Hybrid battery low temperature characteristics

[Mike J.]

For the first time after nearly 2 years of ownership I have seen a full Battery gauge - I was parked up with the engine supplying heat with car that had 'seen' 0 deg. C and hour or so earlier. Also noticed that Battery charge rapidly disappeared in EV mode. This points to interesting Battery management software.

[Anthony Poli]

To be honest the dashboard display for Battery, can be misleading. Since I have been using the hybrid assistant on my phone. I have noticed how non linear the Battery display is. On the phone you can see it go from 37 to 67%.
The software will protect the Battery if it is too cold, by narrowing the amount charge you can use or put back in.


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[YarisHybrid2016]

The battery indicator seems to be logarithmic - easy to go 2-3 bars, a bit more effort to go 3-4 bars, some cruising for 4-5 bars, and 6+ bars requires good braking or long downhill at low power/coasting.

I have only once seen all 8 bars filled. I tried it the other day on a very steep long hill, and only managed 7 bars.

I just made another post about this (didn't see this one) discussing discharge characteristics in the cold, and whether the cabin heater/temperature affects the Battery.

It would seem that while the heater burns fuel to warm the cabin, the benefits of it warming the Battery offset this.

https://en.globtek.com/nimh-battery-safety-notes/

[pshawfocus]

My original 2001 Prius only showed a full hybrid Battery on one occasion - I was visiting a friend in Wales and was running late so was hustling along some country lanes braking quite heavily as I approached each bend.  I came down a longish stretch of lane, controlling my descent with the brakes and then braked bard for the next bend (60mph rapidly down to 25mph).  During that heavy braking the indicator showed full and then went back to the 3/4 position about 30 seconds later as the car was climbing again and the hybrid Battery was assisting the ICE.  Admittedly that's rather unscientific plus the Battery display on the original Prius was rudimentary with only 1/4 increments.  80% of the time the display would show 3/4 full, very briefly dropping to 1/2 if I was using the car in heavy traffic or really gunning it up a steep motorway climb (for example, when joining the M27 to go West at the bottom of the A23).

Re the comments about battery performance and temperature, as the hybrid battery is under the rear seat, I would guess it should be effected by the interior temperature.  I'm no expert on the technical aspects of the way the batteries perform though, I just love driving the hybrid :-)              

[Mick F]

Regularly have all eight bars on our 2014 Hybrid.  Perhaps nearly every time we get home.

We live in a hilly area and we live at the bottom of a long hill.  If you live somewhere flat, I doubt you'd ever get a full Battery.

Mick.

[Mick F]

On 29/11/2017 at 7:19 AM, Mick F said:

Regularly have all eight bars on our 2014 Hybrid.  Perhaps nearly every time we get home.

We live in a hilly area and we live at the bottom of a long hill.  If you live somewhere flat, I doubt you'd ever get a full battery.

Mick.

Just arrived home, and took a photograph.

[YarisHybrid2016]

I can get 6 or 7 bars. 8 is very rare.

[Mick F]

As I said, it's all to do with hills.  Invariably, we'll see all eight bars sometime in a drive, and usually at home too.

We were chatting about this issue yesterday ......... that's why it was at the front of my mind when I took the photo ............... and we reckon that if you live in a flat city and drive much of the time in EV mode, you'll never see a full Battery.

One question that comes to me, is the Battery happier in a hilly area or in a flat area?

Mick.

[Anthony Poli]

As I said, it's all to do with hills.  Invariably, we'll see all eight bars sometime in a drive, and usually at home too.
We were chatting about this issue yesterday ......... that's why it was at the front of my mind when I took the photo ............... and we reckon that if you live in a flat city and drive much of the time in EV mode, you'll never see a full battery.
One question that comes to me, is the battery happier in a hilly area or in a flat area?
Mick.

In theory it should be happier in the city as it never gets as much charge. The other interesting fact is the Battery should only be 80% when it’s showing it’s maxed out, when compared to 70% when charging normally stops. Have yet to put it to the test and get the Battery that full. When my car was last serviced the guy driving it back managed to get it that high.


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