Howdy.

Just put down a deposit on a 2019 SE Hybrid and was a bit confused after reading some things online tonight...

I live in Colorado and during the winter, especially anywhere near the ski areas, I prefer to have AWD at the ready at all times. From what I understand in the SE, the ICE engine powers the front tires while the battery powers the rear.

It's about 50 miles to the slopes from where we live.

So my question is, will AWD not be available if the battery is depleted? Will there come a time where I'll need AWD but it won't happen? Is there a way to force or trick AWD mode?

Thanks!

 

 

My SE is in FL so I can't put this to a test, but logic would dictate that when the battery is depleted you'd be in FWD only. I would drive in Save mode primarily then drop into Mid when AWD is actually needed. I also have no experience with the traction systems (besides discovering that you can't be in RWD mode and turn off DSC, boooooo) or have yet to experience AWD in slippery conditions so I this is all speculation.

 

I can't find anywhere where they touch on what happens to the electrified xDrive when the battery is completely depleted but they go into detail about the system in the 225xe press release.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...52475EN/348199

 

The Countryman SE is a PHEV, so when the battery is sufficiently discharged that it can no longer support extended electric-only driving, it operates like most other hybrids (i.e., switches between gas-only, electric-only, and hybrid, as needed). In all of the literature I've read, both from independent sources and MINI/BMW, I've never come across something that indicates it's possible to "run out" of all-wheel drive capability due to the state of the battery charge.

 

In the SPA vehicles, Volvo uses the engine to drive the electric generator to provide power the electric motor for AWD if the batteries fall below the lower charge threshold. I suspect BMW does the same but I can't find anything confirming it.

 

 

We just had our first major snow since I picked up my 2018 Countryman SE last December. Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to actually make it AWD for better control in the snow. You either get electric drive in the rear or gas in the front, but only get both when you're flooring it to pass or in the seconds when it's switching back and forth. If someone knows how to make it true AWD, let me know! (it's not in the manual and even the tech savvy teen couldn't figure it out)

 

I drove in the snow tonight. If you are in Auto mode the car will start the engine and add FWD to the RWD battery power when the rear wheels slip and the DSC light blinks on.

If you put the car in Max E Drive then the engine does not start and the DSC will blink on and off and the car cuts and reapplies power to the rear wheels as it sees fit when you slip.

If in save battery mode you drive around mostly on the engine and I presume the rear wheels add power as needed. This would be true when you're trying to accelerate on packed powder. The car does pickup speed nicely in save battery mode or auto mode. What else should I try, anyone want to know something else?

As for the braking part, the car does its fair share of sliding. From 30mph on packed powder if you slam the brake to stop (I tried it), the car took about 10 seconds to come to a complete stop with the antilock brakes pulsing the whole way. This is on unplowed roads. So be careful just because you can get up and go and pass the poor guy who can't accelerate properly you still can't stop any faster than he can (in general).

Its not possible to run out of rear wheel drive EV power as in auto mode the car automatically maintains the battery to somewhere around 10% and if you manage to use the battery down to 3% I think the engine will even run with no power demand.

-=>Raja.

 

Based on my 6-8 months experience with the SE All4
The computer reserves 7%. So you can't force electric only below that amount.
"Save" mode is really recharge mode. The batteries will be recharged at the expense of engine load until battery reaches 94%.

You can't force "full time" AWD. The computer will only use AWD as needed based on Wheel slip
Putting car in sport mode makes the throttle more aggressive which use AWD a little more for acceleration. Also will only use battery only at slow speed

There are 3 traction control modes.
Full traction control (default)
Partial for loose traction roads (press traction button once)
No traction control. Press and hold traction button for a few seconds This forces engine on and you get no traction help.

If you want to force the engine on, press accelerator while car is at a stop and in park. I do this sometimes to warm the engine on cold days or I want a full power quick launch. 😁

 

What does "functionality" mean? How do these words creep into our linguistic nomenclature? LMAO

 

It was first used in 1864 according to google books, it's a little late to start complaining about it now.

 

No complaining here, sometimes when old words start to come back to our vocabulary they take a bit getting used to, just like new words do. Motor on 😎

 

I drove back to Denver on I-70 from Vail last night through a snowstorm. Vail pass and Loveland pass were the worst. The road was fully covered, had been plowed over and over, but still covered so you couldn't see the road markings. Commercial truck chain restrictions were on as well as requiring private vehicles to be awd/4wd or chained.

Bottom line, I made it home just fine, didn't feel like I lost traction. Drove mostly 20-40 mph in heavy snow leaving plenty of distance between the very few cars I passed. Once past Eisenhour Tunnel a couple of miles the snow broke and I zipped on down. I was concerned at first because of the points the thread makes. But in practice it worked out great.

 

I was able to experience the AWD myself the last couple of days here in MO - did well driving on packed snow and ice. It's been below zero so mostly running on engine power but you can definitely feel when the electric kicks in to keep you from spinning.

 

I too can vouch for the SE's snow performance -- I posted in another thread about recent experience in very wet & deep snow in CA/Tahoe region.

There is no question in my mind that they got the computer controls right on this model. Mine's a 2018 -- no issue with battery-driven rear wheel performance in sync with front wheel engine-driven performance. I intentionally forced the system to work hard (dead stop to acceleration up a slush-covered hill) and the traction control system kicked in -- you could see it on the dash and feel it in the wheels as one then two broke traction and the system got them all back.

Never been happier with a system like this. I think about my 1990s-era Isuzu Trooper with its TOD ("torque-on-demand") computer-system. It worked well for its era -- this is miles ahead of that and it should be given the car is 20 years newer with better computer-aided transmission.

I'm a super-fan at this point. Hope others are feeling the same way everywhere.