I tow a caravan with my Octavia IV 1.4TSI PHEV (factory fitted tow bar, 1500kg towing limit).

My question is for other PHEV drivers. Which is the best PHEV mode to tow in?
 

With the battery fully charged, the range is only 30miles on battery, when not towing. So full electric mode is out.

Hybrid Auto mode is good but after around 75miles the battery will be done, so that’s no good when towing any sort of distance.

I mostly use Hybrid ‘auto off’ mode i.e. I tell it to retain a battery level of around 80%. In this mode, the electric power kicks in when it is needed, for example, when going up hill at a lower speed.

 

I haven’t been towing with the PHEV for long so I wanted to hear the opinions of those who have.

What settings do you use when towing? Should I make more use of regenerative braking etc.?

 

Thanks in advance!

Even without any experience of a PHEV, much less towing with one, it sounds to me like you have answered your own question.

Your logic is pretty sound and the only question in my mind is whether the 80% is the right figure, but I guess that would depend on terrain?

 

How much braking effect does the regenerative braking have when the caravan is attached?

6 minutes ago, Gerrycan said:

How much braking effect does the regenerative braking have when the caravan is attached?

Thanks for the reply.

Iwould say regenerative braking is significantly increased. Even though the caravan has brakes, the Octavia’s brakes have more work to do when slowing.

 

Which recuperation mode would you recommend when towing?