Heating in EV Mode

[Dragonfly]

I'm testing a HS Phev tomorrow, and have heard rumours that the heating only works with the engine running. Can anyone confirm this is the case?

Testing for a hesitate at around 50mph, anything else worth having a watch for, or pay attention to?

 

[jem111111]

That is correct if you want heating , it comes the same way as any ICE car. The engine has to get hot ( and I think its the actual water that goes into the heater) and the heat is blown into the car.
Remember to press the EV button ( a green led shows) to force it into EV mode, otherwise when you reach approx 24mph the ICE will automatically start.
The 50mph is when you are in EV only , i don't think you get that in Hybrid mode.
I hope it goes as well for you as it did for me , as i love the car its so comfortable

 

[Dragonfly]

Probably kill the battery in no time, but what about a 12v fan heater for cold mornings.

 

[jem111111]

You can put the fan blower on LO and that does not start the engine , but will blow cold air, but that should clear the windscreen. Then all you have to do is put the heated seats on , so you will be warm.
I have yet to try this in the winter but I have done it recently as I have only just got my Phev.
Re the heating, if you want to drive in Hybrid mode in the winter , then it wont really be an issue as above 24 mph the engine would kick in anyway, and all it would mean id the engine would start earlier.
Once the engine gets hot then apparently you can go full EV ( or EV below 24mph in hybrid mode) , and the heater will still blow hot air , as the engine is still hot, but once the engine cools down to below the requested heat temperature , then it will start again to get hot , hence blowing hot air into the car once again.
So in real terms the ICE will be on / off / on etc to supply the heating in EV mode , or you will not really notice it in hybrid mode ( after the initial start up of the car) .
I personally do not think a 12v portable heater would be powerful enough to do what you want demist the screen or heat the inside of the car.
In the end my own opinion ( and hence why I brought the car) is, I will save so much in MPG etc the rest of the year , I can live with some times I might want to have the ICE start to supply heating (if the heated seats and the blower on cold don't work) as you will still a good mpg ( in hybrid mode) for such a big car.

 

[jem111111]

Henri8 looked at this in his post freezing or fuelling

 

[Zman]

One significant change from the Outlander PHEV I've switched from is that the Mitsu heating ran from the battery.

 

[amason]

Hi Zman,
I have an Outlander too and thinking of the HS PHEV....how many Km were you getting
from the Outlander out of interest ? Lucky to get 30ks out of mine.
How's the HS vs Outlander, are you happy with it...decent range etc?

 

[Zman]

Hi Amason.

Only had the MG for a couple of days so no range views as yet.

Seems better screwed together and far more modern layout.

The Outlanders switchgear was scattered throughout the dash and was 'cheap' in places, the door cards moving when closing the windows for instance. Range was about 20 miles on battery.

The MG is very comfortable and seems quieter, absorbing bumps better. Smaller boot though, our usage has changed so this shouldn't be a factor nor the loss of AWD.

 

[KeithG]

This is why a phev doesn’t really work to help stop climate change. No heating without engine? So winter EV only mileage doesn’t exist in practice. If the ICE is charging the battery it must be less efficient than a normal ICE because of loss of energy in conversion. The official figures are as incorrect as for a normal ice. This is what put me off a Kia phev and why I bought the ZS EV. I love the look of this car and would be a brilliant EV. Have fun.

 

[hermitdave]

After 11 months of Outlander I’ve picked up Exclusive. I probably confused it with 5HS in having rear heated seats - looks like I’ll need to install something.

i miss the lack of charge / climate timers that I had in Outlander but I’ll be buying a 300W PTC closer to winter.

 

[Dragonfly]

Yes I miss the remote heat/charge monitoring that I get in the leaf, exactly what would you do with a 300w PTC? I did wonder if an AC block heater might be the answer, that way you could pre-heat the engine block, which in theory prevents the engine starting just for heat on shorter journeys, and on longer journeys, you'd be using the engine anyway.

 

[hermitdave]

Yeah have that with Leaf though CarPlay firmware meant timers are hidden away. Had that in Outlander too. No sure but if cabin not stone cold, that would be a good start

 

[Jajadingdong]

This is why a phev doesn’t really work to help stop climate change. No heating without engine? So winter EV only mileage doesn’t exist in practice. If the ICE is charging the battery it must be less efficient than a normal ICE because of loss of energy in conversion. The official figures are as incorrect as for a normal ice. This is what put me off a Kia phev and why I bought the ZS EV. I love the look of this car and would be a brilliant EV. Have fun.

