Questions not about the PHEV Technology

[Tabvla]

I am at the final stages of deciding on the purchase of my next vehicle and the Outlander PHEV is on my short-list.

I have read a considerable amount about the technology and watched numerous videos on the subject - which is quite impressive and of which I now have a good understanding.

Information that is more difficult to obtain is that which describes the practical day-to-day realities of driving the PHEV. I would be grateful to those Forum Members who would like to share their experiences particularly those relating to the manner is which I will typically use the vehicle.

1. Everyday Use

My office is adjacent to my home so I don't need a vehicle to get to work - its about a 30 second walk.... .... therefore typical short trips will be the weekly journey to the supermarkets, the most distant of which is about a 30km round trip. Other short journeys, possibly once a week or so, may involve a trip of at most 100km.

2. Long Journeys

About 4 times a year I do relatively long journeys across Europe. These average about 2000 km over several days. The bulk of these journeys are usually on motorways and toll roads at speeds of around 130kph. However, some parts of the journey will always be on country roads, which are usually quite good surfaces but are narrow, twisty with lots of steep hills and decents.

3. Off Road

Some of what I do requires that I go "off-the-beaten-track". I am NOT a candidate for the Dakar rally but I do need a vehicle that will serve me well on rough roads and tracks. In this respect I am a little worried about the PHEV. Firstly, Li-ion batteries are not known for their robustness and can be rather fragile. Secondly I saw a video of the underside of the PHEV and there seems to be a lot of exposed "bits-and-pieces" - pipes, cables, electrical..... lots of things to get damaged.

The benefits to cost-of-ownership are debatable but the potentially low impact on the environment is something which I am very supportive of and is at the top of my tick-list. Add to that the relatively quiet operation while in the countryside and the package is very appealing.

But is the PHEV the right vehicle for me? I would be grateful for any opinions that would influence me one way or the other.

TiA

T.

 

[jaapv]

I am at the final stages of deciding on the purchase of my next vehicle and the Outlander PHEV is on my short-list.

I have read a considerable amount about the technology and watched numerous videos on the subject - which is quite impressive and of which I now have a good understanding.

Information that is more difficult to obtain is that which describes the practical day-to-day realities of driving the PHEV. I would be grateful to those Forum Members who would like to share their experiences particularly those relating to the manner is which I will typically use the vehicle.

1. Everyday Use

My office is adjacent to my home so I don't need a vehicle to get to work - its about a 30 second walk.... .... therefore typical short trips will be the weekly journey to the supermarkets, the most distant of which is about a 30km round trip. Other short journeys, possibly once a week or so, may involve a trip of at most 100km.

2. Long Journeys

About 4 times a year I do relatively long journeys across Europe. These average about 2000 km over several days. The bulk of these journeys are usually on motorways and toll roads at speeds of around 130kph. However, some parts of the journey will always be on country roads, which are usually quite good surfaces but are narrow, twisty with lots of steep hills and decents.

3. Off Road

Some of what I do requires that I go "off-the-beaten-track". I am NOT a candidate for the Dakar rally but I do need a vehicle that will serve me well on rough roads and tracks. In this respect I am a little worried about the PHEV. Firstly, Li-ion batteries are not known for their robustness and can be rather fragile. Secondly I saw a video of the underside of the PHEV and there seems to be a lot of exposed "bits-and-pieces" - pipes, cables, electrical..... lots of things to get damaged.

The benefits to cost-of-ownership are debatable but the potentially low impact on the environment is something which I am very supportive of and is at the top of my tick-list. Add to that the relatively quiet operation while in the countryside and the package is very appealing.

But is the PHEV the right vehicle for me? I would be grateful for any opinions that would influence me one way or the other.

TiA

T.

Only you can decide whether your usage is suited to the vehicle considering its electrical range is about 40 Km and its petrol consumption on the motorway (no electrical drive) between 10 and 8 L per 100 Km.

The car is very comfortable on long drives.

The off-road capabilities are excellent due to the low-speeds torque of the electric motors but limited by the ground clearance, which is a bit less than full 4x4 s like a Landrover. For protection have skid plates fitted.

 

[Tabvla]

.
Hi Jaapv, thanks for your helpful reply. I have a couple of questions that you may be able to answer.

