sudden battery drain

[duetto]

started off on a regular route with fully charged battery, the yellow arrow normally kicks in around the same area give or take a mile or two.

today it just drained right down in less than half the distence, no heater/blower or AC on. It no extra traffic only difference it was in the heat [18c] of the day rather than early morning or early evening could this affect the battery?

 

[jaapv]

Temperature probably - it does not affect the battery, but it does affect the way the car manages power.

 

[gwatpe]

Seems like the PHEV rubbery instrumentation data may have played a part. If MMC had supplied true instrumentation as part of the PHEV package, we drivers would have better data to assist us as we try and manage day to day operation of the car to suit our particular driving styles. This does seem to be a pattern. The PHEV has all this potential benefit, but we have minimal tools to best make use of it all. For instance the "lap time function" in the MMCS, that we don't seem to have access to, would be an ideal test tool available for the driver to follow up with, when say it is noticed that the battery seems to drain more quickly.

 

[jaapv]

I doubt many owners really care. Personally I refuse to play the car like a Hammond Organ and limit the use of controls to an absolute minimum.
Actually it performs pretty well if left to its own devices. The only things I will do is push Save on the motorway and charge when I think I need extra electricity at some point. Even the paddles get minimum use. As much instrumentation as possible is switched off. It makes life a lot easier and makes little difference in economy.

 

[gwatpe]

For many drivers who have a fixed driving pattern controlled by work, schooling, etc then there are other priorities and many will just start the car and drive without pressing any buttons after the POWER button.

Now that in my PHEV, I have more control the battery drain, I leave nearly all the dash buttons alone as well. I do use CC and the paddles. CC cancel button will probably wear out first.

Like all new gadgets, we experiment when new, and find out what we works best for our personal preferences. Trouble is we can't save these preferences in the PHEV. If only our personal preferences were remembered, we would not just put up with what was offered. I was tired of remembering to push a button every time I powered ON my PHEV, so I have done something about it for the life of the car.

There are functions in the car MMCS that could allow allow a driver to check battery and ICE function, but they are turned OFF in the factory. [Now what is the MUT command to turn ON the lap times function].

 

[jaapv]

Yes, ACC and speed limiter do get quite some use by me too...

 

[greendwarf]

started off on a regular route with fully charged battery, the yellow arrow normally kicks in around the same area give or take a mile or two.

today it just drained right down in less than half the distence, no heater/blower or AC on. It no extra traffic only difference it was in the heat [18c] of the day rather than early morning or early evening could this affect the battery?

I don't understand the question - by the "yellow arrow" do you mean from engine to wheels - showing the ICE is running to power the car rather than using the battery? If so then presumably your usual trip (early morning/evening) has been when it has much colder, so the ICE has been the default rather than the battery (see lots of posts about getting the car to run on EV at low temperatures).

The normal default when warmer is to use the battery first - as you saw.

OR

Are you saying that you got only half the distance in EV at 18c than you normally get when colder? If so, something is wrong, as you would expect battery range to increase in spring/summer over winter. :?

 

[maby]

started off on a regular route with fully charged battery, the yellow arrow normally kicks in around the same area give or take a mile or two.

today it just drained right down in less than half the distence, no heater/blower or AC on. It no extra traffic only difference it was in the heat [18c] of the day rather than early morning or early evening could this affect the battery?

I don't understand the question - by the "yellow arrow" do you mean from engine to wheels - showing the ICE is running to power the car rather than using the battery? If so then presumably your usual trip (early morning/evening) has been when it has much colder, so the ICE has been the default rather than the battery (see lots of posts about getting the car to run on EV at low temperatures).

The normal default when warmer is to use the battery first - as you saw.

OR

Are you saying that you got only half the distance in EV at 18c than you normally get when colder? If so, something is wrong, as you would expect battery range to increase in spring/summer over winter. :?

There is scope for some apparently counter-intuitive effects depending on how you use the car. Heating can come from either the engine or the battery whereas the aircon can only run from the battery - and can draw a couple of kW. On a warm day with the aircon set to 19 degrees, it can take quite a swipe at your EV range...