Can Your Vehicle Tow A Bowlus? All About RV Towing

Today we are talking about the wide variety of vehicles that can tow the Bowlus Rivet and Endless Highways. First, let’s do a quick refresher on terms. Dry Weight is the weight of the RV as manufactured, without any cargo, fluids, or passengers. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the total maximum weight of your RV, including all of your water and gear. Tongue Weight is the downward force your trailer’s coupler exerts on the tow vehicle’s hitch. Tow vehicles are often limited by maximum tongue weights, so when you are shopping for a vehicle, you need to consider both the GVWR and the maximum supported tongue weight.

The good news is that a Bowlus is incredibly lightweight and has a very low tongue weight. The Rivet has a GVWR of 3,500 lbs and the Endless Highways has a GVWR of 4,000 lbs. Both of these models generally have tongue weights between 200 to 400 lbs depending on how your Bowlus is loaded. Because of this, the tow vehicle options are incredibly vast. Popular examples among our customers include the Porsche Macan, Rivian R1S, and even the Subaru Outback.

Most other RVs—including those marketed as “lightweight”—need to be towed with heavy-duty trucks due to their high GVWR and tongue weights. Even other aluminum travel trailers are often double to triple the weight of a Bowlus. Furthermore, many RVs require convoluted and expensive weight equalization hitches to distribute the tongue weight to the tow vehicle’s front axle for safety. With a Bowlus, you don’t need a weight equalization hitch because the tongue weight is so low. This simplifies your setup, makes maneuvering easy, and allows you to hitch up in under a minute.

Easy hitching makes a massive difference when setting up camp, moving to your next destination, or accessing unique camping locations. If you plan on towing with an EV, having an RV that can be unhitched easily is essential, as most charging stations are not pull-through for trailers. Because the Bowlus can be towed by vehicles not typically thought of as hauling vehicles, you must ensure your vehicle is outfitted with a brake controller, which is required by law. If your vehicle doesn’t have one built-in, you can have one installed aftermarket or use a wireless option like the Curt Echo. We also include a scale at the front of your jockey wheel so you can easily determine your tongue weight before each trip.

To show you that a pickup truck is not required to tow a full-size travel trailer, here is a list of non-traditional vehicles capable of towing a Bowlus. For the Bowlus Rivet (3,500 lbs GVWR), compatible vehicles include the Subaru Outback and Crosstrek, Toyota RAV4, Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler, Mazda CX-50, Volvo XC40, Mercedes GLC, Tesla Model Y, Ford Bronco, Range Rover Evoque, and even minivans like the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Chrysler Pacifica.

For all Bowlus models (up to 4,000 lbs GVWR), options expand to include the Toyota Tacoma, Highlander, Tundra, and Sequoia; BMW X3, X5, and X7; Audi Q5, Q7, and Q8; Porsche Macan and Cayenne; Mercedes GLE, GLS, and G-Wagon; Lexus GX, LX, and TX; the Land Rover and Range Rover lineup; Tesla Model X and Cybertruck; Rivian R1S and R1T; and even ultra-luxury SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX, Lamborghini Urus, and Bentley Bentayga.

I hope this video was helpful. If you have any questions, please contact our sales team at bowlus.com or 805-568-7452. Don’t forget to like and subscribe!