New owner, towing tips anyone?

Hi everyone,

I picked up my 2015 GX4HS last week and I am so far very pleased with it. I have a 30 mile commute each way and can reach my destination on 98% EV, some steep hills preventing 100%. Luckily I can charge at work so I should see some significant fuel savings over my previous 2.2 diesel CRV.

Next week though I am on holiday, for which I need to tow my caravan. I must say i'm a little apprehensive since the van is 1472kgs. I would really appreciate some towing tips, now that some of you have had more experience over the last couple of years.

For instance, what should the tyre pressures be when towing, its not very clearly defined on the info like I'm used to in other cars.

Your help is very much appreciated
Cheers

While towing, your engine will need support from the E-motors rather often. Also, at a steady pace, a little battery power will be used, even when the dash only shows an orange arrow from engine to wheels. But the engine will have a hard time replacing the battery charge you have used during these moments. So, your main issue will be how to maintain a decent SOC.

For starters, you should engage Charge mode as soon as you take off. And even then, you will see SOC dropping. Normally, the engine will be able to add a little charge when you lift the throttle, as no engine power is needed for driving while coasting. When you lift the throttle while in B0, this will indeed happen. But when you lift the throttle while in B1 or higher (which for instance happens every time you cancel out of CC), the engine will go in idle mode rather than recharge the battery. Same when you lift the throttle in B0 and briefly touch the brake pedal. When you cancel out of CC to coast (or have hit the brakes during coasting), switch to B0 quickly and briefly hit the throttle again. This will get the engine out of idle mode and result in a little recharging.

Next, let the engine run (for a while) whenever you take a brake, allowing SOC to increase. Event though this may feel a little awkward.

Apart from this 'maintain SOC issue' I think it is truly a great car for towing. The added weight is a big plus, as it increases stability. And it is more than powerful enough, especially in series hybrid mode.

Thank you Anko - that has confirmed my hopes about it being capable of towing. Thanks also for your explanation about B0. I had read about putting it straight into Charge mode on the forum, but didn't appreciate the effect of the higher B settings. So would you say using CC whilst in charge mode is the best thing to do and then whilst not in CC mode use B0?
This is probably also a stupid question, but does running the car in charge use more petrol than if you were driving normally without EV power or in Save mode?

Thanks for your help

In these conditions there should be little difference in petrol consumption between Save and Charge, as the only difference will be the car attempting to charge up the battery to a higher level - which will be desirable. You cannot drive without EV power, as the main propulsion comes from the electric motors with the ICE only locking in as auxiliary drivetrain.

Albacore said:

Thank you Anko - that has confirmed my hopes about it being capable of towing. Thanks also for your explanation about B0. I had read about putting it straight into Charge mode on the forum, but didn't appreciate the effect of the higher B settings. So would you say using CC whilst in charge mode is the best thing to do and then whilst not in CC mode use B0?
This is probably also a stupid question, but does running the car in charge use more petrol than if you were driving normally without EV power or in Save mode?

Thanks for your help

Click to expand...

Oh, it is definitely capable. If have done several hill starts on a 17% slope (is that 1 in 6?) while towing my 1500 kg van and 4 adults in the car. It is not fast, but it can do it over and over again, without burning clutches or tyres. No concern whatsoever.

While towing, there will be no difference between Save and Charge, as SOC will be dropping anyway. The reason for selecting Save or Charge mode is to prevent the battery from draining completely on the first 10 or 15 miles. Once the battery is depleted, the car will start to alternate between serial hybrid mode (where SOC goes up a bit) and parallel hybrid node (where SOC goes down again). In that phase, consumption will be a bit higher than when the battery is not yet depleted. But over the length of the trip, it should not really make much of a difference. Rather than using up all SOC in EV mode immediately and end up in that parallel / serial cycle quickly, I prefer to use my SOC as slowly as possible and stay away from the serial mode as long as possible. For reasons of comfort.

When you cancel out of CC, the car is in B2 or higher (as you cannot select B0 while in CC. So, there are two approaches:
- Press the throttle
- Cancel CC
- Select B0
- Lift the throttle

or

- Cancel CC
- Select B0
- Briefly touch the throttle

Thanks again Anko..... and back to the less interesting side of things, what should the tyre pressures be when towing please?

