Hybrid Vehicle Towing Ottawa

Hybrid vehicle towing in Ottawa requires flatbed transport to protect the combined gas-and-electric drivetrain that makes hybrids work. A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Honda CRV Hybrid, or Ford Escape Hybrid has both a combustion engine and an electric motor connected through a complex power-split system. Wheel-lift towing lets the wheels spin, which forces the electric motor to generate power in a way it was not designed to handle during transport. Ontario Towing always flatbed-tows hybrids.

Why hybrids are different from regular cars for towing

In a regular gas car with front-wheel drive, a wheel-lift raises the front wheels and the rear wheels roll freely. The transmission stays in neutral and nothing gets damaged over short distances. A hybrid does not work that way. The electric motor is connected to the wheels through a planetary gear set that does not fully disengage. Even with the ignition off, moving the wheels creates resistance in the motor and can overheat the power electronics.

Some hybrid owners read online that "short distance wheel-lift towing is okay." That advice varies by manufacturer and model year. Ontario Towing skips the guesswork and puts every hybrid on a flatbed. It costs roughly the same and eliminates the risk entirely.

Popular hybrids we tow in Ottawa

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the most common hybrid we tow in Ottawa by a wide margin. It is one of the best-selling vehicles in Canada and a huge portion of Ottawa's new car sales. After that, we see a lot of Honda CRV Hybrids, Toyota Camry Hybrids, Hyundai Tucson Hybrids, Ford Escape Hybrids, and Toyota Prius models. All go on a flatbed, no exceptions.