New Phev specs released it seems

[greendwarf]

You just need to be careful when disengaging the cruise without having your foot on the accelerator as the regenerative braking can be pretty brutal when you are not prepared for it.

This is the way I drive at high speed on UK & European motorways under Cruise Control in B5 with my thumb over the cancel button. Gives me an extra option to slow down quickly in addition to foot brake.

Otherwise, Chris, just a wind-up for us limeys who won't be getting the new model - grrrr :twisted:

 

[Nut17]

I read somewhere that you may well end up with the Nissan X Trail clone of this machine, as this new generation machine is built on a Nissan / Renault chassis.
There is currently not one other hybrid EV in production that ticks as many boxes as this new Outlander. I can guarantee that in five years they will have increased the battery capacity by 50% to 30 KWH providing a significant leap in desirability.

Cheers Chris

 

[Nut17]

Also notice this :

"The front electric motor has a new booster function which Mitsubishi claims raises the supply of energy to the front motor while reducing power consumption, and there are seven drive modes to choose from: Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Power and Eco. "

So what is this "booster function" they are talking about that does this "reducing power consumption". Again this is only conjecture or "guessing"
on my part but I have seen something before on my first hybrid a Toyota Prius. What Toyota did is they had a approx 200 volt drive battery on my particular model Prius.

Now instead of directly feeding those approx 200 volts to the electric drive motor (or actually the invertor that controls the electric drive motor) Toyota on board the car "boosted" the voltage to approx 650 volts for efficiency reasons.

I wonder if Mitsubishi may be doing something similar? Boosting the front motor voltage for efficiency reasons.

But I could be wrong. :?

Regards Trex.

On my recent test drive of the new model, with the drive mode control set in power and the EV mode in normal full throttle acceleration was pretty dramatic and my wife very quickly insisted that I grow up - However, I suspect that the ICE was providing the extra voltage boost to the front motor. The centre display screen was not operating on this car so energy flow was not showing on the graphic. I do look forward to performing some real time standing start and rolling start performance figures when we finally take delivery of our new car. I suspect that it will keep a single motor Model 3 Tesla honest. It depends on how much of the ICE output is actually added to the already significant 185 KW EV combo in the form of added voltage / current to the front motor.

Dealer sales staff here in NZ are still poorly informed with half of them adamant that the new model still has a mechanical clutch drive from the ICE to the front motor as in earlier models and the Eclipse Cross.

Cheers
Chris

Cheers Chris

 

[Nut17]

Well I finally have a factual update from Mitsubishi HO in Porirua. The new 2023 model still has a wet clutch drive to the front wheels from the ICE. This will only engage over 70kph and the ice is sitting on about 1000rpm I have another test drive coming up on Tuesday when I intend to travel around 250km including some serious mountainous roads.

 

[Nut17]

Well another five weeks have passed and we are finally due to take possession of our shiny new 2023 PHEV VRX at midday today. I have transferred the balance of the purchase price so it is all go !!
A couple of exclusions that NZ specification miss out on are tyre pressure monitoring and heated steering wheel. Both these features are now the norm for most new vehicles, even entry level models from Europe and Asia. With no spare wheel, tyre pressure monitor would be a pretty handy safety measure. My last two Jeep Grand Cherokees were fitted with heated steering wheels and they got plenty of winter use.
I am starting to feel like a kid about to get his first new bike :lol:

Cheers

Chris

 

[mikepotts64]

Congrats on the 'new bike'
I fitted blue tooth valve caps with a display panel inserted into front 12v socket. Works well enough for me to relax over the reasons you listed. I also carry a full sized spare from the wreckers in the boot.

 

[Nut17]

Handover completed. I drove it the 4 km back to my house and topped up the battery before taking it for a drive in dedicated EV mode. Did not get the claimed 84 KM but 75 KM was not far short. About 20 km at 100kph and the rest at either 80kph or in town. I had the regen braking set to maximum setting. I suspect this range will improve when I get a few thousand km on the clock. I do have a 400 km round trip to do on Friday so the ICE will get a workout then as well.
I do have a lot to learn.

 

[greendwarf]

Shortfall in range is probably because it is winter :idea:

 

[Nut17]

Absolutely delighted with the way this drives. Very responsive with 185kw and sits on the road like a sports car. EV range was a disappointment - only 45 km but most of that was at 100kph in very cold (about 5 deg) conditions. I used the seat heater on the medium setting and very intermittently used the aircon on heat to demist the windscreen. I had the one pedal operation set to max regen and I am amazed at how efficient this is. I doo need to spend some more time reading the manual as I am aware that the heater can be used to pre heat the car while still plugged into the power - Does this heat the battery as well, as I understand that cold battery temperature is one of the main contributors to poor range performance?