Albacore said:

Thanks again Anko..... and back to the less interesting side of things, what should the tyre pressures be when towing please?

Click to expand...

Uhhhh, on the high side, I guess .... But I usually have them on the high side.

One tip for journeys where you're familiar with the route: don't stress about using the Charge mode. I regularly use my MY16 PHEV for a 120miles-each-way tow of a 1500kg loaded trailer (at which it excels). I get the best out of it by:

1) Use a bit of battery when you set off (to enable regen braking to work effectively)
2) Hit Save. It generally then gains a little as you go along, so don't let the charge state get too high. It'll use the battery for short spurts anyway.
3) Turn Save off when you hit known hills where you need the extra oomph. Re-engage Save when you've topped the hill.

That's it, really. Works a dream for me. Gets me to the destination with the battery nicely drained, ready to plug in

ThrustSSC said:

One tip for journeys where you're familiar with the route: don't stress about using the Charge mode. I regularly use my MY16 PHEV for a 120miles-each-way tow of a 1500kg loaded trailer (at which it excels). I get the best out of it by:

1) Use a bit of battery when you set off (to enable regen braking to work effectively)
2) Hit Save. It generally then gains a little as you go along, so don't let the charge state get too high. It'll use the battery for short spurts anyway.
3) Turn Save off when you hit known hills where you need the extra oomph. Re-engage Save when you've topped the hill.

That's it, really. Works a dream for me. Gets me to the destination with the battery nicely drained, ready to plug in

Click to expand...

Depending on conditions, I can do about 120 - 180 miles of towing in Charge mode, before the battery is fully drained (on the gauge, that is). The issue with alternating between parallel and serial mode (if you want to call it an issue) comes only after that.

Re. step 2: What kind of trailer (dimensions) are you towing, if I may ask? May I assume it is not a caravan? In my experience (well over 5000 km now), it is virtually impossible to increase your SOC when doing 60 MPH while towing a decent size (2.30 wide) caravan. This is with an MY13, but I cannot imagine it will be much different with an MY16. As a matter of fact, Mitsubishi in the Netherlands has stated to owners complaining about this that 'it will do fine at speeds up to 50 MPH'.

Re. step 3: With all due respect, I think you can safely forget about this step. If needed, the car will use all available power for driving, regardless of Save or Charge mode. So, keeping Save (or Charge) mode engaged will not reduce the amount of oomph available for 'topping the hill'.

Finally, I don't see much difference between fiddling about with the Save button, versus fiddling around with the Charge button ....

anko said:

ThrustSSC said:

One tip for journeys where you're familiar with the route: don't stress about using the Charge mode. I regularly use my MY16 PHEV for a 120miles-each-way tow of a 1500kg loaded trailer (at which it excels). I get the best out of it by:

1) Use a bit of battery when you set off (to enable regen braking to work effectively)
2) Hit Save. It generally then gains a little as you go along, so don't let the charge state get too high. It'll use the battery for short spurts anyway.
3) Turn Save off when you hit known hills where you need the extra oomph. Re-engage Save when you've topped the hill.

That's it, really. Works a dream for me. Gets me to the destination with the battery nicely drained, ready to plug in

Click to expand...

Depending on conditions, I can do about 120 - 180 miles of towing in Charge mode, before the battery is fully drained (on the gauge, that is). The issue with alternating between parallel and serial mode (if you want to call it an issue) comes only after that.

Re. step 2: What kind of trailer (dimensions) are you towing, if I may ask? May I assume it is not a caravan? In my experience (well over 5000 km now), it is virtually impossible to increase your SOC when doing 60 MPH while towing a decent size (2.30 wide) caravan. This is with an MY13, but I cannot imagine it will be much different with an MY16. As a matter of fact, Mitsubishi in the Netherlands has stated to owners complaining about this that 'it will do fine at speeds up to 50 MPH'.

Re. step 3: With all due respect, I think you can safely forget about this step. If needed, the car will use all available power for driving, regardless of Save or Charge mode. So, keeping Save (or Charge) mode engaged will not reduce the amount of oomph available for 'topping the hill'.

