Eco Mode vs/ Normal Mode?

[Hollow road rider]

Does anybody know the difference?

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[nvabill]

I definitely can't feel a difference seat of your pants.

 

[WRS]

Definitely a difference on 3.5l. Throttle response is reduced, short shift to next gear, slower to spool turbos. adds about 2 MPG for me on highway cruises.

 

[Mike G-Man]

I can tell a difference. ECO has a little less throttle response. Normal mode tends to stay in electric a little longer which is not what I would have expected.

 

[MikeYQM]

Eco definitely has less throttle response.

I think, when in Eco there is more electric support when both EV + ICE are running, which leads to more drain of the battery and shorter EV only cruises. In Normal, the focus is a bit less on EV + ICE driving in order to give prolonged EV only.

The EV only component of the PB system isn’t the only part. How and when the EV supports the ICE also makes a big impact on economy.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I havent quite figured out Normal Mode, but mine seems to be a more toned down version of the last setting I used. If I was in Sport, my next Normal will still be in 4A and have a response similar to the Sport mode. If I was in Eco, Normal is in 2H with the slugishness of Eco but much improved gas mileage.

 

[DEWAI]

Eco is almost useless - Normal kicks in to electric more often for me - and in eco it feels like you are driving a Sentra when you give it throttle. Noticed zero gains in fuel economy in eco over normal.

 

[Groovicles]

I can tell a difference. ECO has a little less throttle response. Normal mode tends to stay in electric a little longer which is not what I would have expected.

Really? I normally drive in Eco because I'm assuming it uses the electric engine more frequently than any other drive mode. Need to try Normal for a longer period of time then!

 

[daemonic3]

I need to do some experimentation using Eco next, but I've done lots of monitoring the battery % charge now in Normal, and now while towing in Normal and Tow modes.

First, it's been mentioned in other threads that the way we THOUGHT the truck works isn't actually how it works. It does not toggle between "electric only" and "gas only". When the EV Coach screen says "hybrid" it truly is ICE + electric assist. Contrary to what we would have thought, you DON'T have to rack up electric-only miles to get the best fuel economy, the battery is always helping us anyway.

Here's how my truck works (using Torque to monitor the battery charge and charge/depletion current):

• The truck does not just charge the battery just because the engine is on. Presumably because this adds resistance to the drive belt and costs gas. Rather, it likes to only bank "free" charge due to regen braking, or coasting (like when using cruise and going on slight descent)
• The normal % charge limits are 42.75% on the low end (with occasional dips to 40% but generally 42.75%) and on the high end it will charge only to 70% and no more, even if you continue downhill or braking. I think I've only seen 71% once, then it just wastes friction with no more regen
• Here's where it gets interesting: When just driving normally, in city or freeway, it will use any excess charge above 42.75% to HELP the ICE, especially in quick torque demand (like starting from a standstill) or in slight uphills! So it is using the "free" regen charge to keep the gas usage a little lower in these times
• I tested this when towing and found an even more pleasant surprise: If you have banked ANY charge above 42.75%, and start going uphill, it will deplete the charge FIRST to avoid entering the super-inefficient turbo boost! Example is normally my truck likes to enter 8th when towing (if I don't lock out 8th gear) and it enters boost and makes the MPG horrible. BUT if any charge was banked I can see it avoid boost and keeps the MPG >12 until it hits 42.75% again and starts entering boost and dropping fuel economy below 10MPG until I lock out 8th gear again.

I'll be doing some experiments next major trip using Eco mode and see if it changes the low and high thresholds, and what kind of charging/depleting strategies is uses (if different than Normal mode).

 

[Atlee]

I need to do some experimentation using Eco next, but I've done lots of monitoring the battery % charge now in Normal, and now while towing in Normal and Tow modes.

First, it's been mentioned in other threads that the way we THOUGHT the truck works isn't actually how it works. It does not toggle between "electric only" and "gas only". When the EV Coach screen says "hybrid" it truly is ICE + electric assist. Contrary to what we would have thought, you DON'T have to rack up electric-only miles to get the best fuel economy, the battery is always helping us anyway.