Cheers

Chris

 

[gwrace1]

Thank you for the reply. I'm real interested in your real world range testing. My wife and I just put a down payment and reservation for a 2023 Outlander Phev when they finally make it to the USA. We've never owned a Mitsubishi before so this will be a first for us. Do they not offer the headlight washers I've seen in some of the models?

 

[littlescrote]

Very responsive with 185kw and sits on the road like a sports car.

Said by nobody that actually has a sports car. EVs do sit on the road nicely due to the low weight, but they sure don't corner like a lightweight sportscar.

I had the one pedal operation set to max regen and I am amazed at how efficient this is.

I think you mean effective rather than efficient. Efficient would require you to know how much energy was recovered.

 

[IslandLife]

Absolutely delighted with the way this drives. Very responsive with 185kw and sits on the road like a sports car. EV range was a disappointment - only 45 km but most of that was at 100kph in very cold (about 5 deg) conditions. I used the seat heater on the medium setting and very intermittently used the aircon on heat to demist the windscreen. I had the one pedal operation set to max regen and I am amazed at how efficient this is. I doo need to spend some more time reading the manual as I am aware that the heater can be used to pre heat the car while still plugged into the power - Does this heat the battery as well, as I understand that cold battery temperature is one of the main contributors to poor range performance?

Cheers

Chris

Can you please clarify something that is quite concerning about the new model which another new user is experiencing. They are saying that once the battery is at 60% state of charge or higher, and you try to use the max regen setting (B5), the vehicle starts the engine to help slow the vehicle down. They are saying it happens in B3, B4 and B5... but not B1 or B2 or when you have the "one-pedal driving" feature selected.

Can you confirm this please?

Read here - http://www.myoutlanderphev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5871&sid=f0ab026eae512270fb60f86755e0601d

 

[Nut17]

Yes I can confirm that, and although this is disappointing, simply using the default "one pedal" regenerative option is pretty effective for our use. My non technological wife will be driving this car for about 75% of its projected use, and she has only just come to grips with the default setting. We use cruise control almost exclusively, and need to be really prepared for the regen braking when you cancel the cruise at 100 kph with regen set to five. (Almost a nose plant on the windscreen moment!) Loving the car, but finding it really impossible to get more than about 65 km from a fully charged battery. The most current I have been able to put into the battery from fully discharged using a 16 Amp charger overnight is 17.6 KWH - A full 2.6 KWH short of the advertised capacity of the battery. I have had a supposed range of 99 km displayed at start up in the morning, but within 500 metres this has dropped back to 84 !! Some "Marshmallow KWH" involved !!

Cheers

Chris

 

[Nut17]

Very responsive with 185kw and sits on the road like a sports car.

Said by nobody that actually has a sports car. EVs do sit on the road nicely due to the low weight, but they sure don't corner like a lightweight sportscar.

I have a 2005 BMW Z4 that ultimately has a much higher top speed and a tad more acceleration, but the cornering speed maintained is pretty similar. I do participate in regular track days with the BMW so I do have some experience and a reference to compare to.

 

[littlescrote]

I have a 2005 BMW Z4 that ultimately has a much higher top speed and a tad more acceleration, but the cornering speed maintained is pretty similar. I do participate in regular track days with the BMW so I do have some experience and a reference to compare to.

A Z4 is not a sports car, but if that's your definition and what you're comparing it to then that's fair enough. As long as you're happy with it, I'm not trying to belittle it or anything, just saying it's not really a comparison that you can make. An Outlander is never going to handle like a Lotus.

 

[Trex]

Loving the car, but finding it really impossible to get more than about 65 km from a fully charged battery. The most current I have been able to put into the battery from fully discharged using a 16 Amp charger overnight is 17.6 KWH - A full 2.6 KWH short of the advertised capacity of the battery. I have had a supposed range of 99 km displayed at start up in the morning, but within 500 metres this has dropped back to 84 !! Some "Marshmallow KWH" involved !!

Cheers

Chris

Hi Chris,

I think you said in another post you travel at 100kph on part of your journey. That will effect your range on EV. The only way I
have ever made the quoted range is at town or suburban speeds. Although some of the newer test cycles may change that.

Also when charging you should remember that the battery is not fully discharged if like the old Phev. On both my Phevs
(2014 & 2019) approx 30% is kept as a buffer to help protect the battery. That plus conversion losses added would explain only 17.6 kWh of energy being used to recharge from "empty".