Finally, I don't see much difference between fiddling about with the Save button, versus fiddling around with the Charge button ....

Click to expand...

I suspect you're right about 3), except that when the journey ends on a long slow stretch (which mine does), the last thing you want is the car charging itself!

The trailer is a 4x8ft twin-axle general duty trailer with mesh sides, usually used for hauling firewood. It's pretty draggy and, like your caravan, prevents any real SOC increase at 60mph (motorways). You can get a bit at 50 (A roads). And of course with Charge selected you get a chunk in 30 and 40 zones around town.

HTH!

"4x8ft" is not a very common indicator over here . Out of curiosity, is it something like the one on the top right on this page? http://swillingtontrailercentre.org.uk/portfolio_tag/general-duty-trailer/

anko said:

"4x8ft" is not a very common indicator over here . Out of curiosity, is it something like the one on the top right on this page? http://swillingtontrailercentre.org.uk/portfolio_tag/general-duty-trailer/

Click to expand...

Almost exactly the same. Some detail differences that are irrelevant to this conversation, plus an all-over-bar-the-back cover to keep the contents dry - but which adds a little more drag.

ThrustSSC said:

anko said:

"4x8ft" is not a very common indicator over here . Out of curiosity, is it something like the one on the top right on this page? http://swillingtontrailercentre.org.uk/portfolio_tag/general-duty-trailer/

Click to expand...

Almost exactly the same. Some detail differences that are irrelevant to this conversation, plus an all-over-bar-the-back cover to keep the contents dry - but which adds a little more drag.

Click to expand...

If I understand correctly, this trailer is 1.22 meters wide compared to 2.30 of a 'standard' caravan. Which also happens to be about 2.55 meters high. Half or more of the frontal surface of the caravan is outside the contours of the car. Most (if not all) of this trailer falls inside the contours of the car. With all due respect, in my opinion what you experience with this trailer says very little about what somebody with a caravan may experience, even though a caravan may have a better CW value.

anko said:

ThrustSSC said:

anko said:

"4x8ft" is not a very common indicator over here . Out of curiosity, is it something like the one on the top right on this page? http://swillingtontrailercentre.org.uk/portfolio_tag/general-duty-trailer/

Click to expand...

Almost exactly the same. Some detail differences that are irrelevant to this conversation, plus an all-over-bar-the-back cover to keep the contents dry - but which adds a little more drag.

Click to expand...

If I understand correctly, this trailer is 1.22 meters wide compared to 2.30 of a 'standard' caravan. Which also happens to be about 2.55 meters high. Half or more of the frontal surface of the caravan is outside the contours of the car. Most (if not all) of this trailer falls inside the contours of the car. With all due respect, in my opinion what you experience with this trailer says very little about what somebody with a caravan may experience, even though a caravan may have a better CW value.

Click to expand...

You don't understand correctly. It is narrower and lower than a standard caravan, but not as much as you suggest. But it has a truly dreadful coefficient of drag as a result of its shape. The caravan is much more streamlined, and is much closer to the vehicle compared to the bulk of the trailer, meaning there is an aerodynamic couple between the two, unlike the trailer. Different use cases mean completely different solutions.

I guess they have there figures wrong then, on that web site. As they said it was 1.22 wide.

anko said:

I guess they have there figures wrong then, on that web site. As they said it was 1.22 wide.

Click to expand...

4ft is approx. 1.22m. But trailers like that have the wheels outboard, unlike your caravan. And they have much longer A frames on the front - to take plant buckets, equipment boxes, etc. And they're very, very box-shaped!

Including the wheels, that will be roughly 1.80, right? Still not wider than the car. And only to a very limited height. A caravans sticks out 25 cm on both sides to the full height of more than 2.50.

The a-frame takes two bycicles if it must be, so it is not that short at all. The front leans back, which indeed improves CW rating of the caravan by itself (what good does that do?) but also increases the gap between the roof of the car and the top half of the front of the caravans.

For sure the trailer is more boxy, but still fully inside the contours of the car. As you will understand, I am a bit skeptical . Your results compared to mine seem to back me up a bit.