[GS2019]

Hi, What are the best ways to leverage (or to get the best) electric mileage on the 45e? This is my first Hybrid vehicle. thanks for your suggestions.

[taek]

In Hybrid mode, staying in the blue range of the power band keeps you in full electric so I generally don't accelerate past that assuming I want to use the least amount of gas as possible. You can obviously still floor it when that's just too slow. Same for the speedometer, you'll be full electric in the blue range (~ 65 mph?).

You can also just go into Electric mode and force it to be all electric, with a higher speed limit. You'll still have the gas engine if you kickdown the throttle. I use this mode generally on highways for the higher electric speed limit.

Adaptive mode will try to optimize gas/electricity depending on the destination you set in the navigation.

[juancasala]

I’ve been testing out my new 45e, and today I was switching between:
- Battery Control mode
- On downhills, I switched to Hybrid (Eco) - thinking this would regenerate more - I think Hybrid/Standard does better, because I feels like Eco disengages the transmission (like my previous cars did when coasting)
- On uphills, I switched to Sport

I have no idea if this is the best way - but I can tell you I picked up a few extra electric miles, in about 10 miles worth of driving. Probably used extra gas in the process, because the MPGs are very low in the Battery Control mode.

[Jeff661]

I drive in electric mode if I know my trip will be short enough not to need gas. I default to electric mode and then switch to hybrid or sport if I want that for some reason. If my trip is more than 35 miles, I still start electric and then let it switch to hybrid when the battery runs out.

[allinon72]

If I know I'm taking a short trip within battery range, I keep it in electric. Medium trip outside of battery range - hybrid. Long range - adaptive. I try to resist the urge to do too much tinkering as the car knows better than me how to manage the battery.

[GS2019]

If you drive and switch off the car the previous day at electric mode, does the car start the next ride on the same mode?

How does the 45e knows which mode to start each time? Is there a default mode it always starts off?

[Jeff661]

The default mode is hybrid but there’s a setting in idrive to change the default to electric. I don’t think you can select any other mode as default.

[GS2019]

Originally Posted by Jeff661

The default mode is hybrid but there’s a setting in idrive to change the default to electric. I don’t think you can select any other mode as default.

Thank you. I need to search where that option is.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by GS2019

[...]Is there a default mode it always starts off?

Originally Posted by GS2019

I need to search where that option is.

as previously mentioned, Hybrid drive mode is the default drive mode every time you start your vehicle unless Electric drive mode is set to default. (one guy's dealer set it unknowingly before he took delivery so he was adamant Electric was default, but that's not how it comes from the factory.) to set Electric as the default drive mode:
Car > Settings > Driving mode > Configure ELECTRIC INDIVIDUAL > select ELECTRIC INDIVIDUAL as standard

you can also code a different default drive mode through an app like BimmerCode. choices include Sport, Sport+, Comfort, etc., but this thread being about the 45e, those wouldn't make much sense (more for ICE vehicles). i've seen folks default Adaptive drive mode through coding on their 45e.

[ksavostin]

Hybrid Eco Pro mode turn off have regenerating brake when you take you foot off a gas pedal, thus if you are able to do coasting for a good amount of time it will be more efficient then you would use regenerating brake in other driving modes.

[walkday]

My practice is:

if trip < electric range, use just the battery;

if trip >> electric range, use battery ONLY during low-speed stop and go, i.e., when the gas engine is least efficient; enable battery control to save it for the forthcoming local traffic;

Otherwise, just use Hybrid or Hybrid ECO (which enables coasting).

[dbullock]

Good idea

[GS2019]

Excellent suggestions - thanks guys... Today I tried Hybrid on my 15 miles local drive with battery 100%, drove under 45 mph and it used electric mainly with some gas. Not sure why it used gas in between on Hybrid

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by GS2019

Not sure why it used gas in between on Hybrid

i wouldn't overthink it. Hybrid literally means a combination of the two. it knows what it's doing.

[GS2019]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

i wouldn't overthink it. Hybrid literally means a combination of the two. it knows what it's doing.

Not at all concerned, instead, trying to learn this beast in how it operates

[jad03060]

If you have a heavy foot, it's not hard to get the X5 to turn on the ICE.

If you get setup with BimmerCode app and an OBD-II adapter, you can set whatever mode you want as the default, along with other things.

I have adaptive set as my default. Given when and where I drive, it's almost always in EV mode, but if you put in a destination to the navigation, that mode also takes into account your route for higher speed and in town use, or hills and opportunities to regenerate.

It takes energy to accelerate. The EV motor is efficient, but you don't want to overshoot your desired speed and then have to slow down as regeneration is never going to return that lost energy as efficiently. The cruise control is more likely to maintain a steady speed for you, but if you have adaptive cruise control, be attentive to people that pass you then cut back in early...the vehicle will abruptly slow to regain the set spacing, then accelerate. Better to manually intervene to let that vehicle more slowly gain the safety margin if the conditions allow.