Depleted battery..Should I press charge before city driving?

[Filmcrew]

I regularly drive in cities and deplete the battery by the time I eventually stop (no access to charging points). Is it better ,whilst parked up, to press charge and charge the battery or simply start the return journey along busy, slow roads and let the car do its own thing?

Does anyone know how much fuel is used to charge the battery using the charge button?

I saw that someone here suggested it is 1.5 litres. This means that if the car does approx 20 miles on electric it would do 60 mpg using this technique?

As a new PHEV driver any tips would be welcome.

Has anyone managed to get a definitive and comprehensive answer from Mitsubishi on the use of the charge button?

 

[HHL]

Mitsubishi say it takes about 3 litres and it will charge to about 80% in about 40 mins.
So, it is not the most efficient way but actually not too bad either, considering that there would be losses.

 

[Filmcrew]

Thanks. 3 litres for maybe 3 or 4 hours in traffic seems OK. Might be an idea to press charge if in very slow moving traffic/traffic jam? This would charge the battery and just sneak a little energy to move along? At the moment the engine stops and starts all the time and even goes into parallel mode.

 

[jaapv]

The car won't charge when parked. There is no advantage either. It is more expensive to charge and run on the electricity than it is to run the car in hybrid mode.
The car cannot go into parallel mode under 60 KpH. The ICE would drop under the minimum RPM.

The Charge button can be used to charge when driving and anticipating a situation ahead where maximum electric charge is needed. E.g. an emission-controlled zone ahead, a long incline ahead or to show the car off to friends.
It is also advisable to use Charge to maintain a maximum of electric reserve when pulling a caravan or driving in the mountains.

 

[Filmcrew]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll just leave it alone!

 

[anko]

The car won't charge when parked.

Uhhhh, I am pretty sure hit will if you ask nicely Although, indeed I would not advice to do so, unless under the circumstances you describe.

 

[jaapv]

I tried: waved a red blanket at it and danced about - nothing, it just stayed put...

 

[anko]

I didn't say it would move. I said it would charge ...

 

[maby]

It will not charge with the engine switched off. Someone did post a method for leaving it charging, unoccupied which revolved around leaving the key fob in the car and locking it with the emergency key - seems very unwise to me since the alarm would be turned off and the car would be easy to steal.

 

[greendwarf]

I regularly drive in cities and deplete the battery by the time I eventually stop (no access to charging points). Is it better ,whilst parked up, to press charge and charge the battery or simply start the return journey along busy, slow roads and let the car do its own thing?

Please don't do either - especially in Sarf Lundun, where we are dying in our thousands due to traffic pollution :twisted:

The whole point of the car is to be able to drive in cities pollution free. You don't say which cities you drive in but I am surprised you even got the car if there are no charging points available - they are only economical when installed in urban centres :mrgreen: You should be using the ICE in the countryside and using Save to preserve the battery for city driving.

 

[jaapv]

I didn't say it would move. I said it would charge ...

Having been at the wrong end of an angry elephant once or twice, I can assure you that if something charges, it MOVES... :lol:

 

[anko]

I didn't say it would move. I said it would charge ...

Having been at the wrong end of an angry elephant once or twice, I can assure you that if something charges, it MOVES... :lol:

You work for VW? As I see a big smoke curtain here ...

 

[jaapv]

No- that is the exhaust burning off when the car is on Charge.

 

[Barnfather]

Am I correct in saying that when the batt has been depleted, the car will still run in hybrid mode therefore using stuff like regen braking to provide enough batt power to utilise the EC mode, at least at low speeds?

Only ask because my current car is a Lexus hybrid, and obviously you never plug that in to charge. But often at low speeds in crawling traffic, it will have enough batt power to creep along silently - for a short whlie at least.

Sorry for stupid question, but I assumed that the PHEV would revert to hybrid mode once the batt has been run down, rather than just defaulting to full-on ICE

 

[anko]

..., but I assumed that the PHEV would revert to hybrid mode once the batt has been run down, rather than just defaulting to full-on ICE

You have assumed correctly. The only way to force it into full-on ICE is to engage Charge mode.

 

[maby]

Am I correct in saying that when the batt has been depleted, the car will still run in hybrid mode therefore using stuff like regen braking to provide enough batt power to utilise the EC mode, at least at low speeds?

Only ask because my current car is a Lexus hybrid, and obviously you never plug that in to charge. But often at low speeds in crawling traffic, it will have enough batt power to creep along silently - for a short whlie at least.

Sorry for stupid question, but I assumed that the PHEV would revert to hybrid mode once the batt has been run down, rather than just defaulting to full-on ICE

Yes - although the technology of a Mitsubishi PHEV differs significantly from the Toyota/Lexus drive train, the effect is quite similar once the battery goes flat. The primary difference is that, because the Lexus package does not plug in, the power management algorithms set the target battery level at something like 50% - the Mitsubishi is happy to let it get down to something closer to 20%. Both vehicles then cycle the petrol engine on and off, alternately charging and discharging the battery.

 

[jaapv]

Am I correct in saying that when the batt has been depleted, the car will still run in hybrid mode therefore using stuff like regen braking to provide enough batt power to utilise the EC mode, at least at low speeds?

Only ask because my current car is a Lexus hybrid, and obviously you never plug that in to charge. But often at low speeds in crawling traffic, it will have enough batt power to creep along silently - for a short whlie at least.

Sorry for stupid question, but I assumed that the PHEV would revert to hybrid mode once the batt has been run down, rather than just defaulting to full-on ICE

Regen braking will be active all the time, except when the battery is completely full.