In Belgium, towing a horse trailer with an electric car comes down to one figure: braked towing capacity. For a loaded two-horse trailer, which often weighs 1,800 to 2,000 kg, you need a Kia EV9, a BMW iX, a Volvo EX90 or a Tesla Model X. Mainstream EVs top out too low.
Let me split this up front, because the question hides two very different needs. Either you carry a single horse in a light trailer on Sundays, and the choice widens all the way to a Tesla Model Y. Or you head to a show with two horses, the tack and the hay, and then only four models make the weight. Everything below flows from that distinction.
Which electric car should you choose to tow a horse trailer?
The Kia EV9 is the best compromise: 2,500 kg of braked towing, 7 seats and a Belgian price around €73,000. The BMW iX and Volvo EX90 tow just as much with more prestige. For a single horse in a light trailer, a Tesla Model Y is enough.
The right instinct is to start from your actual rig, not the badge. A two-horse Böckmann or Ifor Williams trailer weighs 750 to 950 kg empty. Add two riding horses at 550 kg each, plus tack, water and forage, and you brush 2,000 kg. It is that total, not the weight of a single horse, that fixes the car.
Three profiles stand out in practice. The competition rider moving two horses every weekend to Lanaken or Opglabbeek: Kia EV9, for its 2,500 kg and seven seats that swallow the team and the gear. The owner who wants premium: BMW iX or Volvo EX90, same capacity, higher unladen range. The leisure rider with a single horse and a 1.5-stall trailer: Tesla Model Y or Škoda Enyaq, as long as you stay under their limit.
Before signing, run the models below through our electric car comparator to line up WLTP range, price and load capacity.
The electric cars able to tow a trailer in Belgium in 2026
The Belgian market offers a handful of EVs genuinely built for a two-horse trailer, and many others that stop at the light trailer. Braked towing capacity varies threefold from one model to the next.
| Model | Braked towing | WLTP range | Seats | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia EV9 AWD | 2,500 kg | 505 km | 7 | from €73,000 |
| BMW iX xDrive45 | 2,500 kg | 600 km | 5 | from €85,000 |
| Tesla Model X | 2,250 kg | 570 km | 6 | from €100,000 |
| Volvo EX90 | 2,200 kg | 505 km | 7 | from €85,000 |
| Tesla Model Y AWD | 1,600 kg | 590 km | 5 | from €53,000 |
| Škoda Enyaq 85 | 1,200 kg | 575 km | 5 | from €48,000 |
Sources: Belgian manufacturer catalogues and Kia Belgium (price list dated 01/01/2026), Moniteur Automobile, official braked towing capacities, indicative prices incl. VAT, July 2026.
The table's verdict is clear. For two horses the shortlist shrinks to the top four rows, and the Kia EV9 leads on price as well as flexibility. The Model Y and Enyaq remain excellent cars, but their 1,600 and 1,200 kg limits confine them to a one-horse trailer. A Peugeot e-3008, capped at 750 kg, simply cannot tow a horse in an enclosed trailer.
What is braked towing capacity?
Braked towing capacity is the maximum weight a car can tow when the trailer has its own braking system. It is the figure that matters for a horse trailer, because every type-approved trailer is braked. It appears on the certificate of conformity, box O.1.
In practice, an unbraked trailer is limited to 750 kg on nearly every EV. A horse trailer always exceeds that threshold, even empty: it falls into the braked category, and that is the value to read. Many buyers get caught looking at the marketing sheet, which pushes range and power but tucks the towing capacity into the small print.
One worked example beats a long explanation. An Ifor Williams HB511 two-horse trailer weighs about 855 kg empty. Two sport horses at 560 kg, plus 60 kg of equipment, bring the combination to nearly 2,035 kg. You therefore need a car rated at 2,100 kg minimum to stay legal with a margin. That is exactly why the serious list stops at four models.
How much range do you lose towing a horse trailer?
The loss runs from 30 to 50% depending on load, speed and wind. A Kia EV9 rated at 505 km WLTP drops to between 280 and 320 real-world km with a two-horse trailer on the motorway. The main culprit is the trailer's aerodynamics, a wall pushing the air, far more than its weight.
The physics is simple. At 120 km/h, air resistance rises with the square of speed, and a horse trailer presents an enormous frontal area. The electric motor compensates by drawing on the battery, hence the range collapse. Dropping to 90 km/h on a main road changes everything: consumption falls, and the loss moves toward 30% rather than 50%.
In September 2025 I followed a friend moving his mare from Wavre to a paddock near Gesves, about 60 km on the N4. His Model Y hitched to a one-horse trailer used nearly 28 kWh per 100 km, against 16 solo. Over that short trip, no stress. But for a Brussels–Lanaken round trip with two horses, some 200 km, the EV9 forces a charging stop, and you have to plan it before setting off.
Mostly from the trailer's aerodynamic drag
The threshold that rules out most mainstream EVs
Default value, too low for any horse trailer
Do you need a BE licence to tow a trailer with an electric car?
Often, yes. A category B licence covers a combination up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass. But EVs able to tow are heavy: a Kia EV9's MAM already reaches about 3,100 kg. Add a trailer and you cross the threshold before even loading the horses.
The trap is specific to electric. A 99 kWh battery weighs several hundred kilos, which inflates the kerb weight and the MAM of the towing vehicle. Where a diesel estate left margin under 3,500 kg, a large electric SUV uses almost all of it. According to the SPF Mobilité (federal mobility service), you then need code 96, which extends the combination to 4,250 kg after a short course, or the BE licence, up to 7,000 kg, which involves a practical test.
This administrative detail surprises many new owners. They buy an EV rated at 2,500 kg of towing thinking they are covered, then find their B licence is not enough for the loaded combination. Check line F.2 of your registration papers and do the sum before buying, not after.
