In the realm of Tesla fanboys, Bjørn Nyland is as legit as they come. The Norwegian has gained a notable Internet following for his EV exploits, which include winning a free Founder’s Edition Model X through the Elon Musk’s referral program, and, last August, managing a record 452 miles on a single charge during a long-distance haul. His latest trick? Charging a Model S sedan… by towing it with a Model X.
In this video, Nyland appears to demonstrate a method of boosting battery range by artificially simulating regenerative braking. The tow vehicle here a standard Model X on 20-inch wheels, dragging behind it a rear-drive, single-motor P85D Model S. The totals: 6.6 miles driven over 15 minutes, wherein the Model X used 14.9 kWh and the Model S picked up 7.2 kWh. It’s impressive, but, as Nylands notes in the video description, far from optimal:
Due to the length of the rope, we couldn’t drive faster. Therefore we didn’t reach the maximum regen which is 60 kW. Not long after we started pulling, a yellow dotted line appeared on the Model S. This limits the maximum regen. The Model S is a single motor rear wheel drive standard 85. Maybe if we used a dual motor, we would get higher regen.
Obviously, Tesla doesn’t endorse this (flatbed only, per the owner’s manual). Still, it’s an interesting concept and, if you can forgive the terrible music, a neat video. Check it out below.
