Using Mostly petrol in winter..

[jodysutts]

I love my outlander, I got it this summer and have been on 90-100% ev driving as I work close to home. Now that the temperature has dropped I’m using the heater on my journeys but now I can’t warm the car without the engine. Surly this is a huge design flaw. I mean for almost half the year the whole concept of ev pretty much goes out the window. I have to go out in the morning unplug the car and start the engine in order to get into a warm car instead of it heating up electrically while still plugged in. Then I can’t select above 19 degrees on the heater display while driving or the engine will run. Please someone tell me I’m missing something..sorry about the rant..

 

[VillageIdiotDan]

I love my outlander, I got it this summer and have been on 90-100% ev driving as I work close to home. Now that the temperature has dropped I’m using the heater on my journeys but now I can’t warm the car without the engine. Surly this is a huge design flaw. I mean for almost half the year the whole concept of ev pretty much goes out the window. I have to go out in the morning unplug the car and start the engine in order to get into a warm car instead of it heating up electrically while still plugged in. Then to keep it above 19 degrees while driving on the heater display the engine has to be running.. please someone tell me I’m missing something..sorry about the rant..

Hah, I'm having the same thoughts. I do notice the heated seat and the heated steering wheel can run without the petrol kicking in if it helps.

The other thing which is far more effective is the remote control app to allow pre-heating of the car without affecting your range/needing to use petrol (as you're still plugged in at that stage).

The challenge i have is then demisting the windscreen without using the heating - any ideas anyone? I crack the window but think perhaps there's a spray that will work without having an affect on the range.

 

[me18PHEV]

well, which version do you have? Does it have an electric heater? I have a North American GT and when I need heat the range decreases significantly but it does not start the engine. Assume that will happen only when the temperature delta is more than whatever threshold is set as a minimum, I read people talking about 20 degrees celcius

 

[anko]

well, which version do you have? Does it have an electric heater? I have a North American GT and when I need heat the range decreases significantly but it does not start the engine. Assume that will happen only when the temperature delta is more than whatever threshold is set as a minimum, I read people talking about 20 degrees celcius

This delta is much, much lower. Think in terms of 6 to 10 deg , depending on whether you have selected ECO mode.

 

[ThudnBlundr]

Rather than use the drive battery, pre-heat the car using the built-in heater (in higher-spec models) while it is still plugged in to the charger. The initial load (4kW) will exceed what your charger can supply, but as the car warms up the load will decrease and allow the charger to "catch up". then you get into a warm car which needs less energy to keep warm, and the ICE doesn't fire up when you turn it on. How long it takes after heating for it to be fully charged again is a matter of trial and error, as the time varies with the outside temperature.

 

[jodysutts]

Thanks for replying. I have a 2015 gx4h. The highest temp can be set is 19 before the engine kicks in

 

[anko]

The initial load (4kW) will exceed what your charger can supply, but as the car warms up the load will decrease and allow the charger to "catch up".

I don't think preheating uses a thermostat or anything. When invoked, it blasts away at max until it stops.

 

[anko]

Thanks for replying. I have a 2015 gx4h. The highest temp can be set is 19 before the engine kicks in

Let me guess, it is about 12 deg C outside? Wait for it to get colder and try again.

 

[jodysutts]

It’s currently ranging from -1c to 5c in the mornings.. had to defrost the windscreen this morning. It’s just annoying that I can’t do it without petrol

 

[Woodman411]

I love my outlander, I got it this summer and have been on 90-100% ev driving as I work close to home. Now that the temperature has dropped I’m using the heater on my journeys but now I can’t warm the car without the engine. Surly this is a huge design flaw. I mean for almost half the year the whole concept of ev pretty much goes out the window. I have to go out in the morning unplug the car and start the engine in order to get into a warm car instead of it heating up electrically while still plugged in. Then I can’t select above 19 degrees on the heater display while driving or the engine will run. Please someone tell me I’m missing something..sorry about the rant..

