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When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:08 pm
by Mike8
Hi, I'm Mike and new to the forum. I'm in the UK and have had my Kia Niro plug-in PHEV since late December.

What is puzzling me is the practical differences between the HEV and EV settings. I've read the manual, looked on line and played about with the settings but don't really understand the implications of using the HEV setting rather than EV.

When in EV mode, I find that the car will use mainly battery for the first 30 (UK) miles until they are down to zero and then switch between HEV and EV. During the cold months using heating etc sparingly, I was getting an average of 90 (UK) mpg on a 30 mile run, but sometimes much more.

Over the last few weeks now that the weather is warmer I can often on a 30 mile run, on EV setting, get 999 mpg, i.e. the petrol engine doesn't come on at all.

If I use the HEV setting, the petrol engine seems to be on most of the time. Yesterday, I did a 105 mile mainly motorway run at 65-70 mph on HEV and got 58 mpg. The battery started at 34 miles to empty and still showed 34 miles on arrival. On the way back with another 105 miles, using the EV setting (34 miles to 0 miles) I achieved 90 mpg. I wondered whether using EV until the batteries were down to zero, and then changing to HEV would charge them up again, but once at zero, the car changes automatically to HEV mode and won't allow a change to EV. So I can't see why it would be more economic to use the HEV mode.

So can anyone help me out here? Under what driving conditions, or distance, is it more economic to use HEV and EV modes? Or am I missing something?

I'm pleased with all aspect of the car including the comfort, ease of handling and economical driving (a full overnight battery charge on Economy electricity rate costs me £0.75).
Thanks. Mike.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:25 pm
by AlanHo
I don't have the PHEV version but it seems to me that in HEV setting the car will strive to maintain the battery at full charge - just in case you are not able to charge it from the mains at your destination. Hence you will not necessarily get 30 miles without petrol.

In EV mode you will get your 30 miles without the engine - and thereafter be driving a standard Niro hybrid like mine that charges the battery from braking and downhill over-run sources. You will then arrive at your destination with only a limited battery capacity left in store and need to plug it in to get a full charge.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 7:34 am
by Suman
It might be worth switching the vehicle manually to HEV if your journey is over 30 miles and starts with dual carriageways/motorways, leaving you the 30 miles of charge to use when you get to a built-up area. You might also consider using HEV mode at the start of the journey as the engine will run anyway to warm up the interior of the car.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:47 pm
by Mike8
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try a 'mix-and-match', using the HEV setting when the petrol engine is more economical, i.e. higher speeds and cruising, and the EV setting for town and the last 30 miles of a longer journey. I'll see what difference this makes to the mpg. Mike.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:34 pm
by jerrytaff
I had been puzzling over the same, and I think Suman has put you onto the right track. However, I think that there is more to it than just fuel economy. It is probably a good idea to save the electric power for town driving to reduce exhaust pollution in the built up areas. I wonder also if there are any implications on engine wear - I imagine it is better to have it running on the motorway than stop- start in traffic, but even on the motorway it won't be running continuously.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:00 pm
by Terry
Thanks for the interesting opinions on when to use the EV and Hybrid in the Niro.
1. Can anybody tell me if there are two batteries in the Niro PHEV one for the Electric vehicle and one for the Hybrid 'part' of the car>?
2. When does the Hybrid battery charge>? - is it on slow speeds and downhill\freewheel driving> or some other time>?
3. When does the Hybrid battery (rather than petrol) come into use>/ slow speeds >?
3. Why does the petrol engine come on when the fan is in use>/ and the 'EV' switch is 'on'?
4. I am really trying to work the balance between using the 'EV' engine and the Hybrid - and what is the economical 'balance' between the two?

Sorry for all these 'basic' questions but I find it hard to get the information from the Manual and from any Niro dealer. Thanks!! Terry M

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:29 pm
by Akula
Terry wrote: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:00 pm Thanks for the interesting opinions on when to use the EV and Hybrid in the Niro.
1. Can anybody tell me if there are two batteries in the Niro PHEV one for the Electric vehicle and one for the Hybrid 'part' of the car>?

No only the one 8.9kw battery . It will discharge and say its empty , and switch to hybrid mode but the actual gauge will show some left (think its about 15%) but it keeps this in reserve for using the car like a normal hybrid


2. When does the Hybrid battery charge>? - is it on slow speeds and downhill\freewheel driving> or some other time>?

Yes , it will recharge through braking and the like . Im led to believe the PHEV can be charged by putting it into sport mode and driving it a bit `sporty` although defeats the purpose of trying to keep it economical.

3. When does the Hybrid battery (rather than petrol) come into use>/ slow speeds >?

Id assume with the hybrid would come into use at lower speeds or power. Itll use the hybrid for assistance when moving off from standstill etc , where a car uses most fuel.

