A little confused about battery range...

[Roxyman]

I,ve recently purchased a 21 Outlander Phev. I previously drove a VW 1.4 Polo for 10 years so getting into the cockpit of the Outlander was daunting to say the least! It took me about 10 mins to realise that the engine (EV) was actually on. So, after deciding not to send it back because it wasn't actually faulty I have to say I really like it, so far. I got it basically to avoid the constant 5-10 mile journeys in and out of town which was the majority of my driving. A couple of queries I would like to ask about the battery.
Ive been reasonably impressed with the battery so far, charges to 30-34 miles normally but in reality get low to mid 20s .....is that decent?
Ive read not to use the fast chargers at supermarkets, can't remember why, but is there any merit in this advice?
OK that's my first questions of what Im sure will be many in the future.
Thanks in advance
Pete

 

[PHEV07]

I,ve recently purchased a 21 Outlander Phev. I previously drove a VW 1.4 Polo for 10 years so getting into the cockpit of the Outlander was daunting to say the least! It took me about 10 mins to realise that the engine (EV) was actually on. So, after deciding not to send it back because it wasn't actually faulty I have to say I really like it, so far. I got it basically to avoid the constant 5-10 mile journeys in and out of town which was the majority of my driving. A couple of queries I would like to ask about the battery.
Ive been reasonably impressed with the battery so far, charges to 30-34 miles normally but in reality get low to mid 20s .....is that decent?
Ive read not to use the fast chargers at supermarkets, can't remember why, but is there any merit in this advice?
OK that's my first questions of what Im sure will be many in the future.
Thanks in advance
Pete

You should be getting around 30 miles on a full charge unless you are using the heater or AC. If you are, then the range would drop to 18 to 20 miles.

You will see your range increase if you drive in Eco mode and BO and use pedals to Slowdown brake.

Try to avoid Jack Rabit starts and you Wil get great range on the 21 PHEV.

I had an 18 then 22 model and loved them.

Currently driving a 24 and can get 90 to 95 Kms or 50 to 55 miles on a charge.


Still trying work thru the many quirks that cause ICE to start for no apparent reason at all.

Definitely a learning curve for the 2024. 2018 and 2022 were not as quirky.

 

[michael8554]

Hi Pete
Charging away from home can cost up to 70p/kWh.
So if you've run out of battery on the road, the CHARGE mode using the petrol engine is actually cheaper at current petrol prices.
Ideally charge at home with Off-Peak electricity.

 

[greendwarf]

I,ve recently purchased a 21 Outlander Phev. I previously drove a VW 1.4 Polo for 10 years so getting into the cockpit of the Outlander was daunting to say the least! It took me about 10 mins to realise that the engine (EV) was actually on. So, after deciding not to send it back because it wasn't actually faulty I have to say I really like it, so far. I got it basically to avoid the constant 5-10 mile journeys in and out of town which was the majority of my driving. A couple of queries I would like to ask about the battery.
Ive been reasonably impressed with the battery so far, charges to 30-34 miles normally but in reality get low to mid 20s .....is that decent?
Ive read not to use the fast chargers at supermarkets, can't remember why, but is there any merit in this advice?
OK that's my first questions of what Im sure will be many in the future.
Thanks in advance
Pete

Topography (i.e. hills) is the biggest single factor in EV range in any electric car and has more impact than with an ICE - because even when coasting downhill the latter is still burning fuel. The energy required to move a 2 ton car vertically is considerably more than horizontally e.g. you could probably push it a short distance on the flat but not even lift it a few inches, even with the wheels still on the ground!

So if you drive in say, Holland, you will get a much better range than if you are in Switzerland. Whilst you will get some "payback" from the regen when using the paddles coming downhill, the energy losses in conversion of motion into energy and vice versa means that you can never get back what you used going uphill. (NB. Unless you live in the Sarf Lundun Alps with our roads designed by Escher! )

This means it is pointless to ask others about their range unless you know they live in a similarly flat area and make similarly flat journeys, I'm afraid.

 

[maby]

You probably want to avoid all chargers other than your home charger - these days they are all uneconomically expensive. Fast chargers put an extra strain on your expensive battery - someone with a pure EV may have no choice, but you do - just burn petrol. The additional range from a fast charge is probably worth less than a gallon of petrol - the impact on the environment will be small and the impact on your pocket high.

Martin

 

[roussir]

You probably want to avoid all chargers other than your home charger - these days they are all uneconomically expensive. Fast chargers put an extra strain on your expensive battery - someone with a pure EV may have no choice, but you do - just burn petrol. The additional range from a fast charge is probably worth less than a gallon of petrol - the impact on the environment will be small and the impact on your pocket high.

Martin

Per my calculations and in my area (WA, one of the best states for electric over gas), charging at more than $0.30/kWh is more expensive than gas. The only public chargers that are below that are Shell's at off-peak hours.

 

[Trudgy]

I'm in Ontario Canada. I calculate from my previous SUV where I got about 13.5L/100km's 70km's would cost me about $15.15 . the cheapest level 3 in my area is Shell at 50cents per KW , which is still cheaper then my old gas only SUV. However most other stations are $20 per hour so at that rate electricity is a bit more.

