Phev - hold and charge functions

[Graemelisa]

Hi - we know that the charge function when activated increases fuel consumption - though I cannot find anywhere by how much.....

So

You are doing a reasonable trip which involves motorway which will end in an urban area, where you intend driving around. If whilst on the motorway you use the charge function will the increased fuel consumption be more than offset by having Pure only mode available to you in the urban area? Would 'charge' in that example be better or worse than using 'Hold' to keep battery power for the urban driving......

On another topic - I think it is odd that the driver profile cannot store your preferred driving mode - I would, as default prefer to start in individual or pure.....

[Peter8642]

No idea, but overall I suspect it will use more fuel as the process of converting the petrol engine’s mechanical output to electricity, putting it in a battery, taking it out again, and converting it back in to mechanical drive is less than100% efficient at each of those 4 stages- better to send the petrol engine’s output direct to the wheels.

The charge function is really intended for when you are approaching a city where local pollution control measures forbid petrol engines. I don’t think there are currently any such places in the U.K.

[Peter8642]

Another consideration, my other car is an eight and a half year old plug in Prius. The battery is guaranteed for 8 years. At 7 years I complained that the battery capacity was noticeably less than when new and asked if this qualified for replacement under the guarantee. I was told that reducing capacity with age is “normal”, and the guarantee only kicks in if a battery fails through unexpected defect such as a single cell failing completely.

Accordingly I would not be keen to accelerate the battery’s deterioration by putting it through charge and discharge cycles that don’t actually save any petrol.

Pete.

[Peter8642]

By all means use “hold” in the situation you describe, but the car has a very neat trick where if you put your destination in to the satnav it will automatically hold the electricity for the urban bits of your journey. For a round trip remember to put home as your final destination with your actual destination as a waypoint (unless of course you can charge up at the place you’re visiting).

[Graemelisa]

Yeah the satnav 'neat trick' is great and I have already used it a few times. But if you go away for a few nights and you can't remote charge and you are going to check out the nearby area/town having no battery power isn't great.....

Surely Volvo know the likely added consumption of the charge function - if we know that and the time required for each say 5km of extra battery perhaps then we could then work it out..... if the overall result is less petrol consumption, we benefit as does the environment....

[Deleted User 2507]

I had a play with the charge when I couldn't get an overnight charge and it is quite efficient. It charged to 75% in about 60 miles of driving but it did cut the mpg down to around 30 mpg. I actually thought this was better than I was expecting. Haven't really used it since because even without a charge you can get 45mpg with some careful driving and that is fine for me.

Agree the built in sat nav is great for battery management its just a shame the traffic is woeful. I only trust the google maps traffic, so tend to manage my own battery when its time critical for work, when not so much I will use the Volvo one.

[Peter8642]

So on those figures your 60 miles uses 2 gallons instead of a gallon and a third. The two thirds of a gallon saved if you don’t charge will take you a further 30 miles, or more if just pootliing around town. A 75% charge will take you 20 miles.

I have engaged the charge function only briefly at 70 on the motorway, but also noticed it pulled the consumption down considerably for not much battery charge in the 10 miles I had it on. You can’t get something for nothing. Adding steps to a process always induces inefficiencies.

[Deleted User 2507]

Like I said it was just to test the function, it's not something you really need to use. I think I also ran in B mode for extra regen too thinking about it.

While we talk about batteries I think it's down to around 15 miles on a full charge in this sub zero stuff.

[Peter8642]

Yes bb I understood you were just trying it out. I’ve met several people who believe the charge function will save them fuel. It really doesn’t.

Pete.

[Deleted User 2507]

I’ve met several people who believe the charge function will save them fuel. It really doesn’t.

Totally agree