- #210 of 1054
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Electric Mileage
by bigt
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Jan 24, 2009 (9:59 am)
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The Milian HB uses only batteries while you stay under 47 mph. Does anyone know how many miles you can drive in this mode before the gas engine kicks in to recharge the batteries? I read somewhere that it is only 1-3 miles. If this is true then isn't sort of a joke about getting great carbon free electric mileage?
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- #211 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [bigt]
by akirby
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Jan 24, 2009 (10:11 am)
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Replying to: bigt (Jan 24, 2009 9:59 am)
That's not exactly true. It is *possible* to go up to 47 mph but you have to be really careful. A little extra throttle and the gas engine has to kick in. Remember that these are not electric vehicles and don't have the battery power necessary to run for long distances. The battery allows the gas engine to be turned off at slower speeds or while stopped. The only thing a hybrid buys you is better mpg than a non-hybrid. It is NOT a substitute for a gasoline engine.
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- #212 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [akirby]
by bigt
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Jan 24, 2009 (11:18 am)
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Replying to: akirby (Jan 24, 2009 10:11 am)
Hi, I am curious what happens in a HB vehicle when you start it in the freezing cold and turn on the heater. I assume the gas engine immediately kicks in? Does the same thing occur during the summer when you turn on the AC?
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- #213 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [bigt]
by akirby
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Jan 24, 2009 (12:36 pm)
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Replying to: bigt (Jan 24, 2009 11:18 am)
This varies from vehicle to vehicle and generation to generation. In the newer ones the AC is electric so it doesn't require the ICE. In older ones it does require the ICE to be running. Heat is probably different since the engine retains heat even when it's not running, but it could be programmed to start the ICE if heat was needed.
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- #214 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [akirby]
by coldcranker
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Jan 24, 2009 (1:35 pm)
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Replying to: akirby (Jan 24, 2009 12:36 pm)
Regarding bigt's question about AC and heater usage, to be sure using those any one of those will cause the engine to run more, reducing overall MPG. Even if the heater uses an electrical heating element, that uses energy. I don't know if the engine will simply automatically start up as soon as you flip the AC or heater switch. Good question, though.
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- #215 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [coldcranker]
by kdhspyder
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Jan 24, 2009 (3:11 pm)
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Replying to: coldcranker (Jan 24, 2009 1:35 pm)
What does the FEH system do when the heat is demanded? I'd guess that the heat comes from the ICE does it not? The new technology for the hybrids uses electric AC so there is no need for the ICE to be 'ON' unless the demand for the AC has drawn down the battery to the point that the ICE has to jump in and recharge the lost juice.
To reply to the OP about the heater I'd guess that the ICE kicks on pretty quickly after it warms up in order to heat the cabin. Actually all vehicles lose about 10% of their nominal fuel economy rating in the winter because the ICE has to run more frequently. This is especially true of the hybrids. The ICE has to warm the fluids, warm the cabin - continuously and warm up the catalytic converter. The ICE has a LOT of work to do in wintertime. Thus fuel economy suffers.
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- #216 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [kdhspyder]
by coldcranker
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Jan 24, 2009 (8:01 pm)
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Jan 24, 2009 3:11 pm)
kdhspyder, Your last post demonstrated a non-engineer viewpoint. Much lack of understanding of energy conservation and thermodynamics. I hope those reading this thread will keep in mind its a little like a pharmacist trying to talk like an opthamologist, he can try but it probably won't come out right.
Like I said in the other thread, I'll bet you're a capable salesman, but this is just not your area.
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- #217 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [coldcranker]
by texases
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Jan 24, 2009 (8:12 pm)
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Replying to: coldcranker (Jan 24, 2009 8:01 pm)
?? Coldcranker, I don't see the problem with his post. Nothing worth pointing out, that's for sure.
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- #218 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [coldcranker]
by gregg_vw
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Jan 25, 2009 (7:06 am)
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Replying to: coldcranker (Jan 24, 2009 8:01 pm)
ALL cars (hybrid and non-hybrid) get less mpg as the temps drop. Takes them longer to get to optimum operating temp and stay there) and all moving components are affected. You really see the mpgs plummet when the temp stays below 0F, like it has here recently. Still, you'd be doing better than everyone else in a hybrid.
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- #219 of 1054
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Re: Electric Mileage [gregg_vw]
by coldcranker
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Jan 25, 2009 (4:13 pm)
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Replying to: gregg_vw (Jan 25, 2009 7:06 am)
Most of the MPG loss in cold weather is due to stiffer tire rubber and higher viscosity oil before operating temp is reach. The normal thermodynamic waste heat from an ICE is always there, cold temps or not, and they don't make the engine waste any more energy cold than hot, as kdhspyder had said earlier.
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