I only have experience of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. In my experience with the vehicle I personally wouldn't buy one for towing a caravan even though it can, like many other cars.
Ray
The latest auto boxes are light years ahead of the old 4 speed Borg Warner’s.
Fluid flywheels / torque convertors lock up like a dry clutch once moving. Usually 8/9 ratios. Manual override by both paddles, and gear lever . E and S modes.
I’ve never looked back.
As I suggested earlier, if that is the sum total of your experience, then all you can really say is you don't find the Outlander to be suitable for you. However there may be others that might suit you better.
A lot might depend on how the system is set up, as there are different approaches. The Outlander ICE engine is simply there to produce electricity to run the electric drive train. Where as other manufacturers have opted to have the electric motor supplement an ICE engine and transmission.
There are different gear box arrangements, Some just take electric power with a fixed ratio transmission and no need to change gears, Others use CVT, and other retain a conventional multi ratio gear box some are manual but I think most are auto's.
It is my view, with the exception of Tesla, we do not have an adequate EV charging network up and running in the UK. It is continually improving, but it still does not make it easy to consider longer journeys or towing with EV's. There are major advances in the pipeline that will make significant improvements in the battery technologies which will allow for greater energy storage and faster recharging times making EV's a realistic alternative, even for towing.
Until we have a reliable and consistent charging network , there is in my view still a case for Hybrids for a number of years after which they are likely to phased out as the charging network improves.
Our own PCv did an article on this vehicle. Not as good as one may hope? But a step in the right direction.
www.practicalcaravan.com
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - Practical Caravan
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is still Britain's favourite plug-in hybrid vehicle. But how well does the PHEV cope with towing?
www.practicalcaravan.com
Having just read the review they don't seem overly impressed with the Mitsubishi. When going up a steep hill solo the engine screams terribly so, at one point I thought it was going to break down on me and this was driving solo. I noticed they tested the 136bhp engine,at work we have the 200bhp and when you accelerate between 60mph and 100mph it does take off well I have to say, so it's not all bad I suppose. My own car is Kia Sportage 2l diesel awd and I have to say the Kia is better car in my opinion.
I have never used a PHEV to tow but you need to look at it in a similar way to a conventional one. The car is going to spend most of its time towing using the petrol engine so ignore the electric power. If the torque and power rating of the petrol engine are high enough to tow the caravan then it should be a match but if not ignore it.
Like all power trains, some will do the job and some will not.
Like all power trains, some will do the job and some will not.
Not completely, they'll continue to sell pickups and commercial vehicles in Europe - and it'll be a gradual withdrawal for cars by not introducing any new models but continuing to sell existing ones.
Current tow car is a Kia Sportage mild hybrid diesel automatic, before that always had a manaul. Since we got the automatic no plans going back at all to a manual. So much easier in stop/start traffic as well and on site for reversing onto the pitch (if and where possible).
I see Ford have put stop on sales of the KUGA PHEV and advised all owners not to use on battery , with a solution being months not weeks away. I understand that battery pack fires have occurred. bit like the Dreamliner!!! Stick with petrol or hydrogen and you can't go wrong.
I think I reported that about a year ago as the first I heard of it was from a newspaper article about Kugas in another country.
Facebook
Twitter