Ideas to max-out your MPG

[anko]

When using the handbrake, yes of course. The car is in Go-mode and you are not applying the breaks. Of course it wants to go then. But with the foot take applied, I bet you you will see different results.

Well of course you will.. the handbrake only works on the rear brakes allowing the front wheels to drive - hence the car moving on its shocks.
With your foot on the brake you prevent any movement.

You could be right that when the foot brake is fully depressed it might cut power to the wheels, but I doubt it. The only way to know for sure would be to ask someone at MMC or use a proper meter to measure it. Dont think anyone is seriously that bothered enough to do the latter!

I don't think the suspension and breaks are so sturdy that they don't allow any motion and therefor you wouldn't feel a little shock if the motors engaged while the footbrake was applied. Of course you will feel it. Similar in a normal car: apply the footbrake and let the clutch slip. For sure, you will feel that change in force.

With only the handbrake applied or with the footbrake applied only loosely, the energy flow diagram shows an energy flow from battery to wheels. When the footbrake is fully applied, the energy flow disappears. Why not simply trust that, until somebody comes up with solid prove that energy is still flowing even with the footbrakes fully applied?

 

[Neverfuel]

My journey to work finds me regularly stopped on an upward incline (not particularly steep) at set of traffic lights.
Whilst stopped, I apply firm pressure on the brake pedal so that the dash display shows no energy flow from battery to wheels.
I am not stopped there long enough to warrant using handbrake or Park.

If I attempt to pull away directly from that scenario, the Phev will roll back. I have to release the brake slightly so that energy flow is shown to the wheels, then I can move my foot from brake to throttle without putting the frighteners on any vehicle waiting behind.

I interpret this to mean that no drive energy (at least of any significance) is being used whilst stationery with my foot firmly on the brake.

The car will not roll back for about 2 (ish) seconds when in D or R and the footbrake is released due to Hill Start Assist. Use mine all the time.

 

[Stvtech]

The car will not roll back for about 2 (ish) seconds when in D or R and the footbrake is released due to Hill Start Assist.

My car can, and does (roll back), in the scenario described in my previous post. I don't come out of D and it doesn't take me 2 seconds to move foot from brake to throttle.
Both my previous cars had Hill Start assist, and both of those operated as expected.

 

[anko]

Because gravity is not an energy force pressing down rather a pulling force and is not generated by the input of electro mechanical activity. We are getting into serious physics here.

Obviously ( ), I fail to see the relevance of either argument. But I guess that doesn't really matter in the context of this topic.

 

[greendwarf]

The car will not roll back for about 2 (ish) seconds when in D or R and the footbrake is released due to Hill Start Assist.

My car can, and does (roll back), in the scenario described in my previous post. I don't come out of D and it doesn't take me 2 seconds to move foot from brake to throttle.
Both my previous cars had Hill Start assist, and both of those operated as expected.

I agree with Stvtech - Hill Start assist only works from N so, unless you are already accelerating in D or R when you release the brakes you will roll back. Of course putting the car into N and applying the handbrake when stopped is the required method to pass a UK driving test

 

[kentphev]

When using the handbrake, yes of course. The car is in Go-mode and you are not applying the breaks. Of course it wants to go then. But with the foot take applied, I bet you you will see different results.

Well of course you will.. the handbrake only works on the rear brakes allowing the front wheels to drive - hence the car moving on its shocks.
With your foot on the brake you prevent any movement.

You could be right that when the foot brake is fully depressed it might cut power to the wheels, but I doubt it. The only way to know for sure would be to ask someone at MMC or use a proper meter to measure it. Dont think anyone is seriously that bothered enough to do the latter!

I don't think the suspension and breaks are so sturdy that they don't allow any motion and therefor you wouldn't feel a little shock if the motors engaged while the footbrake was applied. Of course you will feel it. Similar in a normal car: apply the footbrake and let the clutch slip. For sure, you will feel that change in force.

With only the handbrake applied or with the footbrake applied only loosely, the energy flow diagram shows an energy flow from battery to wheels. When the footbrake is fully applied, the energy flow disappears. Why not simply trust that, until somebody comes up with solid prove that energy is still flowing even with the footbrakes fully applied?

There you go... If power was being shut off then re-connected... You would feel it. That's what you're saying yes?

You don't. So it isn't. I've done a load of testing now and conclude that in D there is power being supplied to the motors the whole time.

The energy flow display is software generated. It will display whatever the programmer designed it to, and not what is actually happening. It will have filtering and smoothing algorithms to prevent is jumping around too much.

Thanks to an other post I can now pop into N at lights by holding the selector for a second.

 

[maby]

The car will not roll back for about 2 (ish) seconds when in D or R and the footbrake is released due to Hill Start Assist.

