Would you teach someone to drive the car the way you do?

[Neverfuel]

Would you teach someone to drive the car the way you do? Just to protect your average MPG?

Imagine this:

Now dear, this car is a little bit different...

First, put your seatbelt on.

Why? Well because it will stop all the bonging.

Now put your foot on the brake and press the Start Button. No, no, there is no key hole, yes it needs a key but don't worry I have got it in my pocket. What do you mean pass it here then, never mind just humour me and press the start button.

Good, the car has started. I know you can't hear anything, my angel. But it says ready on the dashboard, see?

Now press the EV button on that little screen, now press Trip, now press Eco Info. Look it's not complicated at all, but it will show you some stuff the car is doing, and I like it on that screen to start off with. Can you also just press that little button there to reset the odometer and then press this Manual button on the touchscreen so that we can see our average fuel consumption for the trip. Yes, yes I know you had your hand on the touchscreen before I asked you to reset the odometer but I forgot. While you are at it press that little button to below the steering wheel button and the one next to it. No, no it's not complicated, I keep telling you, but I don't like the car making an artificial noise and the Lane departure Warning will drive you crazy down the country lanes. I will get you to turn it back on though on the bigger roads.

Almost ready to go now, so move the lever to the right and towards you. You are now in Drive, see. Handbrake off, good look round and drive. No I know you can't hear the engine. Of course it has got one.

Now you are approaching a bend, that bonging noise tells us we may be a little too fast, but I don't want you to use your brake. You see those flappy things? Pull the left hand flappy thing towards you. See it says B3 on the dash now. I know about the bend! Stop panicking. Just pull the lever towards me twice more, please. No, no, no the driver in the opposite lane won't think you are flashing at him.

Now we are back on the straight, press that button on the steering wheel, over there. Now press the little switch down. See we have set the speed limiter, just a couple of tiny touches down for me, please. I know it is telling you that you are over the limit, what do you mean the pedal has gone all funny? Don't worry it will be fine in a minute.

Now I will be driving later on in the day so we need to think about saving some SOC for later. I can't remember what it stands for. No I don't profess to know everything. I'll look it up on the forum later. Of course I have used forums before. No I am not a geek - I am just learning about the car from other owners. I know I SAID it wasn't complicated earlier - just press that button there will you. Damn it! I have lost an EV mile there because of that.

What do you mean what's that noise, it's the engine. No it isn't a stupid time to start up. Oh, forget it!

Now slowly bring the car to a halt using the paddles for the most of it, but checking that there is no- one behind because the brake lights don't come on until you press the brake pedal.

NO IT DOESN'T BLEEDING NEED TO GO BACK TO MITSUBISHI THEN, AT ALL. it's designed like that. Well it MAY seem stupid in your opinion, but it IS working properly.

OKAY, we've stopped now, if you can just reverse it up the side of the garage for me. No forget it - I'll do it later. Just put on the handbrake to park it. Now press that button in front of the gearstick like thing to park it again. I KNOW you think it's stupid, JUST DO IT! OKAY, PLEASE do it.

Now before we turn it off, let's just have a look through some historical data. OK, OK just turn the damn thing off with that button. And tomorrow we will take it out of the village, OKAY?

I know it says Start but it means Stop, will you stop calling it a bloody stupid car and press the damn button.

FIVE LEAVES, YOU GOT FIVE LEAVES FOR THAT?

No, no, don't worry I will never make you drive it again my love!

Oh darling, I forgot to mention what the Eco button does!

 

[maby]

I was thinking along these lines yesterday - our PHEV will be going into the body shop for a new front wing next week and it will be interesting to see how the driver copes with it when he/she comes to pick it up!

 

[NAPpy]

LOL, I dropped ours off for a detail (valet) a couple of weeks ago. I said to the bloke "do you know how to start an EV" and cockily he said "yes, we have many through here".

Reviewed the dash cam footage and they had no idea, the language was sweet after the pressed the start button but no engine came to life.

In the end another bloke moved it :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[user 816]

My wife keeps stealing mine as its so easy to drive she says. Funnily her driving needs better suit the car than mine but its my company car so I have to use it most. When I was away 3 weeks she was only needing battery powered trips and despite doing over a thousand miles didn't use much petrol. I have to fill it every other day on average .

Problem is she is hinting her car is a bit old now, she doesn't need a PHEV but something newer. Tough! no money...

 

[jcandmorag]

I get mine, GX4hs on the 6th July and I'm pretty sure I'm going to hear exactly the above.

 

[Neverfuel]

Great to hear that. About the delivery, I mean.

Let us all know how you get on.

 

[jaapv]

I must be lucky - my wife just got behind the wheel and drove the car straight through the Amsterdam rush hour without batting an eyelid, something she normally hates doing. She finds it easier to drive than her little Suzuki Swift.

 

[gwatpe]

MMC have provided some gadgets with the screens on the MMCS as well as the dash. Many drivers are new to tech in a car and without it we would take a lot longer to adapt driving styles to suit the car. I think this is predominantly a male aspect.

After a year of driving a Mitsubishi PHEV, I just want to get in power ON and drive.

I would be horrified now, thinking back of the early drives in the PHEV to even consider teaching someone else. So much was just tinkering with the buttons and screens. Just seem to leave the split screen mode ON most of the time now.

Would easily teach someone the way I drive now. Personal driving habits are not essential to drive the PHEV, but can reduce petrol consumption and increase battery operation range. The actual benefit of these to another individual driver is very subjective.