Electronic handbrake

That’s a good point, ToT. I’m no longer a tugger but if I was, I would look for a car with a hill hold function, ie one that holds the foot brake on for a few seconds while you move your foot across to the throttle.

electric parking/hand brakes are ... IMHO ... the answer to a problem that never existed. It seems that a lot of them will release automatically when you set off, but even if it doesn't, it's just the press/pull of a button/switch to release it.

An EPB probably won't easily release with a flat battery, but you won't be going very far or very fast if your car battery is flat anyway. 😉 As far as hill starts are concerned, if your chosen 'new' car doesn't have any form of hill hold, that's what your left foot is for .... assuming of course your car will have an auto gearbox (as all cars should 😉)

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A flat battery stops one at not getting past door, never mind handbrake.  However, if the towing socket is wired correctly there is a permanent live feed there, and one can make/buy a simple adaptor to plug in to provide 12v INTO the car.

The EPB on our Volvo won't release unless you have your seat belt on

That's Volvo off my list of 'new' cars then ..... IIRC VAG cars do the same ?? Surely it's up to the driver to decide when the parking/hand brake is released.

I was sceptical about an EPB when I got my ML350, but by & large, it only applies when I apply it - it does apply itself sometimes though I've yet to work out how/why

A flat battery stops one at not getting past door, never mind handbrake

Cars still have a normal key to get inside for such times the battery is as flat as a witches. Trouble is, because they're never used, when you do need to use it, the lock mechanism is seized. That's why it's a good idea to use the actual key from time to time.

Hill start no problem. Flat battery send for man.

I tow an 1800kg Coachman with a Land Rover Discovery Sport D200 and I wouldn't be without the combination of an electronic 'hand brake' which comes with hill start assist and an auto gearbox.  Hill starts are effortless. And I can't remember the last time I had a flat battery on a modern car - probably my VW Golf when I was at university in the 80s. Possibly some of the CAMC towcar reviews will put your mind at rest.

EPB generally works well, but I have had problems on hilly, and particularly poor visibility junctions where you have to inch forward and then stop because of previously unseeable traffic, and hitching up on a slope.  I now end up using the motor mover more frequently as the fine control simply isn't there, although I admit I am getting a little better.  Give me a handbrake for these circumstances.  But give me an EPB for hill stops, where I know the brake is on adequately - I have inched (most typically) backwards with the old car and its manual brake.