ICE in EV Mode ... Again

big shot

 

nah, l'il shot.

 

teeney tiney

 

Gotta add my experiences.

Yesterday morning we were on our way out ... I always just leave it in EV until I get on the highway and up to speed. The ice came on at 30mph when usually I can stay in EV until I switch it over at 60. Outside temp was 28. I had just read this thread so it confirmed that the ice comes on with lower outside temps. This morning, same route, outside temp was 35, and the ice came on at 35...I was watching for it. Nothing else on, and the heater temp was set on Hi but no fan.

 

I've observed that heater temp is tied directly to coolant temp, a new parameter for us.

In other words, it the coolant temp is 125°F the heater will start up the engine when it is set to "HI" but not when it is set to "65" when in both in EV mode with ECO.

HV mode with ECO has a different heater behavior. It's consistency compared to the sliding-scale with EV is likely a heavy contributor to the variance in reports we've been getting.

 

I wondered about the heater temp. Tomorrow morn I'll repeat the trip and try it with the temp set on 65. I always drive in ECO. It should be the same outside temp.

 

Lower the heater temp a degree at a time. Note the number. Try it again some other time. The number will be different.

With an aftermarket gauge, we'll likely be able to plot a pattern to figure out the parameters.

At least for now, simply note that the lower the temp the longer the engine-off time.

 

if you don't want the ice to come on, lower the heater temp to 'low', not 65.

 

tonite i went to work, full charge, 32 degrees, same parameters as always, ice did not come on. i'm perplexed.

 

how does that make you feel?

 

perplexed.

 

wanna talk about it?

 

why did it start 3 days in a row last week?

 

it was angry at you

 

K ... I set the temp to 65. Took off as usual and the engine didn't start until I switched it over to HV at 60mph. Oh, outside temp was 34. So the engine start appears to be directly connected to the set heater temp.

Next time I do that trip I'll set the temp a little higher before I leave and see what happens.

 

went out today on my commute route where the ice fired 3 times last week and watched things more carefully. temp in the low 40's, full charge 12.9 miles ev. when i got to the same spot where the ice fired, i realized that i am on a slight downgrade going 40 mph, ev range down to 12.5 and ice came on again. so i'm wondering if it can't regen that amount to top up and instead has to burn off the excess? of course, i did the same thing at 32 degrees last night and it didn't fire.

 

I just did it again .. although the parameters were a little different so it isn't apples to apples.

Same outside temp ... 34. Same road. Cept this time the engine temp was 95 ... just cooling off from this morning. I raised the heater temp to 68. And the ICE still didn't start until I put it in HV at 60mph.

do not know what that all means ... I just like to drive the PiP.

 

Sounds reasonable. Keep in mind that at lower temps, battery charges slower, so perhaps it can "accept" more regen at the higher end of its charge?
I have to say though, this is kind of stupid. ICE shouldn't be kicking on to burn off regen, the car should just straight up use friction braking and be done with it. BUG!

 

can accept, or can't? anything above the low 40's and the ice never came on. tonite i drove more slowly as i approached the downhill section so that i could keep my speed down and not have to let off the gas. never used regen and the ice never came on. 32 degrees. i'll keep experimenting.

 

You said it fired at 40, but not at 32, right? So since rate of charge is slower at 32, and it's trying to not "overfill" the battery, it might be able to take more regen at lower temps, because it doesn't top off as quickly?
I do not know, I'm not an electrical engineer lol.