Does the car's weight count in the licence calculation?
Yes, and that is the whole problem with electric. The licence depends on the sum of maximum authorised masses, the towing vehicle's and the trailer's. A heavy EV eats the margin before the trailer even enters the picture. Two cars rated for the same towing can therefore require different licences depending on their own weight.
Does a horse have to leave the trailer for a police check?
No, a check concerns the documents and the listed masses, not a weighing of the horse on the spot. The police verify the consistency between the registration papers, the licence and the technical weight of the rig. Driving overloaded or outside your licence category exposes you to a fine and to an immobilisation, trailer and horses included.
Can an electric car really replace a diesel for shows?
For two horses and long weekends, the honest answer is: yes if you charge at home, no if you rely on public chargers en route. A towing EV uses too much to improvise, and few fast chargers are designed for an 8-metre-long combination.
The home advantage is decisive. Charging overnight at €0.30/kWh costs far less than a diesel fill-up, and you leave every Saturday at 100%. The weak point is logistics on the road. At the Wanlin or Spontin service area, an Ionity charger has no room to manoeuvre a trailer, and unhitching to charge alone with a horse in the box complicates the day. The maths tilts toward electric for shows under 150 km, and stays debatable beyond.
And for pure leisure use with one horse?
Here the EV wins easily. A one-horse trailer stays under 1,300 kg, so a Model Y or an Enyaq is enough, and leisure trips rarely exceed 50 km. Home charging covers everything, and the EV's lower maintenance does the rest. This is the scenario where electric has almost nothing but advantages.
Should you wait for the new Chinese SUVs to tow more cheaply?
Maybe, but be careful. Models such as the BYD Tang advertise towing capacity, and Chinese prices are squeezing the Belgian market. What remains is to check the rated value on the Belgian registration papers, not the brochure, and the service network. For a use that involves the safety of two horses, proven capacity beats a promise.
To estimate the real four-year budget, charging and maintenance included, our total cost of ownership simulator quantifies the gap with a diesel based on your mileage.
I was assured a big electric SUV tows anything. True on paper. But the day my neighbour hitched his two-horse trailer to a model rated at 1,600 kg, he was driving overloaded without knowing it, and his B licence no longer covered the combination. Towing capacity and the licence box are read before the purchase. Afterwards it is too late, and it is the horse standing behind you.
Le verdict de Christophe F.
To tow a horse trailer electrically in Belgium, everything comes down to two lines on the registration papers: braked towing capacity and the authorised mass of the combination. For two horses, the Kia EV9 is the most rational choice, with its 2,500 kg, its 7 seats and a starting price around €73,000. The BMW iX and Volvo EX90 deliver the same service, more premium and more expensive. For a single horse in a light trailer, the Tesla Model Y from €53,000 does the job without a second thought. My advice fits in one sentence: add up the maximum masses before dreaming of the model, check your licence, and accept that while towing you charge at home rather than on the road. On those terms, electric holds the road all the way to the paddock.
Frequently asked questions
Which electric car tows a two-horse trailer in Belgium?
Aim for at least 2,000 kg of braked towing, because a loaded two-horse trailer often weighs between 1,800 and 2,000 kg. Four models cover that need in 2026: the Kia EV9 (2,500 kg, from ~€73,000), the BMW iX (2,500 kg), the Volvo EX90 (2,200 kg) and the Tesla Model X (2,250 kg). Below that, you are limited to a single horse or a light trailer.
Can you tow a horse trailer with a Tesla Model Y?
Yes, but only for one horse in a light trailer. The Model Y is rated for 1,600 kg braked. A 1.5-stall trailer weighs about 700 kg empty; with a 500 to 600 kg horse you reach 1,200 to 1,300 kg, which fits. Add a second horse, tack and hay and you go over the limit. For two horses you need a model rated at 2,000 kg or more.
How much range does an electric car lose while towing a trailer?
Expect a 30 to 50% loss depending on load, speed and wind. A Kia EV9 rated at 505 km WLTP falls to between 280 and 320 real-world km with a two-horse trailer on the motorway. The main culprit is the trailer's aerodynamic drag, far more than its weight. At 90 km/h on a main road the loss is gentler than at 120 km/h on the E313 motorway.
Do you need a BE licence to tow a trailer with an electric car?
Often yes. A category B licence covers a combination up to 3,500 kg maximum authorised mass. But EVs able to tow are heavy: a Kia EV9's MAM already reaches about 3,100 kg. Add a trailer and the combination immediately passes 3,500 kg. You then need code 96 (up to 4,250 kg) or a BE licence (up to 7,000 kg). Check with the SPF Mobilité (federal mobility service) before buying.
Which horse trailer is the cheapest to tow electrically?
The Kia EV9 offers the best capacity-to-price ratio on the Belgian market for two horses: 2,500 kg of towing, 7 seats and a starting price around €73,000 in the Kia Belgium 2026 price list. The BMW iX, Volvo EX90 and Tesla Model X tow just as much but start higher, between €85,000 and €100,000.
Can an electric car reverse a horse trailer?
Yes, with no mechanical issue. Electric torque is actually easier to meter than a combustion engine for slow manoeuvring on a show ground. The real advantage is the reversing cameras and hitch-assist features on these large SUVs. The Kia EV9 and Tesla Model X show the tow-ball path on screen, which makes hooking up alone on a Sunday morning far easier.
How much does a towbar cost on an electric car?
Expect €1,000 to €1,800 for a factory towbar, often electrically retractable on these models. On the Kia EV9 the towbar is a factory option; on the Tesla Model X it is fitted from the factory on some trims. Retrofits exist but can affect the warranty and the rated capacity: always check the value printed on the registration papers, not the one quoted by the towbar fitter.
