So, I have just bought a Phev...

So, I have just bought a Phev...

Author
Discussion

penster

Original Poster:

4 posts

102 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
I'm not particularly car literate. Where should I go to find out how to get the best out of this thing without being blinded by science?
I really want to know the best way to stay in electric mode and top it up. The paddle thing seems a bit confusing especially as I'm usually being shouted at by three small children - is there a mode to make it automatically charge itself up? And it worth getting the charge master home point? The brief instructions issued by the dealer weren't enough and the instruction book is a bit complex for me...

JonV8V

7,383 posts

129 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
penster said:
I'm not particularly car literate. Where should I go to find out how to get the best out of this thing without being blinded by science?
I really want to know the best way to stay in electric mode and top it up. The paddle thing seems a bit confusing especially as I'm usually being shouted at by three small children - is there a mode to make it automatically charge itself up? And it worth getting the charge master home point? The brief instructions issued by the dealer weren't enough and the instruction book is a bit complex for me...
Try the 'speak EV' forum.

penster

Original Poster:

4 posts

102 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
excellent. that's the place for me. thanks for taking the time.

jkh112

22,741 posts

163 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
Myoutlanderphev.com is really good for advice.

It is very easy to drive. If you just get in and drive it will use batteries until charge runs out or you demand more power than they can deliver. Then it switches to petrol with any excess power going into charge the batteries.
When you brake it recharges the batteries. It does this by itself but if you use the paddles you can vary the amount of braking and hence recharging you get when you lift off the throttle. B0 is zero recharge from braking and great for coasting down hills. B5 is max recharge braking.
Save mode will save the batteries and force the car to use petrol, useful if you are on the motorway and know you have a crawl across a city later in the journey.
Charge mode forces the engine to start and it will run faster than needed for drive and it will recharge the battery, but this uses more petrol so it is debatable as to when this would be useful.