Don, my own objection is that it IS a hybrid. It's neither nowt nor summat, as they say in Yorkshire. Since we want the car to be as light as is reasonable, to save fuel, carrying an engine and transmission that is not in use, or a set of heavy batteries and motor that are not in use, -one or t'other applies- means that we are carrying unnecessary weight at all times. As you say, the Prius seems to work very well, but it is only moving the pollution away to a generating plant, and carrying those batteries/engine. You are still paying for fuel, just paying someone else.
Another point is that I once replaced a set of forkhoist batteries. Hugely expensive, very heavy. It will happen to Priuses, too.

Some hybrids have an engine just to charge the batteries, it doesn't drive the car at all, so if anything in either system goes wrong, nothing works! However, that means that the engine has to be big enough to continuously charge on long fast journeys, so then the electric motor is only in use for the first part of the journey. I don't think anyone's made one like that yet.
No, my idea of a car is one that has one motive power, quickly refillable/instantly rechargeable, capable of commuting AND long journeys. Then, strapping the moose to the roof, driving home.