Driving in L mode and using the heat when ICE is running

[xxxthebxxx]

Hey all,

 

I've been discovering L mode more after perusing the forums here. Does a mode like this overwork the batteries, or is the recharge rate similar to if I brake slowly to a stop?

 

It's definitely been a learning curve for me, since in my previous car and all before it, I would brake, release the pedal, and then brake again to avoid riding the pads, but now that seems to be a good thing for regen.

 

Also, I know that using the heater and defroster ruins range. I've seen it first hand in the past two months. My range is 30-40% better with no climate control and better spring temperatures.

 

If I have my car in hybrid mode after the battery is empty, and the car's water temperature is in normal levels, will running the heater draw heat from the motor like a normal car, or is it still electric?

 

Along those lines, I also notice sometimes that my EV mode ends and the car's water temperature is still completely cold...and it may switch at highway cruising speeds! And other times, I am driving in EV mode only to start my day and notice the car's water temperature goes up even with the ICE still off.

 

Thanks for all of your help!

[jsamp]

Though braking can deliver more to the battery in a short time, using L vs braking slowly is pretty much a wash.  Braking as hard as you can and still get 100% brake score is really dumping fast into the battery, but only for a short duration.  If you stop from fwy speeds and it takes 30 seconds to come to a complete stop, you gain ~2% charge on the center screen (2% of EV mode that is).  At that rate you could charge the whole battery in ~25 minutes, which is crazy. 

 

Where I have done the most is on a VERY long downhill where I added 24% to the battery in 6.5 minutes.  At that rate, and if the hill was 4x longer, I could have charged the whole battery in 27 minutes.  Not recommended.

[xxxthebxxx]

I didn't realize how much braking could actually return to the battery! The car is definitely designed for it then, so I suppose I'll keep trying what works for me. I do like not using the brake as much in L mode.