[BlueStar]

This is a newbie question. When driving in Hold mode freeway merging seems to be down on power. Does Hold mode limit the car to using only the 55 kw/ 74 hp generator motor for propulsion? That would explain the sluggishness when merging in Hold mode.

Maybe a better strategy would be to remain in Normal mode until I am on the freeway and settled into traffic. At that time I could switch to Hold because the power needs are more uniform.

 

[Barry]

There is no less power in Hold mode. It just seems that way because you are hearing the engine rev up like crazy and it seem like there should be nothing left. But you have every bit as much power if you put your foot into it.

 

[Kraven]

Maybe a better strategy would be to remain in Normal mode until I am on the freeway and settled into traffic. At that time I could switch to Hold because the power needs are more uniform.

This is the way to go...

 

[TSquare]

Maybe a better strategy would be to remain in Normal mode until I am on the freeway and settled into traffic. At that time I could switch to Hold because the power needs are more uniform.

Just depends on if you want the ICE to replace the electrons that you used to get to highway speed or not.

 

[Dark_Stang]

I have noticed a slight amount of lag when driving in hold mode between pushing my foot down and getting more power. I think the ICE is trying to stay locked until it knows it can't produce the power I want. Or maybe the electric motors and clutch packs take a bit to sync up and put the power down.

But being down on power, I have not noticed that.

 

[Loboc]

Didn't say if this was gen1 or gen2. Either way, it may seem a little laggy because the engine is trying to keep the battery charged.

Actual lag is probably a human sensor thing. With both ELR and Volt, I have no problem merging no matter what mode they are in.

 

[BlueStar]

Sorry, I didn't state that this is a 2013 gen 1. Just to clarify, in Hold mode both the main and generator motors are available for propulsion. If I need more power I just need to press the pedal harder? It must be just my perception.

 

[HniC45Jx5!]

I wait until I'm ready to settle in to a higher speed. When I hit about 70 mph, I turn it on if I know I will need to burn gas. Then I leave it on for 10 minutes minimum. Gas engines burn more fuel before they reach operating temp, so turning it on short times reduces the gas mileage.

 

[PilotAlan]

This is a newbie question. When driving in Hold mode freeway merging seems to be down on power. Does Hold mode limit the car to using only the 55 kw/ 74 hp generator motor for propulsion? That would explain the sluggishness when merging in Hold mode.

I do this every day, using hold for the highway part of my drive.
It sometime may seem that there's 'lag', but there's no change in available power. It part because the engine starts and stays at high idle until it warms up, so you're pushing the pedal to the floor and the engine note isn't changing.

Push the pedal farther down, there's no change in available power....

 

[Paulacton84]

This is a newbie question. When driving in Hold mode freeway merging seems to be down on power. Does Hold mode limit the car to using only the 55 kw/ 74 hp generator motor for propulsion? ..

...

No, in gen 1, in reality there is more power available when the generator is running during hard acceleration than without it. if you are seeing hesitation, it should last approximately 2 seconds while the motors and clutches shift reconfigure from steady speed mode to generator mode. Try some dead stop acceleration to see that this is true, but if your are on the ramp at a steady 45 mph, and then stomp on the accelerator pedal, the car has to adjust the relative speeds of the 2 electric motors so that it can lock up the main motor ring gear and then apply full 149 HP to the main motor rotor. at the same time it will usually spin up the generator motor to full speed. if you toggle the accelerator pedal a few times before you know you want to accelerate, you can convince the car to go through this transition (which takes 1-2 seconds in full) to happen before you stomp on the accelerator. More power is available because the system voltage is a tiny bit higher with the generator running than when just running on the battery.

 

[Paulacton84]

I use Sport mode to get on the freeway. Then I switch over to Hold mode to save the battery for later. Great car!

this does nothing for you. but hey, its your car, have fun...

 

[accelerus]

I use Sport mode to get on the freeway. Then I switch over to Hold mode to save the battery for later. Great car!

You don't need sport mode to get the same performance, the only thing sport mode actually does is re-map the accelerator pedal such that less travel is required to give X% throttle input.

It's really just a mode to trick you into thinking the car is quicker, when really it's exactly the same. I'd have loved a sport button that suddenly makes the motor kick out an extra 25% power/torque... but eh, what are you going to do.

The only modes I ever use are normal and hold... (hold for the highway driving at 65-75mph)

 

[jeffdag]

I Put the car in Hold mode for going up mountain passes and switch back to battery for the downhill. Since I live in a condo, getting a 240 charger is not an option right now. Given that 12 amp charge takes about 8-10 hours, leaving some charge on the battery ensures that I will be fully charged in the morning.

 

[ACER]

We got our 2016, new, in late July and love it. Around town which is most of our driving we get estimated 60+ miles EV (in warm weather)by driving carefully and using the regen paddle. We occasionally take out-of-town trips of 100-200 miles, at least partially at interstate speeds and mostly along flat or moderately hilly terrain.. To maximize EV miles should we be using Mountain or Hold for the highway/interstate portions of those trips? Thank you

 

[Barry]

^Yes. Prefer hold mode on the freeways and electric mode for slower driving.

It also makes sense to minimize cold starting the engine, since that is when you use the most gas, produce the most emissions, and do the most engine wear. I usually try to do the whole trip to my destination in hold, then I have a full charge available for the local driving I will do while I am at the destination. Any remaining charge is used at the beginning of my return trip. That way I might have only 2 cold starts for the whole trip. That also matches up pretty well with using hold on the freeways.

 

[Dutch]

Another interesting thing (I also have a 2013) is that if you know you are going to run the battery out anyway, then it is actually more efficient to run in hold mode for the first 5'ish miles to thermally soak the engine and the passenger compartment with ICE heat.

When you do that, ERDTT seems to run less often, and when it does run the ICE is more efficient because it's been thoroughly warmed up already. It makes a surprising difference.

Of course if you are driving within your EV only range it doesn't really matter.

See this thread "Just driving my 2013", specifically post #8