Driving tips

[Mitsi]

I just got the 2024 GT.
I’m looking for tips on driving
ie: which battery mode? EV, normal etc.
How often to charge.
Thanks

 

[Rockwallrick]

For local driving I mainly use the EV mode and charge 3 or 4 times a week. On road trips I switch between charge and save so I can drive EV thru the cities along the way. I managed to get around 30 mpg on two major road trips last year.

 

[Mitsi]

For local driving I mainly use the EV mode and charge 3 or 4 times a week. On road trips I switch between charge and save so I can drive EV thru the cities along the way. I managed to get around 30 mpg on two major road trips last year.

Thanks for the reply
When you on save is the engine driving the wheels directly?

 

[kpetrov]

Thanks for the reply
When you on save is the engine driving the wheels directly?

The engine to drive front wheels directly one should have a continuous speed of at least 65km/h (42mph)
Save should do it while the battery is in new and good condition. Mine 2018 is doing it very rarely in Save but in Charge mode it drives the front wheels all the time without any problems, once the engine warms up.

 

[RossWilliams]

We use battery most of the time and always plug in while we are home. I never use charge unless I am going to need to use the batteries as an AC power source. I assume charging reduces mileage by putting an additional load on the engine. I never use save at all. I assume that letting the car determine when to use of the battery would get the best results. The engine seems to kick into direct drive at higher speeds but I think the batteries are used for "power assist" when acceleration is needed. I think when using save you might be losing some of that hybrid value.

 

[Mitsi]

We use battery most of the time and always plug in while we are home. I never use charge unless I am going to need to use the batteries as an AC power source. I assume charging reduces mileage by putting an additional load on the engine. I never use save at all. I assume that letting the car determine when to use of the battery would get the best results. The engine seems to kick into direct drive at higher speeds but I think the batteries are used for "power assist" when acceleration is needed. I think when using save you might be losing some of that hybrid value.

Great reply
Cheers

 

[jaapv]

I've been playing with this for over ten years. I always use EV when driving under 90 kph, Save or Charge over. Save when I have enough left for the slow bits, Charge when I need more at the end of the journey, or when there is power-hungry driving ahead, like significant hills. In the mountains I always have the car on Charge. Does it make a difference in economy? I don't know. Does it make a difference in driving? Sometimes; I have had the car go into low power mode in adverse circumstances (forgotten to charge up, heavily loaded, skibox on top, headwind, Autobahn speeds and a looong uphill incline.) It is also wise to have it on charge when you anticipate a bit of a sprint - it eliminates the time needed for the engine to kick in.

 

[kpetrov]

We use battery most of the time and always plug in while we are home. I never use charge unless I am going to need to use the batteries as an AC power source. I assume charging reduces mileage by putting an additional load on the engine. I never use save at all. I assume that letting the car determine when to use of the battery would get the best results. The engine seems to kick into direct drive at higher speeds but I think the batteries are used for "power assist" when acceleration is needed. I think when using save you might be losing some of that hybrid value.

You are assuming incorrectly... Charge when used where it should be used (on the highway) don't put an additional load on the engine.
Completely the opposite, while on speeds over 65km/h (42mph) the engine works in parallel mode, like you have said - directly driving the wheels. Since there is no variable gear ratios available and the engine rpm's are locked to the vehicle speed there is excess power from the engine (unless driving uphill etc.) which is harnessed in to the battery.
If the torque of the engine at those rpm's is greater than resistance it is used to charge the battery if opposite the battery is helping to overcome the resistance.

Main efficiency goal will be to use the engine only in parallel mode and not is series in which there will be 10% 15% additional energy conversion losses. Since the vehicle is not intelligent it is up to the driver to make that happen.

 

[BobK]

Thanks, this helps explain the trip I had in my 2023 Outlander this afternoon. I was pulling an empty trailer home for about 95km over fairly level ground. The trailer is enclosed, about 7ft off the ground, 5ft wide plus wheels and 8ft long, so a fair bit of wind resistance. I started with about 25% charge and drove side roads to the highway at about 60km/hr in Normal mode. When I got to the highway, the charge was depleted, so when I got up to speed (about 105 km/hr) I put the car in charge mode. Over the rest of the trip (about 85km) I only got 4km of charge added to the battery - probably less than 10%. If the car is calculating how much excess capacity at speed is available to use for charging, that would explain the poor charge rate when adding the load of the trailer. I was averaging about 10.8 l/100 km over the course of the trip.
Every time I climbed a hill or passed a vehicle, it went into parallel mode and there seemed to be no shortage of EV power even though the gauge read 0 charge for most of the trip.

 

[kpetrov]