In my testing when you do the charge mode on the highway I would get around 11.5L/100kms compared to 8.2L/100 when battery is dead, so I factor the charge is using about 3-4L per 100kms of driving and I believe in about an hour like that you get about 50-60kms back into the battery for about $5 in fuel. CAD pricing

 

[IllustratedRat]

Per my calculations and in my area (WA, one of the best states for electric over gas), charging at more than $0.30/kWh is more expensive than gas. The only public chargers that are below that are Shell's at off-peak hours.

Ditto (WA State resident). Charging at home is dirt-cheap (our rate is 0.15US/KW-h). A full charge costs us about $0.45US. We rarely use public chargers for the very reason you've mentioned - it's daylight robbery.

 

[BruceHF]

I live in Niagara . I have a 2020 PHEV. I have a level 2 home charger ( best thing I did) Most of my travel is pretty local so I do around 900/1000 km on a tank of gas and that include going into TO (Toronto) once a month (260 km there and back). During these summer days (+30C) I have my aircon running and I get around 28 km/charge but I have noticed that if I do a longer run it increases my mileage, but how much ???. In winter it drops to 20km or less with the heater on.

Going to TO and back on one full charge I found that I used around 48% electricity and used about 1.3 of a tank of gas. I regularly check my TRIP gauge on my EV setting screen and notice that while I am travelling at +-115 km/hr that when my battery is zero the 'generator' ( I believe) kick in at time and charges the battery a bit while the battery still drive the wheels . Yes ! at time the ICE kicks in when I start to climb a hill or want to speed up . On long(ish) trips I use the cruise control which automatically keeps it in D. I have hardly used the EV or ECO switch
I would like to get a better range of course but I am not really complaining as I fill up once a month ( $50 max) . I don't know what my electricity cost for the car is and don't worry about it as at home I have the aircon running almost continually and I burn lights like it is going out of fashion and my bill is around $180/month for 2 of us.. I just enjoy driving my car. It now has over 65,000 km and I do a regularly oil change every 8500/9000 km.
Finally I do agree with all that the only way to save money is to charge at home and forget 'ChargeHub and "ChargePont. They are money makers.
Love all the comments

 

[Roxyman]

You should be getting around 30 miles on a full charge unless you are using the heater or AC. If you are, then the range would drop to 18 to 20 miles.

You will see your range increase if you drive in Eco mode and BO and use pedals to Slowdown brake.

Try to avoid Jack Rabit starts and you Wil get great range on the 21 PHEV.

I had an 18 then 22 model and loved them.

Currently driving a 24 and can get 90 to 95 Kms or 50 to 55 miles on a charge.


Still trying work thru the many quirks that cause ICE to start for no apparent reason at all.

Definitely a learning curve for the 2024. 2018 and 2022 were not as quirky.

Thanks for that. Yep slowly starting to get to grips with how the system works. My trips are quite hilly so I think I expend a lot on the uphills, obviously, and don't quite recoup it in the downhills using regenerative braking. My last trips got 28-29 actual miles on the odometer as opposed to the guessometer..lol. Enjoy your 24 model I'm sure its amazing

 

[Markincanada]

I have a 2019 with about 110000 KM. When I bought it, I was getting 38 KM on a charge (no AC or Heat) on a hot day (28C). Now my range has dropped to 31 in same conditions. Is the normal as the car ages? Just wondering if I should take it to the shop. I’m sure they will want to do an overnight “deep cycle” on the battery at a price of about $300. Looking for any advice on moving forward if I have a warranty issue I could look at? Thanks

 

[BruceHF]

Love to see what reply you get. I have a 2020 model and on summer days I get 30 Km if I am lucky and by the time I round the corner it has dropped to 28./27 km. BUT then I also notice that I sometime do more than the 30 predicted before the battery is exhausted and then the generator (not the engine) kicks in and charges the battery a bit and the battery which showing zero still. I have done some fairly long trips in one shot and on the TRIP setting it say I used 47/48% electric and used 6.9L/100 Km.
If I can improve on that I will be happy. My car has over 65,000 km

 

[DaveL59]

Thanks for that. Yep slowly starting to get to grips with how the system works. My trips are quite hilly so I think I expend a lot on the uphills, obviously, and don't quite recoup it in the downhills using regenerative braking. My last trips got 28-29 actual miles on the odometer as opposed to the guessometer..lol. Enjoy your 24 model I'm sure its amazing

If it helps, I just went down to the shops, approx 3 miles ish depending on route. Downhill some of the way there and of course back up the 1:4 on the way back.

Set of with 18 miles showing as range by the GOM, AC on B5 mode and ran electric, arriving with... 18 miles showing, nice!

Coming back of course, I went a different route to avoid most of the skool traffic, so a longer flat run across to another 1:4 uphill where I had to stop and then restart on the slope. All EV and getting back GOM shows 13 miles for the perhaps 3.5 mile trip.

Overall not bad tho for approx 7-8 miles round trip.

 

[AndyInOz]

There's a few things to check first.

1. Has your (or any other driver of the car) driving behaviour changed? Aggressive driving, and/or high speed driving affects range?

2. Any new accessories on the vehicle that could be using charge or affecting the wind shape?

3. After a brief journey, check the temperature of your wheels/brake discs. At hot disc could indicate a sticking caliper. NB. There have also been some reported issues with sticking e-brakes.

 

[Roxyman]

Thanks for all the replies. Such a good forum, to be able to talk to experienced owners.
Thanks
Pete