Kia EV Forum banner

Efficiency

3K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  alexw 
#1 ·
K, been messing around with the car the last few days (GTL AWD) and I've been running in different drive modes. (all in auto 2 regen). I have found that my mi/kwh has been considerably higher using sport than in normal or eco mode. Not what I have expected at all. With the temps in the mid 30's all week, it's been a good week to try this out. I'm talking a half mile difference (2.7 to 2.2) eco and normal seem to be about the same but sport mode is just way better. Don't get why, but I'm going to drive in sport for now on.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
In my post, I stated it was regen Auto level 2.. I do not use i-pedal ever. But from an above post, looks like I'm not the only one so glad I'm not losing it. I agree it makes no sense since sport is more power and uses both motors full time, but it is what it is.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
Likely regen differences. How many milea is this test trip and at what average mph? Any hvac use?
18 miles, same route, same regen, auto 1 for the climate control set at 72(never change that) so no HVAC use since it's been mid 30s...Don't know what the average MPH is, but I drive the same way. There's a 5 mile stretch of 75 MPH highway, then the rest is stop and go between 55 to 35 mph zones. Regen is always auto 2 and use the left paddle to stop.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
it is physically impossible to spend significantly less electricity driving two motors rather than one motor at higher current. It’s the whole small motor high load deal with efficiency. That means there is some other factor. Hvac usage, for example. It can vary massively over a drive. It’s very dependent on temps at the start of a test or driving after a previous drive. Also extremely depends on the amount of sun. Point is, when testing turn off HVAC. Otherwise you’re testing hvac AND efficiency. If you want to really get cute pull up the energy usage screen and monitor it. Also, when testing your battery temps and time after charging and a previous drive can affect things. Also, when doing such short test courses take your efficiency reading while still rolling. By then you reach a steady state average. If there are a bunch of starts and stops at the very end of your trip (even your driveway on a trip circuit that short) how you stop can change your efficiency readings by a lot. It’s not an actual efficiency change so much as an inability of the GOM to figure out your efficiency correctly with a short drive. We saw this when testing a GT against a GT line shadowing it exactly.
Well, I believed the same way you did, which absolutely makes sense, but I'm doing real world drives here and doing the same drives, in the same temps, with the same car settings, and evey time running in sport, I'm getting better efficiency in sport. The wife even tried it out the other day on her usual trip to get the granddaughter, and she got better efficiency in sport.. It's crazy and defies all logic, but that's what is happening so I'm driving in sport. I do watch that meter on the right which shows power used and regen, it really seems to use less power to maintain speed especially on the highway.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
If you used CC at all then you were actually RWD. even in sport mode Cruise makes it RWD until you apply accel pedal or brake for regen kicking AWD back in. and sport has higher regen with both motors versus normal/eco.


In sport mode anytime the vehicle is being driven with input on accel pedal the car is in awd. Normal and Eco disable the front motor like you mention, but not sport, sport is fixed AWD unless in cruise control. Yes sport should make for higher regen than the other two.
I was under the impression from other things I've read that it engages the front motor when regenerating no matter what mode you are in.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top