3. Why does the petrol engine come on when the fan is in use>/ and the 'EV' switch is 'on'?

In the PHEV the fan heaters work of the engine , there is no option to use the battery for the heaters so the engine will be on .


4. I am really trying to work the balance between using the 'EV' engine and the Hybrid - and what is the economical 'balance' between the two?

This would depend on your use of the car/journey length etc.
For example , in my case , im a 7 mile round trip to work , and all of my journeys are shot , probably a max of 10 miles , so i will probably use the EV 95% of the time .
As mentioned before i think whats intended is to use the hybrid or engine on the motorways , then use the EV when you get to a town for cutting about the streets.



Sorry for all these 'basic' questions but I find it hard to get the information from the Manual and from any Niro dealer. Thanks!! Terry M
Dont apologise for asking questions , its what the forums are for.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 2:59 pm
by wpandyr7
Hello, I have had my "Kia Niro 4" for two weeks now and have to say I am a bit disappointed, I find the petrol motor very noisy compared to the demonstrator I tried twice, and it seems to be running most of the time. On start up in the garage from cold it always uses the petrol engine, and is louder than my previous Skoda 2.0L diesel.

I have a number of questions, here is a start;

The battery never charges up more than 3/4 full, and never discharges below half, Is that normal?

Reading above about the two or one batteries, the hand book infers there are two, the main high voltage battery for driving the electric motor and an auxiliary 12v battery for the starter motor etc. The handbook tells how to charge this aux. battery but there is no indication of where it is located in HEV car, only in the PHEV ? Any one any ideas please.

The range left meter appears to decrement more than the miles driven and never increases as the engine warms up and becomes more efficient as other cars do ?

With very careful economic motorway driving I am just able to achieve 60 -62 MPG, about the same as the Skoda diesel did maintaining 70 mph. I am thinking I may have purchased the wrong car as I do mostly longer runs as opposed to just around town driving.?

I also noticed above that folks talk about using "EV" mode or " HEV" mode, how does one switch between the two ? ( I have not seen anything in all the different display screens ).

I would appreciate any help and advice please from experienced users. Thanks. Rod

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:49 pm
by Akula
wpandyr7 wrote: Wed Oct 10, 2018 2:59 pm Hello, I have had my "Kia Niro 4" for two weeks now and have to say I am a bit disappointed, I find the petrol motor very noisy compared to the demonstrator I tried twice, and it seems to be running most of the time. On start up in the garage from cold it always uses the petrol engine, and is louder than my previous Skoda 2.0L diesel.

I have a number of questions, here is a start;

The battery never charges up more than 3/4 full, and never discharges below half, Is that normal?

Reading above about the two or one batteries, the hand book infers there are two, the main high voltage battery for driving the electric motor and an auxiliary 12v battery for the starter motor etc. The handbook tells how to charge this aux. battery but there is no indication of where it is located in HEV car, only in the PHEV ? Any one any ideas please.

The range left meter appears to decrement more than the miles driven and never increases as the engine warms up and becomes more efficient as other cars do ?

With very careful economic motorway driving I am just able to achieve 60 -62 MPG, about the same as the Skoda diesel did maintaining 70 mph. I am thinking I may have purchased the wrong car as I do mostly longer runs as opposed to just around town driving.?

I also noticed above that folks talk about using "EV" mode or " HEV" mode, how does one switch between the two ? ( I have not seen anything in all the different display screens ).

I would appreciate any help and advice please from experienced users. Thanks. Rod

You will have just the Hybrid version , and not the actual Plug in hybrid version (PHEV) so there is no option for you to switch to Electric only mode (EV)
Your batteries will probably help you along from standstill etc.
From what i have read in other posts from hybrid owners the 3/4 to 1/2 battery is completely normal.

The user above was talking more in the way of two batteries (one for EV and one for hybrid) but they are the same battery , not the actual 12v battery for starting the internal combustion engine.

Also the fuel economy should improve as the engine breaks in.

Re: When to use HEV setting rather than EV ?

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:05 pm
by Mike8
It’s Mike - I asked the original question back on April. I have the Niro PHEV. This is what I have worked out. The car always starts in EV mode. Full charge shows 34 miles. In summer with no heating and little air on working, if doing less than 34 miles I get 999mpg i.e. the petrol engine doesn’t cut in at all. The exception is when additional power is needed - up a steep hill etc. If doing a long run, say 100+ miles, I get 90+ mpg (and use up all the battery power - 100% down to 20%. An overnight charge on cheap rate costs about 90p). If I go on a long run which I have done several times - 400+ miles with no battery left, I still get 60-70mpg travelling at 70ish mph.
However, in the winter months the petrol engine cuts in straight away and I’m getting closer to 60mpg, still excellent for a large car.
So, if I’m doing less than 34 miles I use EV only. If more than 34 miles I use EV for stop-start driving and switch to HEV for cruising, trying to use up all battery power by the end of the journey.
I’m well satisfied.
Mike