Here's how my truck works (using Torque to monitor the battery charge and charge/depletion current):

• The truck does not just charge the battery just because the engine is on. Presumably because this adds resistance to the drive belt and costs gas. Rather, it likes to only bank "free" charge due to regen braking, or coasting (like when using cruise and going on slight descent)
• The normal % charge limits are 42.75% on the low end (with occasional dips to 40% but generally 42.75%) and on the high end it will charge only to 70% and no more, even if you continue downhill or braking. I think I've only seen 71% once, then it just wastes friction with no more regen
• Here's where it gets interesting: When just driving normally, in city or freeway, it will use any excess charge above 42.75% to HELP the ICE, especially in quick torque demand (like starting from a standstill) or in slight uphills! So it is using the "free" regen charge to keep the gas usage a little lower in these times
• I tested this when towing and found an even more pleasant surprise: If you have banked ANY charge above 42.75%, and start going uphill, it will deplete the charge FIRST to avoid entering the super-inefficient turbo boost! Example is normally my truck likes to enter 8th when towing (if I don't lock out 8th gear) and it enters boost and makes the MPG horrible. BUT if any charge was banked I can see it avoid boost and keeps the MPG >12 until it hits 42.75% again and starts entering boost and dropping fuel economy below 10MPG until I lock out 8th gear again.

I'll be doing some experiments next major trip using Eco mode and see if it changes the low and high thresholds, and what kind of charging/depleting strategies is uses (if different than Normal mode).

What are you using to determine the charge % and all the other observations?

 

[daemonic3]

What are you using to determine the charge % and all the other observations?

I bought a $20 OBDII to bluetooth adapter and just leave it in the port, then on my phone I use Torque which can do real-time display of various things. Found that you have to buy Torque pro ($5) as the free version can't add extra Process ID's (PIDs). I can show what my screen with my favorites looks like later.

 

[snyce1]

Does anybody know the difference?

Gets into battery only a bit easier . Shifts up sooner ..

 

[Hollow road rider]

I need to do some experimentation using Eco next, but I've done lots of monitoring the battery % charge now in Normal, and now while towing in Normal and Tow modes.

First, it's been mentioned in other threads that the way we THOUGHT the truck works isn't actually how it works. It does not toggle between "electric only" and "gas only". When the EV Coach screen says "hybrid" it truly is ICE + electric assist. Contrary to what we would have thought, you DON'T have to rack up electric-only miles to get the best fuel economy, the battery is always helping us anyway.

Here's how my truck works (using Torque to monitor the battery charge and charge/depletion current):

• The truck does not just charge the battery just because the engine is on. Presumably because this adds resistance to the drive belt and costs gas. Rather, it likes to only bank "free" charge due to regen braking, or coasting (like when using cruise and going on slight descent)
• The normal % charge limits are 42.75% on the low end (with occasional dips to 40% but generally 42.75%) and on the high end it will charge only to 70% and no more, even if you continue downhill or braking. I think I've only seen 71% once, then it just wastes friction with no more regen
• Here's where it gets interesting: When just driving normally, in city or freeway, it will use any excess charge above 42.75% to HELP the ICE, especially in quick torque demand (like starting from a standstill) or in slight uphills! So it is using the "free" regen charge to keep the gas usage a little lower in these times
• I tested this when towing and found an even more pleasant surprise: If you have banked ANY charge above 42.75%, and start going uphill, it will deplete the charge FIRST to avoid entering the super-inefficient turbo boost! Example is normally my truck likes to enter 8th when towing (if I don't lock out 8th gear) and it enters boost and makes the MPG horrible. BUT if any charge was banked I can see it avoid boost and keeps the MPG >12 until it hits 42.75% again and starts entering boost and dropping fuel economy below 10MPG until I lock out 8th gear again.

I'll be doing some experiments next major trip using Eco mode and see if it changes the low and high thresholds, and what kind of charging/depleting strategies is uses (if different than Normal mode).

daemonic3. You tow your camper while in Normal Mode?

 

[Atlee]

daemonic3. You tow your camper while in Normal Mode?

There are a few times when I do. If I'm on a pretty flat highway, sometimes I'll change back to Normal

 

[PB2021]

In a way your observations are good news in terms of battery management. Li-ion batteries prefer a window of charge for longevity. Fully charging not good and fully discharging even worse. I wonder if you have noticed any variance in the charge discharge percentages with outside temps? In theory any outside temps should have only temporary impacts because of the onboard battery temp management but still curious.

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