Test driving PHEV next week. What to expect?

[NessunDorma]

My local dealer has agreed to to let me have the use of a PHEV for twenty-four hours, next week, so that I can see if the charge will last a day, or, if not, how much fuel I will use.

The car is up against a Nissan eNV200 Combi, an all electric van with seats. The combi does up to 106 miles on a charge, so even it falls a bit short, it will still last me a couple of days between charges, but, ultimately, is is still just a van with seats.

I do about twenty-five miles a day, quite a few stops and starts (I am a courier), a few light hills (not many) and one or two steep ones, fairly short.

My heart says the Outlander is the best, given the equipment level etc. My head says the eNV200, given the range, but as I said earlier, it is just a van with seats (it does a few refinements, but .....well, you know).

I want it to be a fair test, so I am looking for some advice and tips on how I can conduct the test drive in the most efficient manner possible.

 

[Regulo]

If you want it to be a fair test, forget about light-footing it for maximum efficiency, just drive it as you would in your daily routine. I don't think you'll get through the day on battery alone, given the starts and stops and hills. But you won't use a great deal of fuel, even so. Think in the region of 80-90 mpg overall, in my opinion (plus whatever the cost of your grid electric to charge - about £1 to £1.20 per charge). The all electric vehicle would probably be your best choice if the pattern of use is as you describe, I think.

 

[greendwarf]

Your OP under another thread, indicated you also have an ordinary car. If you intend keeping this for non-work driving then an all-electric vehicle would be better than the PHEV but, if you also want to use the new one for non-work driving and give up the other car, then you will almost certainly need a hybrid for longer journeys.

 

[NessunDorma]

If you want it to be a fair test, forget about light-footing it for maximum efficiency, just drive it as you would in your daily routine. I don't think you'll get through the day on battery alone, given the starts and stops and hills. But you won't use a great deal of fuel, even so. Think in the region of 80-90 mpg overall, in my opinion (plus whatever the cost of your grid electric to charge - about £1 to £1.20 per charge). The all electric vehicle would probably be your best choice if the pattern of use is as you describe, I think.

I see what you are getting at, but I also want to be able to use the vehicle as it should be used. I am perfectly willing to adapt my driving style to adopt the optimum techniques and strategies. Hence the search for tips and hints.

 

[NessunDorma]

Your OP under another thread, indicated you also have an ordinary car. If you intend keeping this for non-work driving then an all-electric vehicle would be better than the PHEV but, if you also want to use the new one for non-work driving and give up the other car, then you will almost certainly need a hybrid for longer journeys.

The car I am using is Mrs Dorma's car (she is a very unhappy bunny right now, as she has to take the bus). But the PHEV will be the main family car. Nessun15 is six foot four and Nessun17 is five foot eleven. The Coupe Cabriolet is far too small to be a practical family bus.

 

[greendwarf]

Your OP under another thread, indicated you also have an ordinary car. If you intend keeping this for non-work driving then an all-electric vehicle would be better than the PHEV but, if you also want to use the new one for non-work driving and give up the other car, then you will almost certainly need a hybrid for longer journeys.

The car I am using is Mrs Dorma's car (she is a very unhappy bunny right now, as she has to take the bus). But the PHEV will be the main family car. Nessun15 is six foot four and Nessun17 is five foot eleven. The Coupe Cabriolet is far too small to be a practical family bus.

And an all-electric is going to be no good for ferrying them & their camping gear to Glasto etc. (it was the carrying capacity that clinched it for me) - looks like it is the PHEV then

 

[NessunDorma]

Ha Ha

I wish they were interested in something like that, but sadly not yet.

Well I collected the car today and I have to say that it really is a great drive. However, I am trying to wrap my head around all the different gauges and dials.

Tomorrow, I will do my road test on my round and see what happens.

Can anyone tell me how I can establish how much fuel I have used?

 

[Regulo]

I think the default on the MPG readout is Automatic - that is after four hours switched off, it resets to zero. I stand to be corrected, I never really got to grips with this! If that's the case, at the end of the day you'll have the mpg displayed on one of the zillion MMCS screens - probably "trip" or the like. Or scroll through the little info screen between the big dials on the dash - you'll find it, eventually. On the older models --I-- displayed means "more than 99.99 mpg, don't know if that's been adressed in current models - anyone know?

 

[anko]

On the older models --I-- displayed means "more than 99.99 mpg, don't know if that's been adressed in current models - anyone know?

It has been.