If burning less petrol to move around helps to reduce overall CO2 emissions than without doubt PHEVs and HEVs helps to reduce climate change. I can only speak from my own experience with a petrol car and a Kia Niro PHEV that the Kia is way more efficient both in hybrid and EV mode than the petrol car. But I must admit the achilles heel of my car is seasonal variation of petrol usage, mostly electric in summer and a mixture of electric and petrol in winter. A pure electric car drives electric all year and because of that my next car will be a BEV. The MG EHS looks like a very practical and spacious car so I can understand people purchase it over a ZS EV if EHS fits their needs better.

 

[hermitdave]

This is why a phev doesn’t really work to help stop climate change. No heating without engine? So winter EV only mileage doesn’t exist in practice. If the ICE is charging the battery it must be less efficient than a normal ICE because of loss of energy in conversion. The official figures are as incorrect as for a normal ice. This is what put me off a Kia phev and why I bought the ZS EV. I love the look of this car and would be a brilliant EV. Have fun.

I think thats adding things to the equation that aren't true at all. Phev offer usage for situations not possible with ICE / EV. I cannot truly travel across Europe in my Leaf30. Infact I wouldn't be comfortable doing it in any EV except Tesla today.
Phev in the situation is just an ICE. It doesn't claim to be better in that manner of use.

Most usage is however local, school run, driving to station and back, take my son to tennis et . All those are possible in EV mode and require no petrol.

Not everyone is comfortable renting a chunky car especially when they drive abroad. One does what one can.

 

[Dragonfly]

This is exactly my situation, in the UK I am averaging well over 150mpg - petrol, combined cost nearer 90mpg equivalent. When I go across to Bulgaria later this year, I guess I'll average somewhere in the region of 40mpg on the trip either way, but my usage in BG will be similar to UK.

I looked at a Skoka Enyaq but wasn't confident enough that it would do Hungary/Romania without hiccups. I could stick with my Discovery at 25mpg local, 35mpg long run, but really it's getting past it, and I need a car this year, while the discovery is still running and worth something lol.

So we bought the MG, in my mind it's got a 7 year warranty, by then full ev vehicles should be better and so should the charging networks along the route.

 

[hermitdave]

This is exactly my situation, in the UK I am averaging well over 150mpg - petrol, combined cost nearer 90mpg equivalent. When I go across to Bulgaria later this year, I guess I'll average somewhere in the region of 40mpg on the trip either way, but my usage in BG will be similar to UK.

I looked at a Skoka Enyaq but wasn't confident enough that it would do Hungary/Romania without hiccups. I could stick with my Discovery at 25mpg local, 35mpg long run, but really it's getting past it, and I need a car this year, while the discovery is still running and worth something lol.

So we bought the MG, in my mind it's got a 7 year warranty, by then full ev vehicles should be better and so should the charging networks along the route.

Precisely - by the time I am done with MG, I hope we have plug and charge without multitudes of apps and cards. Mahybe the charging companies will be more tuned into maintaining their systems.

 

[Dragonfly]

Absolutely my debit card works at all petrol stations I've used in the last 10 years (actually credit card when in Europe, but minor point, and my own choice) If only the same could be said for chargepoints in the Leaf :-(

 

[KeithG]

If burning less petrol to move around helps to reduce overall CO2 emissions than without doubt PHEVs and HEVs helps to reduce climate change. I can only speak from my own experience with a petrol car and a Kia Niro PHEV that the Kia is way more efficient both in hybrid and EV mode than the petrol car. But I must admit the achilles heel of my car is seasonal variation of petrol usage, mostly electric in summer and a mixture of electric and petrol in winter. A pure electric car drives electric all year and because of that my next car will be a BEV. The MG EHS looks like a very practical and spacious car so I can understand people purchase it over a ZS EV if EHS fits their needs better.

Hi. Agree. I have nothing against anyone who wants to buy a Phev and was interested in the Kia phev myself, but wanted to minimise my Co2. I also read the service for the Kia phev was £600+ ? My first year service was £49. Doing a 2000 mile holiday next week. Have fun.

 

[Jajadingdong]

Hi. Agree. I have nothing against anyone who wants to buy a Phev and was interested in the Kia phev myself, but wanted to minimise my Co2. I also read the service for the Kia phev was £600+ ? My first year service was £49. Doing a 2000 mile holiday next week. Have fun.

Good luck with the 2000 mile holiday in a ZS EV, sounds like a fun adventure. No doubt the higher service bills on PHEVs are a drawback, but at the same time it’s peanuts relatively to the quick devaluation on any new car, and the cost of skipping a service would not be good for resale and warranty period.