Hybrid Battery Charge Level

Faults and Technical chat for the Kia Niro
chrisl
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 8:29 pm

Post by chrisl »

My battery is always between 50% to 75% charge level. Is this what other members expect or experience? It is usually nearer 50%, but gets to 75% on occasions. It does not seem to matter what journey lengths I do and in the course of 4,000 miles I have done a mix of short and 300 mile trips?

geffren67
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 5:04 pm

Post by geffren67 »

Same here. Got the car at 50% never been above 75%. I have over 7k on the car and this does not appear to change much.
Recycleman
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:11 pm

Post by Recycleman »

Generally sits between 50 to 75%
MiguelG
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2016 3:00 pm

Post by MiguelG »

90% this morning. Mountain road, going down. Everytime EV. If your route is plain Niro uses and saves energy between these parameters. Smart car.
Greenman
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:11 pm
Location: West London

Post by Greenman »

Got to 100% once. Definite smell which to me said 'hot'.
Mike R
Niro 2 Black [no additional driving aids] Since 1 Sept 2016
Previously: Sportage KX2awd on11 plate
gimball
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:38 pm

Post by gimball »

I noticed that the car goes to 'panic' mode whenever it drops below 50%.
Driving on a long uphill stretch on a highway the car would use the hybrid mode (electric + normal) and the moment it went to 49% battery it would switch to charging the battery... going uphill... seems quite inefficient.
Greenman
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:11 pm
Location: West London

Post by Greenman »

Not sure about a panic mode, but have noticed the gear ratios can lead to what seems like sticking in a higher ratio when you would have expected a change down. Perhaps as the battery provides less power you need more from the petrol engine? I'd also guess that the battery needs breaking in ie quite a few discharges/recharges before it achieves peak responsiveness?
Mike R
Niro 2 Black [no additional driving aids] Since 1 Sept 2016
Previously: Sportage KX2awd on11 plate
gimball
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:38 pm

Post by gimball »

Greenman wrote:Not sure about a panic mode, but have noticed the gear ratios can lead to what seems like sticking in a higher ratio when you would have expected a change down. Perhaps as the battery provides less power you need more from the petrol engine? I'd also guess that the battery needs breaking in ie quite a few discharges/recharges before it achieves peak responsiveness?
For lithium ones the peak is when it's manufactured - it degrades with use and time (even if you don't use it).
But the thing is the car goes into 'stupid mode' and uses petrol to charge the battery while it's already under stress for moving uphill - if this happened when it was at 10% I wouldn't be surprised but like this it doesn't make sense (unless 50% is actually 0% and the whole thing is calibrated wrongly)
djbobbins
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:57 pm

Post by djbobbins »

I suspect the calibration is fine but the software which manages the battery is set to preserve battery life (by which I mean long term condition rather than short term charge level).

I understand lithium ion batteries are likely to last best if kept between 25% and 75% charged; I'm not sure the same applies to lithium polymer technology?

It does bring into question the validity of claims regarding the battery capacity if half of it can't be used though... I am expecting to drive through some mountain roads in the Alps this summer in my Niro and it'll be interesting to see if the engine is called upon to charge the battery in addition to providing motive force during the long uphill sections!
Greenman
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:11 pm
Location: West London

Post by Greenman »

gimball sent me looking for information, and I found that it is likely controlled between 20% and 80%. So that may confirm the hot smell when mine reached max on the indicator - you would not want more. Also suggestion that the hybrid benefits cease once you exceed 60mph. I've given up trying to understand the battery sometimes it charges going up hill and discharges going down. Other times it does what you would expect. Look forward to your mountain experience, I can't see that Kia would not have tested that scenario.
Mike R
Niro 2 Black [no additional driving aids] Since 1 Sept 2016
Previously: Sportage KX2awd on11 plate
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