Q1. You replied "....its electrical range is about 40 Km and its petrol consumption on the motorway (no electrical drive) ....." I thought that there was always some electrical drive. My understanding is that on the motorway the ICE drives the front wheels and the generator, which provides charge to the Li-ion, which in turn drives the rear wheels. Is my understanding incorrect?

Q2. You replied *....For protection have skid plates fitted...." Mitsubishi provide skid-plates? I looked through the list of "Optional Extras" but could not find skid-plates.

Q3. Most 4x4 have a very "tidy" underside. For example, the Skoda Yeti underside has nothing which can get damaged. Looking under the PHEV, I was surprised at the number of cables, pipes, tubes..... etc.... all of which could be damaged on an offroad track. Do you think that this is a problem and is there any way to protect the underside? I don't think skid-plates on their own will do the job.

Thanks for your opinions.

T.

 

[paa451843]

Hi Tabvla

The PHEV is perfect for short journeys but nothing for seriuos off-roading. A lot of bits and pieces unprotected under the car and the lowest part is the battery, you can`t compare it with a Land-Rover. I know what I`m talking about, I do a lot of off-roading with my old Range-Rover. As a 4WD it`s most useful on snowy and slippery roads.

Yes, there are some electrical drive on highway driving, below 120 kmph you can drive pure electrical if there is battery capacity left.
If the battery is flat (there is always ca 2 kWh left for starting the ICE and for very slow driving) and over 120 kmph the ICE both drives the front wheels and charge a little so there is energy for the rear motor.

Don`t misunderstand me the Outlander PHEV is a very great car but as a mainly highspeed long journey car perhaps the PHEV may not be the most economical one. The benefits of a PHEV get a bit lost if you can`t charge it every day.

 

[Tabvla]

.
Thanks paa451843 for your very helpful and informative reply. That is really good info.

You wrote : "... but not for serious off-roading.... ". What I would like to know is your definition of "serious" off-roading.

Part of what I do involves photography in remote, pristine places. This does mean that I have to leave the beaten track and paved roads but it does NOT mean that I am doing practice runs for the next Asia-Pacific rally :mrgreen:. . . My wife normally accompanies me on these trips so I don't take unnecessary risks, but I do need to feel confident that we can negotiate a forest road; navigate through shallow water; survive rough, dusty trails and get back to civilisation before sunset.

My first choice of vehicle for this task was the Skoda Yeti 4x4 with the Haldex-4 drivetrain. This would certainly do the job and do it very well - the Yeti is a great vehicle and very robust. However, what attracts me to the PHEV is that one can engage the "Battery Save Mode" at the press of a button. This means that one could potentially "save" an almost full battery at the start of a day. Then when one reaches the remote destination you can go to full EV Drive Mode with all the benefits of quiet operation and low-impact on the pristine environment. That is something no other SUV can achieve and that is something which sits very well with my work.

Thanks for any opinion that you may want to give.

T.

 

[jaapv]

Yes, it is correct that there is always some electrical power applied to the rear wheels. If the batteries are low it will be provided by the ICE driven generator. I found the best setting for the car on the motorway to be “ Save” and “ECO”.

No, the car is certainly not designed for off-roading but due to the torque of the electric motors it is surprisingly capable. For instance in deep snow on a steep climb it outperformed a Volvo XC90 and a Landrover Discovery.

 

[paa451843]

Hi Tabvla
Serious off-roading is when you drive in places where you can`t imagining driving at all.
So if a Skoda Yeti is capable for your demands then the PHEV will do fine.

But you might need some underprotection for the rear motor and cables.
The front is protected by a plastic shield but in the rear I think the motor and transaxle is a bit unprotected.
Mitsubishi does not supply any skid plates but some aftermarket 4x4 supplier maybe can sort it out for you.
But as long as drive in moderate tracks and don`t get any hard underbody contact things will work out fine for you. The lowest part is the battery frame and the rear motor/transaxle sits about 5 cm higher then the battery frame.

 

[maddogsetc]

You might find this reassuring :shock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frRsBqa6aoo

 

[jaapv]

I ordered skid plates through my Mitsubishi dealer.

 

[Tabvla]

.
Thanks Jaapv, Maddogetc and Paa451843 for your helpful replies.

Well the video is to some extent reassuring..... but I think quite a few of the rural roads around here looked worse than that this past Winter.... :lol:

(To be truthful this last Winter you needed a boat to get around.... or snorkel and goggles would also have been OK... :ugeek: )

T.