Towing - What Mode

[littlescrote]

What clues do you get that you're neither regen or powering ?

2. One is the power gauge being neither negative nor positive. The other is the power flow diagram showing neither.

 

[littlescrote]

"good" in what way? Once the charging process is complete (at ~80% full) the car will use the energy in the battery until it's dropped a few percentage points and then recharge it again (referred to as a 'hysteresis' cycle). Without charge mode selected, exactly the same thing happens but with the battery 'empty' (in reality, ~15% charge left). Selecting save mode does the same, but at whatever level of charge is present when you press the button.

As long as you remember to turn charge/save mode off and arrive at your destination with the battery 'empty', you'll consume very similar amounts of fuel, whichever strategy you adopt.

The difference being that if you do that at 80% charge you will have some battery to assist the engine up long hills when it's either in direct drive or running the generator at maximum capacity. If you do it at lower charge, you may run out part way up said hill (mountain in reality).

 

[littlescrote]

That's not how my 2014 appears to work.
It drives on battery only until I select CHG.
Then the ICE starts and doesn't turn off until I deselect CHG.

Well, it won't drive on battery if the battery is empty.

 

[mountkay]

the car will use the energy in the battery until it's dropped a few percentage points and then recharge it again

As this video shows, below 42mph, the car will use only the electric motors.

The motors can use 80HP each, total of 160HP. The generator can only supply 94HP of energy. So it is possible to use more energy than the generator can supply.

Thus it is important to keep a large buffer of energy in the battery and not just rely on the generator kicking on when the battery is in a critical low state begging to charged.

Letting the genny kick on at low battery when you are driving the car solo is mostly fine since there is always a small buffer left in the battery. But when towing it is better to keep a large buffer of energy in the battery for when you are using more energy for the motors than the generator can supply.

 

[antonvs]

You appear to have rejected the answer out of the box.

Most members recommend using 'Charge' mode while towing a load.

This gives you the maximum available power, 120 kW to the motors.
(Battery plus generation from the engine.)

The engine does not and can not drive the front wheels at low speed.

Andy, I'm interested in your comment here and ask why you only mention the front wheels. What about the rear wheels, that is can they be driven directly by the ICE at any time. I think I have read that the any of the wheels never get driven directly by the ICE

 

[AndyInOz]

Hmm...

The car has a GKN multi-mode "eTransmission" attached to the engine.

This allows the engine to directly drive the front wheels once speeds are at 70 km/h or higher.

There is no physical connection between the engine and the rear wheels.

The electric motors (front and rear) can drive the wheels at any time.

This is a nice animation which explains the working of the "eTransmission".

 

[antonvs]

I tow over 1400 kg mainly on fairly flat A and B roads. I usually start on battery and let it deplete by at least a quarter before hitting charge. I manage engine use myself by keeping charge on all the time I am driving over about 40mph (orange power glow arrow to drive wheels direct) and try to minimise use of the engine when under 40 (engine charging battery). I turn the engine off whenever I can, on downhills, slowing for lights etc. B0 is my default but I paddle up to slow (towing a horse it gives smooth braking). Sometimes you can’t really avoid using the engine in battery charge mode if it is getting a bit low on charge.

I do try to keep the battery to around half full in case of hills or a jam but then run it flat on my return home.

This seems to give me reasonable economy.
Cheers
H

I would be interested to know what non-stop range you think you would get towing your trailer at 1400kg?