Ok, I've read in official Honda reports and interviews that the 06 HCH can go in all-electric mode if certain conditions are right (I don't think this applies to pre-06s, just from 06 on). When I posed this question on another forum, I was told by someone that, yes, his 06 does go in all-electric mode, and that when it occurs there are at least one (or more) white "charge" bars, while the real-time MPG meter stays up at 100.

This baffles me, because I have *NEVER* been able to see the MPG stay at 100 while white charge bars appear. The way it is on my car is the only time the real-time MPG meter shows 100 is when my foot is off the pedal (or on it feather-light while going downhill). In these cases, GREEN charge lights come on (or, if the battery is fully 100% charged, neither white nor green come on). I have NEVER been able to see both white "assist" bars while the MPG stays at 100. Has anybody here?

Has anyone experienced situations where their 06 HCH goes in all-electric mode? If so, please tell me under what conditions you are able to see this (your speed, if you're going flat or downhill, pressure on the pedal, how many white charge bars appear while the MPG is still up at 100), etc.

I was told that people here have had no problem having this happen, but having just searched through pages of posts and topics (not all, sorry) I have yet to find anything.

Please note: I am extremely feather-light on the pedal, I don't use A/C (at least not so far), don't have heavy loads, and there isn't anything about my driving that would preclude me from seeing this happen if it actually does happen (which I still have yet to believe, because I have yet to see it). I drive at all speeds from start-and-stop to 75, and everything in between. City, highway, going 75 on a freweay or going 55 on a freeway, feather touch on the pedal, battery fully charged, what have you. I have the Temp/MPG meter always set on MPG, and constantly monitor it (and the white/green assist/charge bars) more than I should, yet I have NEVER been able to see white "assist" bars appear with the MPG dropping substantially (never staying at 100 while charge bars appear). Ever.

So please explain to me people, if you have been able to see this and get your car in all-electric mode or not. And if the answer is yes, the circumstances and way you've done it (speed, driving conditions, flat road or downhill, etc).

Other than the 63mile bug, I don't think my car is defective (everything else works just fine), but I've had it for 5 months now, and have not ONCE been able to get charge bars while keeping the MPG at or near 100.

Is this just a lie Honda puts out? I just saw another interview with a regional head of Honda where in the interview it mentioned once again how the 06 could go in all-electric modes in certain conditions. I'm still waiting.

Thanks people!
Larry

 

I have seen it happen with my HCHII, but I have to wonder why you would think it is that desireable? Running on battery is less efficient than running on gasoline because the conversion efficiency in converting mechanical energy into electrical and then back to mechanical is way less than just using the mechanical energy of the ice directly. If Honda had programmed the system to run exclusively on battery for long stretches, it would have lowered the fuel economy overall.

The energy in the battery is not free. It gets there from braking (which initially came from the acceleration produced by the ice), coasting down hills, or from extra load on the ice specifically to recharge the traction battery. Bottom line is that it came from the gas tank one way or another. Its usefulness is in reclaiming energy that would otherwise be lost.

I drive my HCHII so that I use the IMA the least amount possible although living at the top of a 2000 foot hill makes that difficult

 

No problem for me in my 06 HCH. The time that this condition occurs is at low speeds, say 25 mph. Here is an example:

1. I accelerate up to coasting speed (25 mph) on a flat surface, or even better on a slight downhill grade.
2. Take my foot off the gas pedal and wait for the mpg indicator go to 100% while coasting. (If you find that your car does not coast well, get more air in your tires)
3. I now press lightly on the pedal to maintain my speed or to accelerate slightly. (You should observe the assist bars at that time, while maintaining 100% mpg)

I am under the impression that this condition also occurs going down a large hill, but the assist bars are not shown because it is displaying that the battery is being charged.

Honestly, this condition doesn't occur all that often in my driving and doesn't have that great an impact on my ability to get good gas mileage. Things such as good tire pressure, conserving momentum, and a non-agressive driving style have a lot more to do with it.

Another clarification on this topic is to mention that "all-electric mode" in the case of the 06 HCH means that the gasoline engine is in idle while the electric assist is providing the acceleration. I mention this because a friend of mine assumed that the engine should shut off when in this "mode", which it does not.

