First hybrid odd behavior
03-22-19, 08:26 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
First hybrid odd behavior
Just brought 2019 RX 450h, my first hybrid ever. Based on my 1 month usage I am noticing the following.
- At speeds less than 40mph the car switches to battery only mode only if I disengages the pedal, and reengages it. Is that normal? I thought the car was smart enough to figure at a when to switch between battery vs engine.
- Starting from complete stop the car almost always starts the engine. Based on synergy hybrid videos I assumed the car to start rolling with battery, and as the speed increases turn on the engine.
- I hardly notice the car operation with both engine and battery combo mode. Its either pure battery or engine. Is that normal?
- The city only mpg is around 22-23. Much less than the EPA rated value. The dealer told me its related to the winter fuel. Is that the case?
Again most of my previous 1 month experience was based on 5 mile daily one-side commute to work in Boston, most at winter temperature around 40F.
Being a complete newbie I am hoping someone from the community can confirm these are normal behavior with a 450h? Thanks.
- At speeds less than 40mph the car switches to battery only mode only if I disengages the pedal, and reengages it. Is that normal? I thought the car was smart enough to figure at a when to switch between battery vs engine.
- Starting from complete stop the car almost always starts the engine. Based on synergy hybrid videos I assumed the car to start rolling with battery, and as the speed increases turn on the engine.
- I hardly notice the car operation with both engine and battery combo mode. Its either pure battery or engine. Is that normal?
- The city only mpg is around 22-23. Much less than the EPA rated value. The dealer told me its related to the winter fuel. Is that the case?
Again most of my previous 1 month experience was based on 5 mile daily one-side commute to work in Boston, most at winter temperature around 40F.
Being a complete newbie I am hoping someone from the community can confirm these are normal behavior with a 450h? Thanks.
03-22-19, 08:45 AM
#2
Lexus Champion
Congratulations on your new RX! I'll give you my opinions below:
Yes, this is normal. There are times when it will switch from gas or gas/electric to just electric without letting up on the gas, but it's most likely to happen when you release the engine of any load first.
It can start rolling just on battery power alone, but it relies on a few other things to happen. First, the engine really needs to be fully warmed up. Second, it has to be a pretty slow/easy start. Too much accelerator pedal and the gas engine will need to engage. And finally, you need to have a good battery charge.
This really depends on a number of factors. In our Highlander, I feel like we get a good variety of power options/combinations, and I can't always figure it out, but normally under a period of strong acceleration, like a freeway on ramp, I'll see that both the gas and electric motors are engaged.
Short commutes will do this. The gas engine will be used heavily for the first few miles, as it tries to warm up quickly, as a warm engine is an efficient engine. During that time you'll see gas mileage that is pretty typical of a conventional gasoline engine. Once it's warmed up you'll get better mileage. Our Highlander commute recently changed. It used to be 12 miles each way, and we'd always get 28 mpg. Now it's down to 4 miles each way and we get about 21.
Your mileage is likely to increase over time, but as I noted above, your short commute is a bit less than ideal for great hybrid mileage, at least in my experience. So you may not be getting super mileage right now, but it's likely better than you'd get in a 5 mile commute with a conventional V6 powertrain. If it makes you feel better, the 3.5 V6 in my GS gets around 16 mpg on my 6 mile commute... 
Just brought 2019 RX 450h, my first hybrid ever. Based on my 1 month usage I am noticing the following.
- At speeds less than 40mph the car switches to battery only mode only if I disengages the pedal, and reengages it. Is that normal? I thought the car was smart enough to figure at a when to switch between battery vs engine.
- At speeds less than 40mph the car switches to battery only mode only if I disengages the pedal, and reengages it. Is that normal? I thought the car was smart enough to figure at a when to switch between battery vs engine.
- Starting from complete stop the car almost always starts the engine. Based on synergy hybrid videos I assumed the car to start rolling with battery, and as the speed increases turn on the engine.
- I hardly notice the car operation with both engine and battery combo mode. Its either pure battery or engine. Is that normal?
- The city only mpg is around 22-23. Much less than the EPA rated value. The dealer told me its related to the winter fuel. Is that the case?
Again most of my previous 1 month experience was based on 5 mile daily one-side commute to work in Boston, most at winter temperature around 40F.
Being a complete newbie I am hoping someone from the community can confirm these are normal behavior with a 450h? Thanks.
Being a complete newbie I am hoping someone from the community can confirm these are normal behavior with a 450h? Thanks.
03-22-19, 03:42 PM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Congratulations on your new RX! I'll give you my opinions below:
Yes, this is normal. There are times when it will switch from gas or gas/electric to just electric without letting up on the gas, but it's most likely to happen when you release the engine of any load first.
It can start rolling just on battery power alone, but it relies on a few other things to happen. First, the engine really needs to be fully warmed up. Second, it has to be a pretty slow/easy start. Too much accelerator pedal and the gas engine will need to engage. And finally, you need to have a good battery charge.
This really depends on a number of factors. In our Highlander, I feel like we get a good variety of power options/combinations, and I can't always figure it out, but normally under a period of strong acceleration, like a freeway on ramp, I'll see that both the gas and electric motors are engaged.
Short commutes will do this. The gas engine will be used heavily for the first few miles, as it tries to warm up quickly, as a warm engine is an efficient engine. During that time you'll see gas mileage that is pretty typical of a conventional gasoline engine. Once it's warmed up you'll get better mileage. Our Highlander commute recently changed. It used to be 12 miles each way, and we'd always get 28 mpg. Now it's down to 4 miles each way and we get about 21.
Your mileage is likely to increase over time, but as I noted above, your short commute is a bit less than ideal for great hybrid mileage, at least in my experience. So you may not be getting super mileage right now, but it's likely better than you'd get in a 5 mile commute with a conventional V6 powertrain. If it makes you feel better, the 3.5 V6 in my GS gets around 16 mpg on my 6 mile commute...
Yes, this is normal. There are times when it will switch from gas or gas/electric to just electric without letting up on the gas, but it's most likely to happen when you release the engine of any load first.
It can start rolling just on battery power alone, but it relies on a few other things to happen. First, the engine really needs to be fully warmed up. Second, it has to be a pretty slow/easy start. Too much accelerator pedal and the gas engine will need to engage. And finally, you need to have a good battery charge.
This really depends on a number of factors. In our Highlander, I feel like we get a good variety of power options/combinations, and I can't always figure it out, but normally under a period of strong acceleration, like a freeway on ramp, I'll see that both the gas and electric motors are engaged.
Short commutes will do this. The gas engine will be used heavily for the first few miles, as it tries to warm up quickly, as a warm engine is an efficient engine. During that time you'll see gas mileage that is pretty typical of a conventional gasoline engine. Once it's warmed up you'll get better mileage. Our Highlander commute recently changed. It used to be 12 miles each way, and we'd always get 28 mpg. Now it's down to 4 miles each way and we get about 21.
Your mileage is likely to increase over time, but as I noted above, your short commute is a bit less than ideal for great hybrid mileage, at least in my experience. So you may not be getting super mileage right now, but it's likely better than you'd get in a 5 mile commute with a conventional V6 powertrain. If it makes you feel better, the 3.5 V6 in my GS gets around 16 mpg on my 6 mile commute...
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JDR76 (03-22-19)
03-22-19, 07:36 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
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