High Voltage Battery Charge Level Gauge

[Teapotter]

I have been driving my new Mark 4 for just over four weeks now.  I am a little confused with the recent ‘activity’ of the High Voltage Battery Charge Level Gauge.

Up until a few days ago on every journey I’ve made the ‘bars’ on the Gauge have moved up and down almost continually as the car has moved at various speeds etc, from a low of about 3 bars showing to a high of all bars visible to the top.  Over the past few days I have had cause to drive the car only a relatively short distance of approximately 1 mile each time and on each journey (probably 4) I have noticed that the Gauge has given a ‘full’ reading from the start of each trip with no movement (downwards) whatsoever.  May this be normal? Is there any correlation between this Gauge and the EV indicator appearing, as this has been appearing on and off on occasions during these short journeys?

Apologies for my technical ignorance!  I come from an era when we could set and change spark plugs and points and replace air and oil filters with some limited confidence.  I even recall fitting a replacement petrol tank in my Mini, which I had bought from the local car breakers yard for 50p.  That was for the tank not the car!!

Any comments gratefully received.

[Kenneve]

I would consider that to be normal, for the short distances you are travelling.
At this time of year, the engine will always run at startup to provide cabin heat and I guess it will take at least a mile to warm up.
When the engine is running, it is normally charging the HV battery as well, so there is almost no opportunity for the car to run in EV mode during that short distance,  hence the high levels of charge seen on the Battery Charge Level Gauge.

[Teapotter]

Thanks very much for your reply.  Actually the car is showing it is running in EV mode at times during this short journey.  The EV icon lights up and you can hear that it’s running in EV.  It’s all too smart for me!

[Jeff15]

When I first drove my Jazz I could not get over how seamless it all was.....

[Lord Voltermore]

Its certainly a lot smarter than me !
 I've given up trying to predict when it might add HV battery  bars ,or use them for EV mode.

 For instance it sometimes goes into EV mode  at 65 mph  (the highest I've had is 69mph)   especially if its slightly downhill. Yet other times, on a similar long downhill stretch with plenty of bars on the battery   'the computer says no' and keeps the engine running . (No change in noise or feel. You only know from instruments  - all seamless)     In these circumstances it may be due to the difference between having a tail wind or a headwind. 

 

   

[Kremmen]

Yep, I can only tell on motorways when the instant mpg shoots to 140.

[John Ratsey]

Turning off the heater fan and using the heated seats will reduce the amount of time that the engine is running. Otherwise the mpg will take a big hit because, once the battery is full, the engine is running under lower load with reduced efficiency.