Regards Trex.

 

[littlescrote]

[
Hi Chris,

I think you said in another post you travel at 100kph on part of your journey. That will effect your range on EV. The only way I
have ever made the quoted range is at town or suburban speeds. Although some of the newer test cycles may change that.

Also when charging you should remember that the battery is not fully discharged if like the old Phev. On both my Phevs
(2014 & 2019) approx 30% is kept as a buffer to help protect the battery. That plus conversion losses added would explain only 17.6 kWh of energy being used to recharge from "empty".

Regards Trex.

He actually said minimal travel at 100 kph emphasising that he knows that would hammer the range.

"round 65 km is my realistic maximum range - driving in "eco" mode and minimal open road 100kph travel"

 

[Trex]

[
Hi Chris,

I think you said in another post you travel at 100kph on part of your journey. That will effect your range on EV. The only way I
have ever made the quoted range is at town or suburban speeds. Although some of the newer test cycles may change that.

Also when charging you should remember that the battery is not fully discharged if like the old Phev. On both my Phevs
(2014 & 2019) approx 30% is kept as a buffer to help protect the battery. That plus conversion losses added would explain only 17.6 kWh of energy being used to recharge from "empty".

Regards Trex.

He actually said minimal travel at 100 kph emphasising that he knows that would hammer the range.

"round 65 km is my realistic maximum range - driving in "eco" mode and minimal open road 100kph travel"

Not sure that was all he said:

Handover completed. I drove it the 4 km back to my house and topped up the battery before taking it for a drive in dedicated EV mode. Did not get the claimed 84 KM but 75 KM was not far short. About 20 km at 100kph and the rest at either 80kph or in town. I had the regen braking set to maximum setting. I suspect this range will improve when I get a few thousand km on the clock. I do have a 400 km round trip to do on Friday so the ICE will get a workout then as well.
I do have a lot to learn.

20 kms at 100kph I would probably not consider minimal. There he was only 9 kms short of quoted range.

 

[IslandLife]

[
Hi Chris,

I think you said in another post you travel at 100kph on part of your journey. That will effect your range on EV. The only way I
have ever made the quoted range is at town or suburban speeds. Although some of the newer test cycles may change that.

Also when charging you should remember that the battery is not fully discharged if like the old Phev. On both my Phevs
(2014 & 2019) approx 30% is kept as a buffer to help protect the battery. That plus conversion losses added would explain only 17.6 kWh of energy being used to recharge from "empty".

Regards Trex.

He actually said minimal travel at 100 kph emphasising that he knows that would hammer the range.

"round 65 km is my realistic maximum range - driving in "eco" mode and minimal open road 100kph travel"

We also all know that even a "minimal" distance at 100km/h will have a serious effect on overall range. Even just a few kms at that speed drops range considerably. Also remember this person is in Aus or New Zealand (not sure where he said which), so it's the winter there.

Frankly, if they are getting 65 kms, even in a mild winter, while doing some highway driving... that's great to hear!!

 

[IslandLife]

Yes I can confirm that, and although this is disappointing, simply using the default "one pedal" regenerative option is pretty effective for our use. My non technological wife will be driving this car for about 75% of its projected use, and she has only just come to grips with the default setting. We use cruise control almost exclusively, and need to be really prepared for the regen braking when you cancel the cruise at 100 kph with regen set to five. (Almost a nose plant on the windscreen moment!) Loving the car, but finding it really impossible to get more than about 65 km from a fully charged battery. The most current I have been able to put into the battery from fully discharged using a 16 Amp charger overnight is 17.6 KWH - A full 2.6 KWH short of the advertised capacity of the battery. I have had a supposed range of 99 km displayed at start up in the morning, but within 500 metres this has dropped back to 84 !! Some "Marshmallow KWH" involved !!

Cheers

Chris

Thanks for letting me know... and yes it does sound like the "one pedal driving" will be the way to go!

Also, as already mentioned... even as little as a few kms at highway speeds (80kms/h and up) will seriously affect your range. It's actually a little know item about EV's. Almost all manufacturers state their range numbers from tests that use very little highway speeds. Even Tesla's lose approx 30% of their range at highway speeds. It's a big part of the reason I'm in a PHEV for now as I would need 600kms of mild winter highway range to make the switch to a full BEV vehicle. It's also needs to be relatively affordable (PHEV pricing), have space for a family of 4 plus a dog and all our skiing/mountain biking/camping gear, plus good AWD. That just won't be able available for a number of years yet. So the Outlander is a great stepping stone.

You're also in your winter... expect better range in the spring/summer/fall.