2013 DS5 Hybrid Towing Capacity?

[Azza91]

Hi there everyone! The last few weeks i have been trying to find a solid answer on IF and how much my 2013 diesel Hybrid DS5 could safely tow, i’ve searched and searched and have been given at least 4-5 different answers from 800kg to 1500kg and everything in between, i can’t find the Hybrid in my manual or maybe i have misread, i quite naive with all the different Model names in the manual, is it possible someone could tell me by my VIN plate and number or the pictures on the towing section of the manual? Is there a tow bar that would fit the DS5 Hybrid.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to hearing back

Kind regards
Azza

[andyandjulie]

Morning Azza

All the information that you need will be on your V5 registration document.

"Mass in service" is the total weight of the vehicle.
"Braked kg" is maximum towing weight for a braked trailer " (ie a caravan).

It is as simple as that.

Our 2.0 diesel auto DS5 has a mass in service of 1615kg, our caravan has a MTPLM of 1200kg. I wonder if your hybrid will be a bit heavier due to the batteries?

It is MTPLM that's the important weight regarding the caravan.

Generally speaking it is recommended that the caravan MTPLM is no more than 85% of the Mass in service of the vehicle, but it is not law. I have seen a few caravans that are considerably heavier than their towcars. But I wouldn't fancy driving like that.

I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding a towbar, unless there are batteries in the rear of the boot that take up space underneath? But my guess is that your car will take the same towbar as mine. I paid 460.00 locally last year for a fixed swan-neck. But shop around, one pace quoted over 900.00. Also make sure you get the dedicated wiring loom that interfaces with the car's electronic systems.

Hope that is of use.

Andy

[PaulC5]

The weights are also on the car VIN plate which will be on one of the door pillars. The largest number should be the max train weight, the next the max car weight. Subtract this from the train weight and it gives the max trailer weight. Some cars though can have a higher max trailer weight if the car is not loaded to its max weight as long as the train weight is not exceeded but if towing a caravan it may not be stable, other types of trailers might be ok.

[Azza91]

Hi Andy thanks for the Reply, i have checked the V5 the info is

Service in mass - 1856kg
Braked kg - 800kg
Unbraked - 500kg
Max permissible mass - 2265kg

The Van has been Gifted its a Fleetwood Garland 148-5 heres the info i found online as i haven’t picked it up yet

Mass in Running Order weight: 836 kgs or 16.4560450376 cwt / hundred weight

Maximum allowable weight is: 1100 kgs or 21.6526908389 cwt / hundred weight


The Battery is just over the rear axel i think as it does have a raised boot. I’ll be shopping around straight after the new year to find one I'm just hoping it can be done and thats if this could be towed by the car?

Thanks mate

[Azza91]

The weights are also on the car VIN plate which will be on one of the door pillars. The largest number should be the max train weight, the next the max car weight. Subtract this from the train weight and it gives the max trailer weight. Some cars though can have a higher max trailer weight if the car is not loaded to its max weight as long as the train weight is not exceeded but if towing a caravan it may not be stable, other types of trailers might be ok.

When I've just checked the vin plate and subtracted those numbers it is only giving me 500kg but on the v5 it says 800kg to be honest this Hybrid feels heavier than my old DS5 (diesel auto) witch is bizzare! Aha

[PaulC5]

Just had a quick look in a 2013 handbook and in the technical specs page 252 it gives the towing limit as 500 kg for a braked or unbraked trailer but this can be increased to 800 kg for a braked trailer by not loading the car to its max, ie 300 kg less than max. It gives the kerb weight inc 75 kg for the driver as 1735 kg the car gross (max) weight as 2265 kg so excluding the driver it has a max load of 530 kg if towing 500 kg. If towing 800 kg its max load is reduced to 230 kg. Based on these numbers the car is not suitable for towing a caravan if that is what is hoped but not mentioned in the original post.

Edit from your V5C info your car can not tow a caravan so I would not bother with one or fitting a tow bar. The caravan mass in running order does not include things like a battery. The car weight also does not inc a towbar which can be about 20 kg to reduce its load.

[Azza91]

Just had a quick look in a 2013 handbook and in the technical specs page 252 it gives the towing limit as 500 kg for a braked or unbraked trailer but this can be increased to 800 kg for a braked trailer by not loading the car to its max, ie 300 kg less than max. It gives the kerb weight inc 75 kg for the driver as 1735 kg the car gross (max) weight as 2265 kg so excluding the driver it has a max load of 530 kg if towing 500 kg. If towing 800 kg its max load is reduced to 230 kg. Based on these numbers the car is not suitable for towing a caravan if that is what is hoped but not mentioned in the original post.

Edit from your V5C info your car can not tow a caravan so I would not bother with one or fitting a tow bar. The caravan mass in running order does not include things like a battery. The car weight also does not inc a towbar which can be about 20 kg to reduce its load.

Fantastic Paul thanks for the Info mate i really appreciate, it’s well over my head aha
i won’t be bothering and ill get shut of the van! Kinda wish i hadn’t gone to hybrid!

[PaulC5]

Check the caravan, it will have a weight plate near the door which should gives its MIRO and if above 800 kg your car cannot legally tow it (and would not be insured). If you want the caravan you need a second car. It is quite common for hybrid and electric cars to have low towing weights so if looking for a second car diesel cars often have the highest values with a manual gearbox.

[PaulC5]

Looking at the V5C info again, the car mass in service is higher than in the handbook (extra options ?) so it only has a max load excluding the driver of 409 kg. If towing 800 kg that reduces the load to 109 kg, ok if you like caravanning on your own with hardly any stuff and a very lightweight caravan and are a slim 75kg.

[andyandjulie]

Hi Azza.

I'm sorry its not looking good for your caravan endeavours. Your van, ready to go will be nearer to the MTPLM of 1100kg.

My V5 shows a Maximum braked weight of 1500kg and a Mass in service of 1615kg. So my car is lighter by 241kg but can tow nearly twice that of your hybrid.. On the face of it that doesn't seem right, but there are obviously other factors involved. Just talking to my neighbour who drives a Tesla and he had heard that the chassis on EVs is much lighter (weaker?) due to the battery weight. Also that electric motors do not like high drain situations which will lead to overheating and quickly reduce remaining range, so perhaps that's the reason.. Personally I like the sound of the DS5 hybrid but have never seen one. The regular DS5 is pretty rare to start with!

Don't give up on caravanning though, I've been doing it the last five years and love it.

Andy

[Azza91]

I was thinking about stripping the interior and designing a lighter living area and then getting it weighed again to try cut the weight out as some of the stuff wont be used, family of 4 but travelling as light as possible, i’m going to have to get my thinking cap on whether i just find a cheap car to tow the van or get rid. We really wanna get into it but i will have to have a think.

The battery probably needs changing on the Hybrid now as its more line a 2ltr diesel for zero road tax, the battery hardly is used aha. I think the chasis is probably weaker like you, but in 4x4 mode you would think it could handle a small caravan aha.

Never mind eh! Might have to dig the tent out

Thanks for your help guys i really appreciate your time

[GiveMeABreak]

Just so you're aware, the traction battery on the hybrid costs £6,500 excluding programming and labour.