Hybrid Cars

[Trevor_5102808]

What with global warming and all, I would really like to ditch my petrol car and get a Totota Prius hybrid.

We are also looking for our first caravan- likely to be a relatively modest two berth job.

Does anyone know if hybrid cars, specifically this one, can be reasonably used to pull caravans?

 

[Lutz]

I have a feeling that the Toyota Prius is not type approved for towing. At any rate I can't find the model in any of the databases I've had a look at or there is no entry against the spec. Or which hybrid car were you looking at?

 

[RogerL]

Hybrid vehicles are in their infancy, with only 2 or 3 models around. They will EVENTUALLY make good towcars, with very good low speed torque as well as high speed power and substantial weight of the batteries.

It would surprise me if the Toyota Prius is type approved for towing, as Lutz suggests.

Lexus do a hybrid version of their SUV but it's such a big, powerful vehicle that there are plenty of good conventional towcars with better emissions.

Although I support all the efforts of environmentalists to save the planet by reducing CO2 output I do feel that electric and/or hybrid vehicles are the wrong way to go - the power stations creating the electricity produce huge amounts of CO2 and consume vast quantities of fossil fuel.

 

[MONKEY1]

Trevor,

There are several things that you should know about Hybrids. Firstly Honda have stopped selling them in the UK despite actually selling them at a loss of

 

[Lutz]

Monkey's husband, you aren't by any chance suggesting that a hybrid car uses 4 tonnes of fossil fuel more to get it to Europe than a non-hybrid car also manufactured in the Far East? I don't quite get point of that part of your argument.

Anyway, I'm sure we'll be seeing European manufactured hybrids soon.

 

[CliveV]

Trevor,

There are several things that you should know about Hybrids. Firstly Honda have stopped selling them in the UK despite actually selling them at a loss of

 

[MadamLegertz_5040505]

I've been test driving the prius for a few weeks each time a new model comes out.

They're great for town/city trafic but when you use them on the open road, the heat engine kicks in and it's the same as a normal petrol car.

They can't tow anything, not even a trailer as the computer can't understand the extra weight.

They are a great car to drive as everything is "fly-by-wire", the throttle, brakes, stearing even the aircon.

They don't take any power from the national grid so Monkeys suggestion that we're just moving the point of pollution is wrong. The power for the batteries is reclaimed when breaking and surplus power from the petrol engine.

It also does clever stuff like using a infinately variable gearbox and deciding which power source is the most apporiate for the road speed. For example, if driving very slowly but needing more power than the battery can give, the engine will kick in to prove electric power for the drive chain and once the speed is increased, the engine will directly drive the wheels.

It's a real good entry into hybrid cars and I can't wait to see what they do next.

BTW, you can get an after market kit to convert the Prius into a "charge at home" car where you get a load more battery power and a home charger. The car will then run on batteries only until depleted and the it runs as a "normal" hybrid car.

Honda also do a "Electric assist" version of thier saloon where you have a normal car, with or without manual gears but a electric motor assists when more power is needed, again by using an electric store from regenerative braking. I'm not sure if that can tow, maybe an option for you.

Pete

 

[Lutz]

"They can't tow anything, not even a trailer as the computer can't understand the extra weight."

That can't be the real reason why the Prius is not approved for towing. So long as train weight doesn't exceed the GVW, it doesn't make any difference whether the car is towing or the load is in the back of the car. That would, however, not allow a decent towload and Toyota have decided not to approve such a very low figure that is of not much use to anyone. Otherwise, there must be a deeper reason. If the computer were the only limitation, knowing Toyota I'm sure they would have overcome that problem.

In principle, hybrid cars can't be unsuitable for towing because the Lexus RX400 hybrid is approved to tow up to 2000kg.

 

[MadamLegertz_5040505]

Hi mate,

I added my own reason and I'm probably wrong.

I did see a thread somewhere on a different forum where someone added a towbar and towed with it. But I reckon the waranty would be void.

Pete

 

[MONKEY1]

Clive,

As I understand it Honda Japan made Honda UK buy the cars (insight model) at the manufactured price (around)

 

[Lutz]

Hi mate,

I added my own reason and I'm probably wrong.

I did see a thread somewhere on a different forum where someone added a towbar and towed with it. But I reckon the waranty would be void.

Pete

I wonder where they got the towbar from. If the car is not approved for towing, there won't be any approved body attachment locations and without those, not only would the warranty be void but the whole arrangement would be totally illegal.