Explain EV coach bars

[KenT]

The EV coach shows if the vehicle power system is charging, running on electric batteries, or in hybrid mode. It shows the hybrid power output percentage with a white bar, the electic power output with a blue bar, and the charging rate with a green bar. However, the solid green and blue bars are shown WITHIN the outline of another green or blue bar. The solid green and blue bars generally correspond with the Power % of the adjacent gauge. However, the solid bars expand or contract within the outline of the blue or green outline bars, which also expand or contract, but at different rates and levels than the solid bars. What information do these outline bars display that is distinct and different from the solid bars?

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[Groo]

yeah. I was messing with that today and it didn't seem to do any more than the standard blue green vertical thing in the left hand side power bar, but just more distracting. I was hoping it was showing battery charge state or something, but it does not appear to.

 

[Escapologist]

The outlines are the most you can achieve at the moment, like the "walls close in" when you're running out of battery, or have too little momentum left to put much charge back.

 

[Groo]

The outlines are the most you can achieve at the moment, like the "walls close in" when you're running out of battery, or have too little momentum left to put much charge back.

but charging can blast passed the walls

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

but charging can blast passed the walls

Not really.

It's a pseudo amp-meter.
The boxes are maximum values for the particular condition. So constantly changing as conditions change.
"Blasting past" means you are wasting energy so it's trying to coach you not to blast past.

 

[Ryom]

which also expand or contract, but at different rates and levels than the solid bars. What information do these outline bars display that is distinct and different from the solid bars?

Here's my understanding...

Your hybrid eCVT has 3 motors (ICE, MG1, MG2) that interplay to drive the entire system. The ICE engine cannot be run in reverse like the electric motors can, so there is gearing that allows one of the motor-generators to negate the spin of the transmission when it would otherwise put the ICE engine into a reversed spin cycle. Since ALL of the motors are permanently connected they all have to split the power of the system within the limitations of their components (RPM limits, inability to spin in reverse, etc). This means that they can't always provide full power in all states.

The bars that spread out as you accelerate are showing you that the electric motors are in a state that allows them to put more power into the system as requested up to their RPM limit (when the bars stop spreading apart).

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/how-the-ecvt-in-the-hybrid-works.83232/

 

[Suzukiridr14]

The EV coach shows if the vehicle power system is charging, running on electric batteries, or in hybrid mode. It shows the hybrid power output percentage with a white bar, the electic power output with a blue bar, and the charging rate with a green bar. However, the solid green and blue bars are shown WITHIN the outline of another green or blue bar. The solid green and blue bars generally correspond with the Power % of the adjacent gauge. However, the solid bars expand or contract within the outline of the blue or green outline bars, which also expand or contract, but at different rates and levels than the solid bars. What information do these outline bars display that is distinct and different from the solid bars?

I think the way you explain this, you may of stopped at to many "BARS"

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Here's my understanding...

Your hybrid eCVT has 3 motors (ICE, MG1, MG2) that interplay to drive the entire system. The ICE engine cannot be run in reverse like the electric motors can, so there is gearing that allows one of the motor-generators to negate the spin of the transmission when it would otherwise put the ICE engine into a reversed spin cycle. Since ALL of the motors are permanently connected they all have to split the power of the system within the limitations of their components (RPM limits, inability to spin in reverse, etc). This means that they can't always provide full power in all states.

The bars that spread out as you accelerate are showing you that the electric motors are in a state that allows them to put more power into the system as requested up to their RPM limit (when the bars stop spreading apart).

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/how-the-ecvt-in-the-hybrid-works.83232/

Except the bars show current (amps or wattage) limits not rpms.

 

[HeyBales]

but charging can blast passed the walls

Actually - that means you went past regen and engaged the brake pads.

There is still max regen rate happening when you go into the pads - but you are into the pads.

 

[HeyBales]

Here's my understanding...

Your hybrid eCVT has 3 motors (ICE, MG1, MG2) that interplay to drive the entire system. The ICE engine cannot be run in reverse like the electric motors can, so there is gearing that allows one of the motor-generators to negate the spin of the transmission when it would otherwise put the ICE engine into a reversed spin cycle. Since ALL of the motors are permanently connected they all have to split the power of the system within the limitations of their components (RPM limits, inability to spin in reverse, etc). This means that they can't always provide full power in all states.

The bars that spread out as you accelerate are showing you that the electric motors are in a state that allows them to put more power into the system as requested up to their RPM limit (when the bars stop spreading apart).

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/how-the-ecvt-in-the-hybrid-works.83232/

Eh. (oh, Ford speak - Generator Motor/Traction Motor, engine)

The increasing blue outline for EV mode as you slowly start out.
That could instantly show a full long bar that you could try to stay within - there really is no Amp limit there when it's shorter - that's programming to cause it to increase slowly if you press on the Go pedal slowly staying in it. It's just getting across the point if you pound it - the ICE is turning on.
Even if you stayed right at the 10 or 15% power limit - if you do it fast enough, you overcome the allowed amount.

You can get the full blue outline on initial startup sometimes - if you parked with 50% or better SOC or that was adjusted up after HVB cooled.
Then you can do better than normal 10 or 15% power limit for a bit by up to 10% extra.

The decreasing green outline is a choice too based on vehicle speed, it just does less regen resistance as you slow to mimic actual brakes as close as they want to. Until slow enough the real pads are brought in.
You can be at a SOC% where there is plenty of fill left for the HVB from regen, but as you slow that would have you slowing even faster if max regen was done.
So the green outline shrinks, so to stay in regen you need to back off the brakes.

