Author Topic: Functionality in electric mode with heating on (Read 1248 times)

Wonder · « **on:** October 17, 2021, 10:50:12 AM »

Hello,
I have now noticed that with the lower outside temperature or when I turn on the heating the car works less in electric mode, even when I brake instead of seeing only the EV light on, I often find the engine running too.
Is such a thing normal? happens to you too?
what is the reason?
I thought that consumption would be higher with the climate control on and not with the heating.
Thanks for the info.
(sorry for the mistakes I used Goole translator)

peteo48 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2021, 10:53:21 AM »

I notice my car always starts in engine mode and that's probably because I have the Climate Control set to auto. I won't be too bothered if the fuel consumption is good.

sportse · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2021, 11:03:11 AM »

The heating runs from the petrol engine, so it has to start to provide inside heat.

For extreme mpg, you could copy some of the early EV adopters and turn the climate control off completely- instead wearing thick clothes/coat and gloves.

In the Toyota hybrids I used to have, winter mpg was up to 5 lower than summer mpg.

Wonder · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2021, 11:37:07 AM »

Quote from: sportse on October 17, 2021, 11:03:11 AM

In the Toyota hybrids I used to have, winter mpg was up to 5 lower than summer mpg.

There is no small difference.
However, if this is normal, at least I'm calm,
I thought I had a breakdown on the car

Thanks for the replies

Kremmen · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2021, 12:43:46 PM »

Same as your house gas bill, up in the Winter.

jazzaro · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2021, 02:25:11 PM »

Quote from: Wonder on October 17, 2021, 10:50:12 AM

Hello,
I have now noticed that with the lower outside temperature or when I turn on the heating the car works less in electric mode, even when I brake instead of seeing only the EV light on, I often find the engine running too.
Is such a thing normal? happens to you too?
what is the reason?
I thought that consumption would be higher with the climate control on and not with the heating.
Thanks for the info.
(sorry for the mistakes I used Goole translator)

If you ask the car to give you heat, the car must burn some fuel to heat the liquid used to heat the cabin radiator.
Phev and Bev can have a heat pump or a ptc heater to heat the air using electricity from the battery, fhev, mhev and standard vehicles must burn fuel, that's why your engine keeps running.
Even traditional cars with start&stop keep the engine on if the driver asks heat from the climate control.

sportse · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2021, 05:09:19 PM »

I’ve noticed my mpg already dropping a few with the cooler weather- I have many early morning starts so the temperature is already down to 7C.

So far the heating and window clearing are quite quick - it will be interesting to see how it does when we have frost.

I’d say the warm up on the Jazz is quicker than on other hybrids so far. The cold idle rpm is also higher on the Jazz.

One benefit of the colder weather is the car is a bit quicker at low speed with the engine running for heat - there must be excess electricity readily available.

For people doing auto test competitions in the Prius there was a sneak where they would turn on maximum defrost to force the engine to be always running to give them an advantage. (Although it does seem strange people would buy a fuel efficient hybrid and then enter it in competitions.)