I was driving tonight and discovered why my wife said sometimes the engine started and she didn't know why. It seems that if you are in Auto E Drive, and you switch modes from Mid to Sport, the car starts the engine to slow you down further in some sort of "sporty" fashion. We use Green mode to coast better and switch to Mid mode when there is some sort of decent or a slow down coming to a stop.

If you are in Auto E drive, then mid and sport are the same there is no difference and the engine doesn't start.

Just FYI.

-=>Raja.

 

 

Next thing to determine is how to drive on the engine and NOT recharge the battery but NOT use the battery.

I need a long trip to figure this out, but my wife uses the car so I don't get as much chance to do it.

However, tonight she came to meet me in PA, we went to dinner at the top of a mountain. Driving up in hybrid mode the Mini got like 25mpg, pretty bad but I guess its uphill most of the way. On the way back I was able to go down the entire mountain and back to my friend's house in EV power. Started out at 10% battery, drove on the flat top of the mountain to 7% battery before the dowhill started. Downhill charged the battery to 25%, then I had to use it to go up and down rolling hills and finally climb up to my friend's house. I arrived with 5% battery and the ICE didn't start. Free ride back in effect doubling my MPG from 25 to 50 on this trip

-=>Raja.