Outlander PHEV 2020 fuel consumption

[gburdo]

Hi.

I was wondering if someone encountered the same issue or knows how to deal with it.

I bought Outlander PHEV 2020 when it was 1 year old in very good shape. Of course, I was curious how much fuel it consumes in Hybrid mode.
When I drove on a highway, I noticed that the fuel consumption is about 7.6 liters per 100km. The battery was empty, so the car was switching between the electric engine and the gas engine. The time ratio was about 40% electric engine and 60% gas engine.

When I came to a service center for a yearly service, I asked the technician if the fuel consumption is normal. He said that it's a bit high and he will check.

After the service the fuel consumption got much higher.
I noticed that now the car works mostly in a combined mode; both electric and gas engine work simultaneously most of the time. Even when I force the car to work in a "Charge" mode the battery is charging extremely slowly. The car works mostly on fuel, so the fuel consumption is pretty high (12.5 liters per 100 km).

Of course, I wasn't happy with the service, so I went to another service center. I asked them to reset the car to the factory settings. They said they did but I still see this combined mode of operation.

Any advice?

Thanks a lot
Gennady

 

[kpetrov]

First, fuel consumption in "hybrid" mode is vastly individual and depends of multiple factors.
Fuel consumption should be measured in 100% parallel mode in order to be comparable from vehicle to vehicle.
7.6L/100km in speeds over 100km/h is not high consumption.

Second, how did you measure the change in consumption before and after the service? Did you measure it under the same conditions?
Electric and gas engine to work simultaneously is exactly the definition of hybrid mode so you have to be more specific.
In Charge mode this consumption 12.5L/100km is it instant fuel consumption or average from empty battery to empty battery? Is it in Series or Parallel mode? How much was before?

I don't believe any random mechanic will have the knowledge or even if he has it the desire and responsibility to start tuning the engine, especially on a hybrid vehicle.

There should be some other explanation for your observations.

 

[mellobob]

There really is no reason to use CHARGE mode unless you think you'll be needing some extra electric when going up a steep hill with load. Generally, it's an expensive way to drive. When going on trips which will use more than the battery capacity, I use SAVE mode after getting to about 1/2 battery. Plus, attempt to arrive at your destination/home where you can charge cheaply with an empty battery.

Your hwy usage seems about right. Maybe a tad high, but that is really dependant on your driving habits, speed and outside temperature.

 

[kpetrov]

There really is no reason to use CHARGE mode unless you think you'll be needing some extra electric when going up a steep hill with load. Generally, it's an expensive way to drive. When going on trips which will use more than the battery capacity, I use SAVE mode after getting to about 1/2 battery. Plus, attempt to arrive at your destination/home where you can charge cheaply with an empty battery.

Your hwy usage seems about right. Maybe a tad high, but that is really dependant on your driving habits, speed and outside temperature.

Now is the time for you to say how Save is any different (more efficient) than Charge except the duration of the charge-discharge cycle!?

On the highway my vehicle stays in parallel mode continuously while in Charge so... the best way to use the engine.
In Save it has own mind and stays in Series mode mostly thus 10%-15% more losses on propulsion due to energy conversion.

The Parallel Hybrid Mode is more efficient than the other modes

https://www.truromitsubishi.ca/new-inventory/upper-onslow/outlander-phev-drive-modes.htm

 

[mellobob]

To continue from your link:

With the Battery Save Mode on, it forces the engine to turn on and stops using the battery, which conserves it.
This mode is most efficient for use on the highway, as gasoline is most efficient.


So, honestly, I'm really not all that sure about this stuff I just know that I'm into my 3rd PHEV (long story about exterior colors and a serious accident with no injuries) and I have never felt the need to use CHARGE.

 

[kpetrov]

To continue from your link:

With the Battery Save Mode on, it forces the engine to turn on and stops using the battery, which conserves it.
This mode is most efficient for use on the highway, as gasoline is most efficient.


So, honestly, I'm really not all that sure about this stuff I just know that I'm into my 3rd PHEV (long story about exterior colors and a serious accident with no injuries) and I have never felt the need to use CHARGE.

