New Hybrid

[AndrewJB]

Yep just connected, few settings in Carista that can be changed but nothing decent. OBD Eleven has no apps currently and all the adaption coding is in German might have a play with it later see if can get some bleeps working etc.

 

[corbu33]

Nice, but tell us some impressions ... even if work from home you still need to take it for a ride at least I know I would do

 

[italianjob]

"
but this PHEVs party trick can feel short-lived once the hybrid's 13kWh battery pack has depleted.
At this point, what’s left is a 1.4-litre petrol engine having to heave this 1,596kg hatchback

"

Hmmm

Review

 

[vc-10]

Which is why the fuel economy when the battery is depleted is a bit rubbish. PHEVs don't make any sense if you can't plug them in every night. The full 204PS is still available though.

 

[Deleted member 123864]

The full 204PS is still available though.

You invested in Steorn didn't you?

 

[AndrewJB]

So I used it yesterday to do a trip similar to what I would to for work. on the way there it went from 99% to 51%.

When I restarted it, it started in petrol + battery mode and wouldn't go into battery only so I drove it using that, it is quick when the battery boost kicks in. I then stopped at a shop, when restarted it went back into full battery mode with 38% left.

It's surprising how quick it gets from like 30-70 in battery only.

 

[vc-10]

You invested in Steorn didn't you?

I've explained how the hybrid system works multiple times now....

 

[AndrewJB]

No sound deadening under the bonnet.

 

[Deleted member 123864]

I've explained how the hybrid system works multiple times now....

I know, your explanation is bollocks, for want of a better word, though.

 

[vc-10]

Care to explain in what way?

 

[corbu33]

I think vc-10 is correct, for what I have seen and read... will test it as well in a week or so... even if battery is depeleted if you need the 204 for kickdown it will "cost" you more gas... that is all., but you will have it at your disposal if needed.

 

[italianjob]

I think vc-10 is correct, for what I have seen and read... will test it as well in a week or so... even if battery is depeleted if you need the 204 for kickdown it will "cost" you more gas... that is all., but you will have it at your disposal if needed.

The 204 doesn't cost gas though does it?? The engine has 148BHP, the additional is made up from the electric motor - which won't be supplying the extra power if the battery is not charged??

I really don't understand how it all works to be honest!!

 

[vc-10]

The battery is kept at a base level by the engine. If you are at an indicated 'zero' on the battery, then you've actually got a few percent in there to use for kickdown, on top of the buffer for the health of the cells. Once you're no longer flooring it, the petrol engine charges it back up again (or it gets replenished with regen braking)

 

[AndrewJB]

cant work out how to put it back into battery only if you put it into hybrid mode (battery + engine), only way I have found so far is to turn it off.

 

[vc-10]

In the GTE you'd cycle through using the drive mode button but the Leon doesn't get a physical button. There is a drive mode switcher somewhere in the infotainment screen but I don't know exactly where.

 

[Goot]

@AndrewJB - I'm interested to know what Real World MPG figures you are getting in hybrid mode (battery + engine) for various journeys (around town, motorway etc), with a full, partial and depleted battery. I'm currently looking at this engine setup vs 2.0 190PS (fingers crossed it still gets released in the Leon MK4) as I think that's my ideal engine coming from a Leon MK2 PD170. I've driven the 1.5 150 engine and want more performance.

 

[Goot]

The battery is kept at a base level by the engine. If you are at an indicated 'zero' on the battery, then you've actually got a few percent in there to use for kickdown, on top of the buffer for the health of the cells. Once you're no longer flooring it, the petrol engine charges it back up again (or it gets replenished with regen braking)

Am I correct in assuming that even on an indicated 'zero' battery level, if you put the car on a rolling road you will still achieve ~204PS
Until I started reading these threads, I was also under the impression once the battery was almost empty it was game over, and you would come crashing back down to earth with 150PS until the battery was charged to a certain level.

 

[italianjob]

Am I correct in assuming that even on an indicated 'zero' battery level, if you put the car on a rolling road you will still achieve ~204PS
Until I started reading these threads, I was also under the impression once the battery was almost empty it was game over, and you would come crashing back down to earth with 150PS until the battery was charged to a certain level.

That's how I understand it from the reviews. But I obviously don't understand it!

 

[C_ED_99]

Am I correct in assuming that even on an indicated 'zero' battery level, if you put the car on a rolling road you will still achieve ~204PS
Until I started reading these threads, I was also under the impression once the battery was almost empty it was game over, and you would come crashing back down to earth with 150PS until the battery was charged to a certain level.

I don't have one and am not fortunate enough to have got to play with one - but from my understanding of it, here is a simplified analogy -

It's not a phone (bear with me)

When the phone's battery is dead, it doesn't turn on and you can't make a call

PHEVs are more akin to the following analogy-

Oh my phone is down to 5% battery, I better turn it off in case I need to make a call, until I can charge it.

Except the car does the "turn off" behind the scenes and a "call" is use full power.
The car also has the added benefit of charging of the internal combustion engine rather than being limited to a socket, again the car will do that behind the scenes when you are cruising at constant speed via the alternator, or when braking via regen to keep a minimal charge in the batteries.

Or you can change to charge mode and it will run the electric motor "backwards" as a generator and burn extra petrol to recharge the batteries - so you can run in EV mode in a low emission zone (for example).

 

[Deleted member 123864]

The battery is kept at a base level by the engine. If you are at an indicated 'zero' on the battery, then you've actually got a few percent in there to use for kickdown, on top of the buffer for the health of the cells. Once you're no longer flooring it, the petrol engine charges it back up again (or it gets replenished with regen braking)

And what happens when you kick down again, and again , and again, without any regen braking, and not giving it enough time for the engine to charge it again. It might work once or twice but it's basic physics, you'll soon be left with a 148bhp petrol engine and no battery.