Using my engine to charge the Battery v Home CharedEV

[kpetrov]

Maybe I am a simplistic person but on long runs I will charge up the battery to the level I think I will need for the slow bits, switch to Save when I have reached that level and use up the electricity when efficient, to arrive empty. I have been doing so for the last ten years and don't bother about what the car is doing under the bonnet.
@kpetrov: Save is exactly the same as running the battery "empty", it only triggers the charge/discharge cycle at a higher charge level. Quite useful if you need your battery later on.

Well I am doing exactly like you but instead of switching to Save I keep it in Charge (On/OFF) until I have reached a level to use up the electricity when efficient, to arrive empty.
@jaapv: Charge is exactly the same as Save it also triggers the charge cycle at any charge level but one have to manually switch it off to go in discharge cycle. Even more useful if you need your battery later on but already used it. But I am perfectly aware you already know that.

Like I said, what is not useful for me in Save is that it keeps my engine in series instead of parallel mode and I prefer long on/off engine cycling not short.

 

[ChrisMiller]

Personally using Save for me is ridiculous... turning on and off the engine every 5min. or so is a nonsense for me and since I don't mind to be occupied with vehicle controls and monitoring the charge level Save gives me nothing.

This behaviour you describe as "nonsense" is fundamental to the way the car (or pretty much any hybrid) operates. The only difference the buttons make is the level of charge in the battery at which it commences. If you do nothing, the car will run in EV mode until the battery reaches an indicated 'zero' (actually about 15%) and then oscillate between ICE on/off. If you select 'Save' the car will start this behaviour at whatever the charge level is when you press the button. If you select 'Charge' the battery will be charged to around 80% and then the oscillation will commence.

Some people claim that there is a 'sweet spot' at which this behaviour is most efficient. Theoretically this may be so, but I doubt it makes a significant difference in overall fuel consumption.

Which behaviour is nonsense, I didn't get it?
That I prefer to control manually the level of charge and to turn off the Charge exactly when I have the level of charge I need and to let the engine run few long cycles instead of multiple short ones?
I perfectly understand how pretty much any hybrid works oscillate between ICE on/off but since the vehicle has manual override option I use it extensively, especially when Save keeps mine is series mode.

I highlighted the part which you claimed to be "nonsense". "Charge" doesn't completely override this behaviour, it postpones it until the battery charge level reaches ~80%.

 

[kpetrov]

This behaviour you describe as "nonsense" is fundamental to the way the car (or pretty much any hybrid) operates. The only difference the buttons make is the level of charge in the battery at which it commences. If you do nothing, the car will run in EV mode until the battery reaches an indicated 'zero' (actually about 15%) and then oscillate between ICE on/off. If you select 'Save' the car will start this behaviour at whatever the charge level is when you press the button. If you select 'Charge' the battery will be charged to around 80% and then the oscillation will commence.

Some people claim that there is a 'sweet spot' at which this behaviour is most efficient. Theoretically this may be so, but I doubt it makes a significant difference in overall fuel consumption.

Which behaviour is nonsense, I didn't get it?
That I prefer to control manually the level of charge and to turn off the Charge exactly when I have the level of charge I need and to let the engine run few long cycles instead of multiple short ones?
I perfectly understand how pretty much any hybrid works oscillate between ICE on/off but since the vehicle has manual override option I use it extensively, especially when Save keeps mine is series mode.

I highlighted the part which you claimed to be "nonsense". "Charge" doesn't completely override this behaviour, it postpones it until the battery charge level reaches ~80%.

I missed the highlighted part. Got it now.
OK not actually a "nonsense" but when one have the option to do few 30min cycles on the engine instead of tens or even hundred cycles... switching on and off why not. Definitely more energy loss for all those startups.

 

[littlescrote]

I've been following this thread and was going along with the idea that using Charge could be more efficient than Save for the reasons kpetrov suggests, but then I looked more closely at the behaviour of mine at the weekend and it's exactly the same in Charge as Save with regards to being in Series/Parallel operation.

In Save it is just as willing to go into Parallel operation as often as it can (as soon as the speed range is correct and the power load is capable of being supplied by the engine at those rpms sometimes with a bit extra from the battery). Exactly the same as Charge Mode. The only thing is that from a cold engine, it will stay in Series operation initially in either Mode as it doesn't want to apply too much low rpm load to a cold engine.

 

[kpetrov]

I've been following this thread and was going along with the idea that using Charge could be more efficient than Save for the reasons kpetrov suggests, but then I looked more closely at the behaviour of mine at the weekend and it's exactly the same in Charge as Save with regards to being in Series/Parallel operation.

In Save it is just as willing to go into Series operation as often as it can (as soon as the speed range is correct and the power load is capable of being supplied by the engine at those rpms sometimes with a bit extra from the battery). Exactly the same as Charge Mode. The only thing is that from a cold engine, it will stay in Parallel operation initially in either Mode as it doesn't want to apply too much low rpm load to a cold engine.

I believe you misnomer the terms parallel and series!
From a cold engine it can't be in parallel but in series and only parallel requires correct speed range and power load capability.

If on your vehicle Save can keep it in parallel... very good. Mine doesn't, it stays in series constantly.

 

[littlescrote]

You're right, I have got those the wrong way around. I will edit.

Yes, my 2016 definitely does keep it in parallel at every opportunity. Maybe regional software differences, or related somehow to SoH?

 

[nrayanov]

If on your vehicle Save can keep it in parallel... very good. Mine doesn't, it stays in series constantly.

Mine's going to parallel as well even in Save mode after 70 km/h.

Could it be related to a modification you did?

 

[kpetrov]

If on your vehicle Save can keep it in parallel... very good. Mine doesn't, it stays in series constantly.

Mine's going to parallel as well even in Save mode after 70 km/h.

Could it be related to a modification you did?

What modification!?
If you are talking about the fact that I am disabling the engine on short winter trips... then the engine is disabled there is no parallel nor series at all.
If the disabling switch is not ON then there is no any effect on the vehicle, all operate as designed.
I am using it only in winter below freezing point.