ECO vs Normal vs PWR Mode - really just accelerator mapping?

Exactly. The most efficient acceleration comes from keeping the ICE running at its most efficient level.

Tom

 

Hum. Have you noticed that if you maintain a fixed accelerator pedal position, from a stop, the HSI graph will not stay fixed as it will rather slowly go higher (at least true for ECO mode, in which I always stay).

Is there any relation with your comment?

 

I would expect so. One would assume that the sweet spot would change with load.

Tom

 

To me also. I understand motors do better when under stress from an efficiency standpoint but I've never found any vehicle to get better gas when accelerated briskly up to speed vs gradually.

I thought that sometimes the ICE itself would charge the battery and not because "it should" but because if it isn't not being pushed hard and it pushes itself a little harder to charge the battery it can get into its more efficient range, despite some small loss of energy going into the motor > battery > motor later on.

 

My personal two sense on it is the power like you said is just more sensitive to the touch which is nice for pullin out in front of traffic and passing. Eco takes some more pressure to use which for me personally kind of keeps me honest. Im too tempted on power mode to use the gas more often. The eco mode kind of makes me drive lazier and I like it. I know its more of a mental thing but all in all the eco mode is like a reminder to drive more passively to get the best mpg.

 

I'm trying to train my wife that I'm ok with her accelerating briskly but _please_ brake early and long to help the regen. I think she's doing better although when I take the car out the average MPG is always higher at the end of my trip

 

With the rolling hills of Central Ky. I've found that normal mode works better than ECO for me. I can get up to speed and glide sooner that way. I will switch to ECO in subdivisions and on flat land, but I'm not sure it matters. I'm still learning and improving.

 

I agree with your considerations. I use ECO mode a lot during my city trips, it helps the mileage and the comfort because the HSI seems to use the battery more willingly, especially in the winter; and I don't feel any particular loss of power, you can accelerate reasonably even in ECO mode. With one exception, hills: ECO mode is a pain if you have to climb hills, you have almost to floor the accelerator if you want to keep a decent speed while climbing steep hills, in that case Power is a lot better.

 

But from what is being said hills should make no difference as all you do is push the pedal a bit further in ECO to match the PWR acceleration rate, isint it.

 

Right, but the force required to almost floor the accelerator pedal is high, so I prefer the PWR with a smaller amount of pedal.... it's just a psychological thing Anyway, it's nice to have available three different accelerator pedal behaviors, even if, bottom line, the ICE behavior is the same.