Hybrid technology whilst excellent for some tasks has a fundamental problem for sustained traction duties such as towing and the like.
Just think how many lorry tractor units you know that are hybrid.
Sarcastically I think its brilliant at fooling legislators, the media etc as a catchall solution to car fuel consumption and related pollution. In fairness it is very useful for addressing these issues in an inner city and urban environment and I support its use for that.
Hybrid technology facilitates having a prime mover [engine] with a power output close to the average power needed as opposed to the maximum power needed as in the conventional vehicle.
Therefore the fuel-burning engine can be smaller and operated potentially more efficiently than would be the case without the support of the batteries and electric motor.
Excellent for the domestic car in a built up area environment, a local bus and similar applications where the journey is speed up, brake, stop, wait and at no time use anything like the available power.
However given a longer haul or heavier haul application like a lorry or towing a caravan, using the motorway or to an extent out of town motoring and things go against the hybrid.
In the latter case the average power needed moves up to a value closer to the maximum power that is needed so the electric part of the system can contribute less.
In the really heavy hauling applications, trucks and our long distance towing the electric drive element actually becomes parasitic in that it's not contributing whilst it adds to the mass the engine has to drag about.
So if towing significant distances on the open road/motorway is a big part of the vehicles use then being hybrid has its fuel consumption penalties; hence you could not identify many lorries!
Conversely if long haul towing is but a small part of an otherwise urban life then it's a good vehicle solution.
The actual towing should be good as it provides high levels of torque right from zero speed. I have a colleague with one towing a big Bailey and he likes it, particularly its party piece of creeping silently around the campsite.
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