The white hybrid bar is the one I find interesting - 50% sure seems to almost fill the available area, doesn't seem like much space available to get up to 100%, but I guess there is. Don't think I've gotten there, or wasn't able to watch at that moment.

The goofiness (on pre-25MY anyway) of being in hybrid with longer white bar - and show this little itty-bitty blue outline for potential EV use when available - I think it would be nice if that was bigger and more visible.
Because during winter, there is a time when you won't be able to slip into EV, so no outline shown - but when you could, get it bigger!

 

[Groo]

Actually - that means you went past regen and engaged the brake pads.

There is still max regen rate happening when you go into the pads - but you are into the pads.

No. It was only at about 1/2 of peak regen when it "hit the walls"

 

[HeyBales]

No. It was only at about 1/2 of peak regen when it "hit the walls"

Are you talking about the Power Meter or the EV Coach?

If the bar grew and "hit the walls" and went beyond the outline by even a bit - your brake pressure was engaged and pads used.

What do you mean then by 1/2 of peak regen?
Where is that?

From 25MY manual:
EV COACH - HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE (HEV)

EV coach can help you get the most out of your vehicle's electric driving capabilities.
When you are accelerating or maintaining speed you see a blue or white solid bar indicating vehicle power. You may also see a blue rectangular box which shows the power level at which the engine turns on.

• When the power level is within the box, the color of the bar is blue. This means you are in electric operation and the engine is off.
• When the power level is outside of the box, the color of the bar is white. This means you are in hybrid operation with a combination of the electric motor and the engine providing vehicle power.

When you are decelerating with either your foot off the accelerator pedal or on the brake pedal, a green or white solid bar displays indicating the power being used to slow down your vehicle. You may also see a green rectangular box which shows the amount of power that can be recaptured by the regenerative braking system and returned to the high voltage battery.

• When the power level is within the box, the color of the bar will be all green. This means that the regenerative braking system is being used to efficiently slow your vehicle down and return the maximum percentage of energy to the high voltage battery.
• When the power level is outside of the box, then the bar is white. This means both the regenerative braking system and conventional braking system are being used.

 

[Groo]

Power meter was showing about half when the coach was full. I contued to "brake" harder and the coach reset with new walls.

 

[KenT]

Ah, so. I did not connect the manual’s reference to a “box” to what I called an “outline bar”.

So in the electric blue side, the gap between the solid bar and the outline bar is untapped electric power available for use. When the accelerator is pressed and the solid bar changes to hybrid white, the blue box at the base of the bar must the the battery’s contribution to the total power.

In the regenerative green side, the gap between the outline bar and solid bar must be additional regenerative stopping force available for use before mechanical breaking is applied. Since my insurance company monitors my driving, I hardly ever had to apply mechanical breaking force. When I do a test hard stop, I see that there is a solid white bar that extends past the green outline bar, which must represent total breaking force, both mechanical and regenerative. The green box at the base of the bar must be regenerative breaking force.

When coasting, the solid green bar must be power sent back to the battery by the generator in the hybrid mechanism. But what is the green outline bar in this condition? Total power available from the generator at some optimum coasting speed, or what?

Any critiques or corrections to this hypothesis?

 

[HeyBales]

Ah, so. I did not connect the manual’s reference to a “box” to what I called an “outline bar”.

So in the electric blue side, the gap between the solid bar and the outline bar is untapped electric power available for use. When the accelerator is pressed and the solid bar changes to hybrid white, the blue box at the base of the bar must the the battery’s contribution to the total power.

In the regenerative green side, the gap between the outline bar and solid bar must be additional regenerative stopping force available for use before mechanical breaking is applied. Since my insurance company monitors my driving, I hardly ever had to apply mechanical breaking force. When I do a test hard stop, I see that there is a solid white bar that extends past the green outline bar, which must represent total breaking force, both mechanical and regenerative. The green box at the base of the bar must be regenerative breaking force.

When coasting, the solid green bar must be power sent back to the battery by the generator in the hybrid mechanism. But what is the green outline bar in this condition? Total power available from the generator at some optimum coasting speed, or what?

Any critiques or corrections to this hypothesis?

The blue box when in hybrid white bar is not the amount of motor contribution to the power.
Logs show you can be cruising along right above the 10 or 15% power limit with no motor torque at all - that blue box will be there.
It's showing that EV could be possible, if your power request was closer to it.

So in theory if you were really fine on the Go pedal, you could lower power request to inside the blue box - it would expand bigger - and you'd be in EV mode.
But it's just a whole lot easier to totally letup on the Go pedal - press it softly back down - and pop back in EV mode.

Contrast that with what you comment about the other side when braking.
The solid bar can go past the box that stays the same shape, but turns white - in which case you are max regen (mid-130's amps) - and into the pads.
If there is space between green bar and box - you got regen available if you need to slow down faster.
And you can watch that potential regen shrink as you slow down.
Or it sounds like with 25MY mentioned above - possibly grow too...

Green box coasting or braking is the same thing since both are resistance from the traction motor - so regen potential.
Either what the drive mode causes automatically or what you cause manually with the brake pedal is what the green bar is.

It's why you can push the Low button and get max regen closer to the line than you might even get with the brake pedal.
But switch Low on and off - the green box is the same - the available regen is the same - how much bar you get to the end depends on how careful you are compared to the drive mode Low.

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