PHEV mechanical sympathy
Discussion
Is it a concern? I can’t help thinking it can’t be good for for any engine in a PHEV to be fired up from cold or not fully warmed and revved relatively hard when the need arises.
Or are they more robust than normal?
Got my eye on something like a 225xe. Size, design, spec and ability to precondition on cold mornings suits but I’m looking at 4-5 yrs old and plan to keep it at least 3 yrs so don’t want to run into any reliability issues.
Happy to do regular oil changes etc. Am I overthinking it?
Or are they more robust than normal?
Got my eye on something like a 225xe. Size, design, spec and ability to precondition on cold mornings suits but I’m looking at 4-5 yrs old and plan to keep it at least 3 yrs so don’t want to run into any reliability issues.
Happy to do regular oil changes etc. Am I overthinking it?
spaceship said:
Is it a concern? I can’t help thinking it can’t be good for for any engine in a PHEV to be fired up from cold or not fully warmed and revved relatively hard when the need arises.
Or are they more robust than normal?
Got my eye on something like a 225xe. Size, design, spec and ability to precondition on cold mornings suits but I’m looking at 4-5 yrs old and plan to keep it at least 3 yrs so don’t want to run into any reliability issues.
Happy to do regular oil changes etc. Am I overthinking it?
It’ll be fine. The ICE - for the most part - wouldn’t be working as hard or for as long as you’d expect: the electric motor will be taking some of the load off the ICE, and then there’s the matter of the engine simply not running for what could be a good amount of the recorded miles.Or are they more robust than normal?
Got my eye on something like a 225xe. Size, design, spec and ability to precondition on cold mornings suits but I’m looking at 4-5 yrs old and plan to keep it at least 3 yrs so don’t want to run into any reliability issues.
Happy to do regular oil changes etc. Am I overthinking it?
Some cars will also run the ICE to power the heater, others heat the catalytic converters (Toyotas?), to burn-off crappy fuel, top-up the 12v battery etc,
So many never really get as “cold” as you think.
We’ve some 15-plate Outlander PHEVs at work and they’re plodding along just fine.
I’ve got a Kuga PHEV as a company car. If the engine does fire up at any point from cold, it will then remain running until it’s warmed through a bit. Going by the coolant temperature gauge, ‘normal’ is 90 degrees and I reckon it keeps the engine running until somewhere around 75 degrees before it allows it to cut out again. Based on the above, you avoid multiple very short duration episodes of a cold engine being started and shut off again.
To be fair, if you want to show zero mechanical sympathy and rev the nuts off a stone cold engine then you can, but that’s no different to how some people treat a non hybrid petrol or Diesel engine.
To be fair, if you want to show zero mechanical sympathy and rev the nuts off a stone cold engine then you can, but that’s no different to how some people treat a non hybrid petrol or Diesel engine.
I also overthink it 
I switch to Save mode a minute before I get to the dual carriageway on the way to work for the reasons OP mentions. If I’m going for an overtake I hit sport mode to kick the engine in for a few minutes in advance if I can. Sport also charges the battery up which gives increased thrust when called for.
I switch to Save mode a minute before I get to the dual carriageway on the way to work for the reasons OP mentions. If I’m going for an overtake I hit sport mode to kick the engine in for a few minutes in advance if I can. Sport also charges the battery up which gives increased thrust when called for.Edited by buggalugs on Sunday 9th October 18:47
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