Hope that helps.

 

when you run out of gas! hahaha <snicker> but then only for about 2 miles.

 

I learned how to do this in my neighborhood first. Accelerate to 25 mph, let you foot off the gas for a second and then tap the pedal to get 1 or 2 bars while the impg shows 100+ mpg. You can then gently push the accelerator up to 4 bars of electric only to maintain speed.

Once you learn how to do this, you then learn how to utilize the technique in your daily driving.
I like using it at the midway point between two redlights. I glide about 10 seconds before braking for the redlight. I also brake earlier so that I can regenerate as much energy as possible.

Good luck!

 

It's important to remember that the gas engine and the electric motor are integrated... they're attached to one another so if one is turning, so is the other. When you're in all electric "mode" it simply means that the engines valves have been modified (shut off) and fuel is shut off. The pistons and all are still going up and down, because they're attached to the crankshaft which is part of the motor. SOooooo... this means you won't hear or feel anything dramatically different. It's all very subtle.

I've had my '06 HCH for two weeks. I'm getting better at being able to control going into electric mode, but it's still quite difficult to do. The easiest way I've found is to be going about 45 on level or downgrade with NO traffic anywhere near you. Take your foot completely off the gas for two seconds. The MPG gauge will go up to full bars. Then apply just a tiny bit of pressure to the accelerator pedal to make all the green bars go away from the charge meter. If you give it just enough, you'll get one or two white bars on the "assist" side of the meter... but the MPG gauge will still show full. Once you're in this mode, you can play around with the pedal a little to vary the assist from one to four bars. If you goof by either jabbing the accelerator too much or letting off of it too much, it will take it out of full electric "mode" and you'll feel a slight surge (which is the engine applying power again).

Just play with it and it will happen! Just remember to try this with no traffic around you!

By the way, I've been able to enter this mode as low as 10 MPH, and as high as 65. I can always do it for just a second... but the trick is keeping it in there! The longest I've gone is perhaps 20 seconds... but that's because traffic prevented me from continuing!

 

I agree that there's probably no real benefit in deliberately trying to activate the EV mode. However, under certain conditions it may be beneficial. Honda seems to have paid a lot of attention to optimizing the IMA for maximum FE. If they've enabled an EV mode I bet it's because they found it has an overall benefit in those conditions.

Consider a situation where you're coasting downhill or slightly decelerating. You press down on the gas pedal a little because you want to extend your coasting distance. The IMA could give you the requested power in one of two ways. It could restart the gas engine, or it could provide electric assist. Your pressure on the gas pedal indicates that you're only demanding about 10 HP of engine power. That's well within the capacity of the electric motor. Should the gas engine, all 120 HP of it, be started just to give you 10 HP, or is it more efficient to use the electric motor? I bet Honda found that it's more efficient to use the electric motor in that situation, even though you're right that the electric power will ultimately have to be replenished with gasoline energy.

 

Yes, I've seen it many times. It's a lot easier to make it happen at low speeds. The faster you're moving, the more delicate you have to be with the gas pedal, to get assist (i.e. EV mode) without causing the gas engine to re-engage.

As others have noted, take your foot off the pedal and glide for a few seconds as you see the IFG approach 100. You'll see several green bars of regen. Start pressing the gas pedal very gradually. Try to make the green bars disappear gradually, one at a time. Once they disappear, keep pressing a little more on the gas pedal at the same gentle rate. You should see one or two white bars show up, and you should be able to keep them there without the IFG dropping from 100. Getting to three bars or more becomes very tricky, the faster you're moving the trickier.

 

Although 10hp is within the capability of the electric motor, you would not be starting a 120hp engine. The Honda engine is quite capable of running on 1 cylinder at low power, and since the engine is already spinning, there is no energy wasted in spinning it up to speed or additional energy loss due to engine friction. The ECU merely has to enable the valves and inject the appropriate amount of fuel. I think Honda made it difficult to reach EV mode for a reason. So, I don't see the logic of trying to force the car into a mode which is probably less efficient except under a very limited set of circumstances. But I think we agree on that.

 

From another thread, I was under the belief that the 2006 has sacrificed the ability to run on 1 cylinder?