Bicycle carrier on electric car: this is what you need to know

Ad Taking your bike with you when traveling is a smart choice. You can easily get to your destination by car, and then explore the area at your leisure. This is also possible with an electric car. But how do you know whether a bicycle carrier fits an electric car? And what else should you take into account? You can read this and more in this article.

The effect of a bicycle carrier on the range

If you are planning to install a bicycle carrier on your electric car, know that this is… maximum range limited. The design of electric cars has been made as streamlined as possible, a bicycle carrier with bicycles on it has a negative effect on aerodynamics. You quickly have to take into account a decrease of 10 to 20 percent, depending on the setup and your driving behavior.

Those are precious kilometers that you lose. By driving slower and more smoothly, you ensure that the range decreases less quickly. An advantage is that it is becoming increasingly popular these days more places (fast) charging stations can be found; So you won’t get into trouble quickly.

Not every electric car is suitable

Just as not every fuel car has a tow bar, this is also the case with electric cars. For a long time, there were only a handful of models that were suitable for fitting a bicycle carrier on the car. The increasing popularity of electric cars means that more and more new models are appearing on the market – especially large, capable cars.

We therefore see more and more electric cars that have a towbar that can accommodate a bicycle carrier. This often concerns crossovers, station wagons, sedans and SUVs. Please note that not every electric car with a towbar is allowed to immediately tow a caravan or trailer, for example if you have one electrical occasion want to buy.

No tow bar? No problem

An electric car may not have a tow bar. This does not mean that you cannot install a tow bar. In such cases you can attach a special tow bar to the car, so that you can still fit a bicycle carrier. This is also called an RMC towbar. These types of towbars are intended for (electric) cars that are not allowed to tow, but are allowed to carry.

Take the nose weight of the bicycle carrier into account

Just because an electric car has a towbar doesn’t mean you can take bicycles with you to your heart’s content. You have to take the nose weight into account. Do not confuse this with the towing capacity of the car.

The nose weight indicates how much weight may rest on the towbar. The nose weight varies per car. You can find the exact nose weight of an electric car in the technical data of the model, in the instruction booklet or online.

Tips for riding with a bicycle carrier

Before you set off with your electric car and bicycles, take a look at some useful tips to make the trip as smooth as possible:

• Take it easy; the slower you drive, the more you maximize your range.
• If necessary, take a test drive in advance so that you have an idea of ​​how much the bicycle carrier limits your range.
• Make sure you have a good view to the rear; chances are that the bike rack and bicycles will obstruct, if not completely block, the view – especially if you have a reversing camera.
• Check which adapter plug you need to connect the bicycle carrier.

Observe the regulations

There are a number of rules you must take into account when riding with a bicycle carrier. For example:

• Bicycles may not protrude more than twenty centimeters on either side of the car.
• Do not ride with more bicycles than there is room on the bicycle carrier.
• Your license plate must be visible at all times, even if the bicycle carrier blocks it. In that case, attach a (white) license plate.
• The car’s lighting must be visible at all times; If this is not the case, provide an extra light bar.