First 30 seconds of driving after a cold start

[CraigB]

Morning All,

Quick question for all you hybrid drivers...

After I start the car on a cold morning, I don't seem to get the full "hybrid experience" until after about 30 seconds of driving. The Hybrid system has beeped and the green Hybrid light is on, but I only get power and torque from the engine, nothing from the batteries. Then after about 30 seconds I get a shove of power and torque as they kick in. I presume it's something to do with temperature?

This never happened in the summer months, but it really noticeable on cold days (today it's 1 degree).

Anyone else get this, or is it time for a quick trip to the local dealer?

Thanks

Craig

 

[DJP]

I don't remember experiencing this with my IS but definitely do with the NX. It is a little disconcerting as the pressure on the go pedal hasn't changed.

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[dutchie01]

i have thesame.  it shows the weak point of batteries namely cold temperatures. when below 5 celcius they loose a lot of capacity, in summer i drive certain roads on batterypower alone and in winter they dont have the juice to do so. i think that is one of the explanations why consumption in winter is considerably higher than in summer. the engine kicks in sooner.

[Steve44]

Are you sure it's not just a sluggish CVT gearbox? I get this too, but it seems it's more about slow changing of CVT as its cold rather than batteries. I assume it takes a bit for it to warm up the oil. 

I think the Battery pack is temp controlled to cope with the worst of the ambient variance. 

[Zotto]

it's  normal, the engine has to get warm fastly and stays ON, it's called S1 phase.

[rayaans]

36 minutes ago, Zotto said:

it's  normal, the engine has to get warm fastly and stays ON, it's called S1 phase.

I thought that was when DNA got replicated in a cell undergoing mitosis?! :O

[Rabbers]

I have noticed that the sluggish response on cold-weather starts does not always occur, and if and when it does, I have always judged

it to be the result of lower-than-usual temperatures during the period of inactivity (e.g. overnight freezes), and, like Steve, I believe it has

more to do with the coldness of the transmission and engine fluids than the batteries - though it is difficult to tell one way or the other.

In any case, I place my trust in the hybrid system's reassuring beep into life and the manual's recommended non-observance of any

warm-up time.

[Zotto]

It is something similar to Prius engine :

http://www.john2211.nl/Hybride_modi.htm

[rhosneigr]

Very interesting article. My CT 200 seems to follow this pattern and for the first quarter mile it feels like an awful flat spot on acceleration. I feel much happier about it after reading the article. Thank you.