rack 'bag' interfere with opening the hatch? I highly appreciate your opinion on these things.
FSD is using the cameras, so it shouldn't have an impact on that. If the car goes into tow mode, it will not allow autopilot.