Well, Save mode - same engine so Charge is not worst. The deal is in Save mode most of the time the engine stays in series mode while in Charge it stays in parallel. In Save the engine is turned on an off every few minutes, in Charge one can prolong the cycle so less engine startups.
They suggest to use Save on highway only cause Charge shroud be used intelligently and it is headache to describe and explain it in simple brochure for ordinary driver that wants to get in an just drive it,

Few reasons to use Charge on highway:
Travelling from one big city to another. Depleted battery in the first, Charge on highway use the accumulated charge in the next one.

Approaching mountains after one depleted the battery in the beginning of it's journey.

Engine will always work in parallel mode instead of series.

Few engine startups instead of every few minutes.

 

[tfv43]

The deal is in Save mode most of the time the engine stays in series mode while in Charge it stays in parallel.

That was never the case for our PHEV, 2020 EU model. It would stay parallel over 70 km/h. 90% of the time no matter Normal, Save, Charge. Heavy pedal could bring it to series mode, but again no matter Normal, Save, Charge.
Best efficiency turned out to be Normal, you needed a very good reason to use Save or Charge, and that was not fuel efficiency.

 

[gburdo]

Hi.

Probably I did not explain myself well enough.

When I bought the car I did a test:
Driving at 110km/hour, without air conditioning, driving on a highway with very minor inclines and declines alone the trip, the car is in Normal mode:
The car was switching automatically from electric motor to gasoline motor.
40% of the time is in fully electric mode
60% of the time is in fully gasoline mode
Only during transitioning from electric mode to gasoline mode the car operated in combined mode for few seconds only.

After the service in the same conditions (Driving at 110km/hour, without air conditioning, driving on a highway with very minor inclines and declines alone the trip, the car is in Normal mode:
The car is working in combined mode mostly.
~5% of the time the car is in fully electric mode
~40% of the time the car is in combined mode
~55% of the time the car is in gasoline mode

Some people say that the battery is degrading, and this is the reason.
Definitely battery degradation is expected but it happened in no time. Right after the service. I think that the service center changed something in car's software and this is what changed the car behavior.

Thanks
Gennady

 

[kpetrov]

The deal is in Save mode most of the time the engine stays in series mode while in Charge it stays in parallel.

That was never the case for our PHEV, 2020 EU model. It would stay parallel over 70 km/h. 90% of the time no matter Normal, Save, Charge. Heavy pedal could bring it to series mode, but again no matter Normal, Save, Charge.
Best efficiency turned out to be Normal, you needed a very good reason to use Save or Charge, and that was not fuel efficiency.

If in Normal, Save yours stay in parallel very good for you then and there is no difference Save or Charge but the duration of the charge-discharge cycle.
In Save and Normal my stays exclusively in Series mode.

Regarding your last statement "best efficiency turned out to be Normal" there is some contradiction.
If you say that in Normal your vehicle stays in parallel mode there is absolutely no difference then, Normal, Save or Charge. Parallel is same parallel in all 3 modes.
Well if one don't fully use the accumulated charge from Save or Charge then it is behind the wheel device fault and thus higher consumption.

 

[nrayanov]

My car is using about 8l per 100 km/s when the battery is depleted, but do keep in mind the allowed highway speed here is 140 km/h. If I drive with 100 km/h I get about 6l per 100 km/s, and that's with the 12 kWh battery and the 2.0 mIVEC. The bigger battery and the 2.4 mIVEC should be getting slightly better numbers.

 

[Stevepl11]

The only time mine (2018) refused to go into Parallel mode on a highway trip was when I had old fuel being used. Though sometimes it does appear to delay this, never seen any relationship between normal, save, or charge, and whether or not parallel mode activated.

That one time it was using old fuel, I reset it by removing and refitting the IOD fuse (while shutdown of course), this lets it forget the fuel age.

As for fuel economy? I do 80% electric running and when I need to travel beyond the available EV range, I just drive and don't worry about consumption other than being sure to never run out of fuel.

HOWEVER, I do try to manage the battery range to:
A. run out when I get home without a last minute short engine run.
B. make sure the engine gets fully up to 'operating' temperture for as long as possible during the trip, sometimes at the expense of point A. above.