Not sure if it's a design flaw, more like a limitation of heating technology (resistance heaters): https://cleantechnica.com/2018/10/08/more-efficient-heating-cooling-technology-extends-electric-car-range

 

[anko]

Not sure if it's a design flaw, more like a limitation of heating technology (resistance heaters): https://cleantechnica.com/2018/10/08/more-efficient-heating-cooling-technology-extends-electric-car-range

I don't think it is a limitation of heating technology, per se. It is possible to heat the car using just the electric heater, even when it is very cold. Simply be keeping the car hooked up to the grid. So, the heater is well capable. It was Mitsubishi who DECIDED it would take a bit too long / use a bit too much energy from the battery, when heating the cabin while driving, using just the electric heater. And thus they choose to not even give us the option.

Is it flaw? I think so. But it is a matter of opinion, I am afraid.

 

[anko]

It’s currently ranging from -1c to 5c in the mornings.. had to defrost the windscreen this morning. It’s just annoying that I can’t do it without petrol

Maybe it is because you have one of the newer models. EV Prio is still not EV Only, but it gets closer.

 

[jodysutts]

I’m not sure how the electric heater even works.. all I get is cold air no matter what temp is selected when I try to heat the car while plugged in

 

[anko]

That is a confusing message. First you say: the engine starts to provide heat. Now you say: all you get is cold air. I am trying to understand ...

Apparently, there is a situation in which:
- you crank up the heat setting
- the engine does not start
- no warm air is coming out of the vents

What situation is this?

 

[jodysutts]

Ok, to get heat I have to unplug the car turn it on fully (ready mode)and turn up the heat dial. The engine will come on and heat the car. When I turn on the car and heater while still plugged in all I get is cold air no matter what temp is selected. My point is I have to use a lot more petrol now for the next number of months..

 

[cornclose]

I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the Outlander heater is a heat pump which uses the same compressor as the air conditioning system - i.e. a 'climate control' system in the true sense of the words.

Air conditioning and heating can be done with the same compressor/evaporator/condensor systems, it's just a matter of reversing the compression/expansion elements.

Is this what the Outlander uses ? Or is the heater the reistance element type ? That would seem a waste and a bad decision by the Mitsubishi engineers to me since they have already fitted the compressor/evaporator/condensor systems for the air conditioning, considering all the effort they went to on the rest of the car in developing the hybrid system.

Mine is a 2019 model 4HS - does anyone know what's fitted to what cars ?

 

[Woodman411]

I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the Outlander heater is a heat pump which uses the same compressor as the air conditioning system - i.e. a 'climate control' system in the true sense of the words.

Air conditioning and heating can be done with the same compressor/evaporator/condensor systems, it's just a matter of reversing the compression/expansion elements.

Is this what the Outlander uses ? Or is the heater the reistance element type ? That would seem a waste and a bad decision by the Mitsubishi engineers to me since they have already fitted the compressor/evaporator/condensor systems for the air conditioning, considering all the effort they went to on the rest of the car in developing the hybrid system.

Mine is a 2019 model 4HS - does anyone know what's fitted to what cars ?

It was resistive for MY2018, there are no indications this changed for MY2019:

The big difference is attributable to Mitsubishi’s use of resistive heating in the PHEV—as with fully electric cars, it warms the cabin using an element like what’s in your toaster or hair dryer, rather than engine coolant. It allows you to precondition the cabin while the vehicle is still plugged in without impacting range.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2018-mitsubishi-outlander-phev-test-review

 

[cornclose]

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2018-mitsubishi-outlander-phev-test-review

Thanks - can't open that link here - "Sorry, this content is not available in your region."

I did find this though some weeks ago, not sure if anyone's seen it or it's already linked somewhere, thought it might be of interest to some (no sign of any changes in the heating system in here either..);

http://www.2018-mitsubishi-motors.eu/Files/Documents/EN/new_MY19_OutlanderPHEV.pdf

 

[anko]

Ok, to get heat I have to unplug the car turn it on fully (ready mode)and turn up the heat dial. The engine will come on and heat the car. When I turn on the car and heater while still plugged in all I get is cold air no matter what temp is selected. My point is I have to use a lot more petrol now for the next number of months..

I think the electric heater will only work when the car is in Ready mode. Or when commanded via pre-heating.

When the car is properly pre-heated, you should be able to run in EV mode even with the electric heater on. Don't give the cabin an opportunity to cool off during your trip.

 

[bounderboy]

is the heated windscreen a new thing of MY2019 - will that stop the window steaming up I wonder when driving with out climate control on...