Electric vehicles are on a serious upward trend in Australia. We’re seeing more towbar installations on EVs as a result, and many of those motorists are also querying whether an EV needs a brake controller.
Specifically, the question usually revolves around whether the regenerative braking feature found in EVs negates the need for electric brakes.
Well, not quite. Today, we’re going to take a look at regenerative braking, what it does and how it affects your towing setup. Hopefully this will help answer your questions – you can always chat to one of our team members if you need further clarity.
What Regenerative Braking Does
Regenerative braking happens when you lift your foot off the accelerator when driving an electric vehicle. This causes the electric motor to reverse its function – it then acts as a generator, converting kinetic energy into electricity stored in the battery. The driving range of the battery gets extended – and there’s a nice, smooth braking process to enjoy.
Don’t Confuse Braking with Regenerative Braking
It’s important not to confuse regenerative braking with pressing your brake pedal. Your EV will still run conventional brake pads with rotors that slow your vehicle down when you apply the brakes. This blends in with the regenerative braking.
What Regenerative Braking Doesn’t Do
Regenerative braking only acts on the tow vehicle, not on the trailer behind it. If you’re towing and apply brakes, the momentum of the trailer will still keep it pushing forward. The heavier the trailer, the more force forward.
Regenerative Braking while Towing
You’re able to adjust the intensity of the regenerative braking in an EV through your vehicle settings. When towing with your electric vehicle, we recommend you lower the intensity. It can also be automatically restricted when your vehicle goes into towing mode.
The reason we advise this is that the faster your car slows down, the more pressure it will have receive from the trailer. If you don’t have electric brakes, a higher level of regenerative braking could cause unnecessary wear and tear and also pose a risk of jack-knifing or the trailer losing control.
This is where electric brakes and an electric brake controller step up to the plate.
Does an EV need an Electric Brake Controller?
Yes, if your trailer has electric brakes fitted, you will need an electric brake controller in your EV. Trailer brakes are a legal requirement – the same towing laws apply to an EV as they do to a normal petrol or diesel vehicle.
Specifically, any trailer with a Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) over 750kg must have brakes fitted. If those brakes are electric, a brake controller legally must be installed in the tow vehicle by law.
If you’re towing a light single-axle trailer to the tip, it’s likely not going to meet the threshold where electric brakes are required. If you’re towing things like a caravan, horse float or large boat with your EV, you’ll almost certainly be above 750kg and require electric brakes with a controller.
How Does the Brake Controller Work with Regenerative Braking?
If your EV has regenerative braking that can’t be fully disabled, don’t stress. When regen kicks in, your vehicle automatically activates its brake lights, which will cause the brake lights on your trailer to activate as well.
The electric brake controller takes its trigger from this brake circuit. When the trailer wiring brake lights are activated by the regenerative braking, it’s the cue for the controller to engage. This means that if your brake controller is correctly installed on your EV, it will activate whether you are slowing down by applying the foot brake or by using regenerative braking.
Which Brake Controller Suits an EV?
The next question we normally get is, “What’s the best brake controller for an EV?” There are a number of options out there, we’ll just touch on a couple of our favourites that we install here at Speedy:
Elecbrakes EB2
The EB2 brings plug-and-play capabilities to your EV towing. It’s mounted to the trailer and doesn’t require any modifications to your vehicle or its dashboard. It’s a seamless setup process, and its nice and easy to use. Advanced features like SwayControl make it extremely safe, and it’s easily controlled through a smartphone app or your car infotainment. Check out this blog and video for a comprehensive EB2 guide.
RedArc TowPro Elite
This vehicle-mounted electric brake controller is a perennial favourite in the Australian towing community. That’s for good reason – it’s rich in features, and above all is safe and reliable, offering both proportional and user-controlled braking modes. We’ve done a full review of the TowPro Elite here which you can have a look at before deciding which brake controller is best for your EV.
Electric brake controllers and your EV’s warranty
Your EV is a big investment, and you want to ensure the warranty stays in place for its entire term. An electric brake controller won’t affect it if the installation is carried out by a qualified technician.
If someone modifies your vehicle’s electrical system without the proper knowledge or credentials, you could face warranty issues. The high-voltage system in an EV has specific handling procedures which your tech needs to be trained in.
That training is the HEV101 certification. This qualifies a technician to work on EV electrical systems and perform installations on an EV to the correct Australian standard. You can learn all about this in our guide to HEV101 certification.
What’s Right for Your EV Towing Setup?
If you’ve just entered the EV world, welcome and congratulations! The next step is to get your electric vehicle tow-ready, and Speedy Towbars are here to help you all the way. We can answer all your questions about towbars and electric brake controllers, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
We’ll sort out the right towbar and electric brake controller for your setup and handle the installation from start to finish. Chat soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does every EV come tow-ready with a brake controller? No. A brake controller is a separate accessory that needs to be supplied and fitted, preferably by a HEV101 certified technician.
What happens if I tow without a brake controller when one is required? A trailer over 750kg without functioning brakes significantly increases stopping distances. It’s unsafe and illegal to do this.
Will a brake controller drain my EV’s battery? No, Brake controllers stay in Standby Mode until activated via a trailer connection.
Do I need a brake controller for a small trailer or box trailer? If the trailer’s GTM exceeds 750kg and it has electric brakes fitted, yes you do. Most small box trailers fall under that threshold.
Jordan is the co-owner of Speedy Towbars and a trusted source of towbar knowledge for Queensland drivers. When he's not installing towbars, he treasures time with his family and hitting the road for caravanning adventures!