My car can, and does (roll back), in the scenario described in my previous post. I don't come out of D and it doesn't take me 2 seconds to move foot from brake to throttle.
Both my previous cars had Hill Start assist, and both of those operated as expected.

I agree with Stvtech - Hill Start assist only works from N so, unless you are already accelerating in D or R when you release the brakes you will roll back. Of course putting the car into N and applying the handbrake when stopped is the required method to pass a UK driving test

I really don't think this is true - does not seem to match my experience of the car. I will check next time I'm out. I never use N, but still seem to get the hill start assist effect.

 

[anko]

There you go... If power was being shut off then re-connected... You would feel it. That's what you're saying yes?

You don't. So it isn't. I've done a load of testing now and conclude that in D there is power being supplied to the motors the whole time.

No. What I am saying is this:

When you engage D or R from N while on the hand break, you feel a jolt (is that there correct term).
When you engage D or R from N with the foot break firmly applied, you feel nothing.

So, while holding the car with the foot break, there is no difference in power between D / R and N. Your interpretation seems to be "power must be applied in D, R and N". That cannot be right, IMHO. My interpretation is: "no power is applied in D, R or N". Which is consistent with the energy flow diagram.

The energy flow display is software generated. It will display whatever the programmer designed it to, and not what is actually happening. It will have filtering and smoothing algorithms to prevent is jumping around too much.

The fact that the diagram could be wrong is no support your theory Only if it could not be wrong, it would rule out your theory.

 

[Stvtech]

I really don't think this is true

This is absolutely true of my car. Repeatable and demonstrable.

Most weekdays I sit at that junction, and will roll back if I move my foot straight from brake to throttle without first partly lifting off brake pedal until energy flow to the wheels is shown. We're only talking a couple of inches (by the time power is engaged), but enough to be thinking 'whoaaa' if there's a car behind.

I also agree with others that you can 'feel' the car's body move when power is applied to the motors as you lighten up on the brake pedal and see the energy flow meter display power to the wheels.

 

[anko]

I also agree with others that you can 'feel' the car's body move when power is applied to the motors as you lighten up on the brake pedal and see the energy flow meter display power to the wheels.

I think we all agree to this. The dispute is more about what is going on before you lift the break pedal.

 

[stardust56]

Regarding Hill Start Assist the German Version of the Manual says, that assistant will"press the brake pedal" with the same amount of pressure that was used when stopping the car.
I never use "N" except when in "drive-through car wash" and the hill start assist works perfectly for me.
Uwe

 

[NAPpy]

The Australian version does not have hill start assist..... Well that's what the dealer said when I mentioned that it was not working!

On another note, Ours goes in on Thursday to have a rather creaky driver seat fixed, driving me up the bloody wall!! They are also going to see if the can cut the 5, 4, 3 second gap on the ACC to 4, 3 & 2 seconds. I have my doubts that they will actually do it though.

Stay tuned!

NAPpy

 

[ufo]

The car will not roll back for about 2 (ish) seconds when in D or R and the footbrake is released due to Hill Start Assist.

My car can, and does (roll back), in the scenario described in my previous post. I don't come out of D and it doesn't take me 2 seconds to move foot from brake to throttle.
Both my previous cars had Hill Start assist, and both of those operated as expected.

I agree with Stvtech - Hill Start assist only works from N so, unless you are already accelerating in D or R when you release the brakes you will roll back. Of course putting the car into N and applying the handbrake when stopped is the required method to pass a UK driving test

Sorry to disagree, I have never used N (11000 km) alwyas keep in D and hill start assist always works.

 

[ufo]

The Australian version does not have hill start assist..... Well that's what the dealer said when I mentioned that it was not working!

On another note, Ours goes in on Thursday to have a rather creaky driver seat fixed, driving me up the bloody wall!! They are also going to see if the can cut the 5, 4, 3 second gap on the ACC to 4, 3 & 2 seconds. I have my doubts that they will actually do it though.

Stay tuned!

NAPpy

That's a lie, I have Higher spec model (Aspire) and has hill start assist but don't know about low spec model.

 

[NAPpy]

We have the aspire as well, definitely rolls backwards what the foot brake is released.

 

[ufo]

We have the aspire as well, definitely rolls backwards what the foot brake is released.

Then something is wrong with your PHEV, take it to the dealer and ask them to fix it.
If you read the manual, it very clearly indicates that the vehicle is equipped with hill start assist
By the way which dealer is that presumably in Sydney?

 

[NAPpy]

Yes, just read that in the sales bumph. I'll call them now.

Cheers, Wangarra in Perth WA.

 

[Neverfuel]

You must fully depress the brake pedal and be in D or R for hill start assist to work. It does not work from N or P. It is standard on all current UK models and Australian literature seems to indicate the same.