Short tripping a hybrid?

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Not talking about PHEV but traditional hybrid like the Accord.

Say your typical route is 4-5 miles one way, park for 1 hour, and then 4-5 miles back, maybe 3-4 times a week, and we do have long and cold winters here. Fuel economy implications aside, would such driving pattern be detrimental to a hybrid drivetrain even more so than to just a plain ICE?

I suppose pure EV would be better in such situations, but let's keep EV out of this discussion please.

Thanks.
 
I use an older version of this high end model for my Insights, but you can get cheaper ones for under $200.

 
It is what a hybrid is made for and not an issue

I wouldn't worry about it

Hate that automakers didn't give a charger option for their mild and regular hybrids. Revolt doesn't cover too many. Starting the day off at 100% could help some of our commutes.

I guess we should be happy for extended range hybrids.
 
I know our Camry Hybrid “does something” when you open the driver’s door. Maybe that is a coolant bottle releasing warm coolant for faster engine warmup, not sure, it sure likely isn’t doing much, not after sitting all night let alone a day.

I do think you have an issue here… These hybrids are “supposed” to be designed for short running times, but as you know, it’s still a short trip, with even less running time than ICE (in your case).

Can you push yourself up a level into one of the plug-in hybrids? Leave the engine off during the week, and only let it do its things on the weekend, when you know it’ll get warmed up properly. The engine should be well enough sealed up, along with the gas tank, that if it only gets a good workout once a month, that no extra water is going to condense in the crankcase, nor is the gasoline in the tank going to go bad. IMO your scenario is a good one for plug-in.
 
I don't think atikovi is correct in regards to all hybrids. Older Honda Hybrids used NiMh cells while they switched over to lithium ion many years ago. NiMh battery cells are more finicky, but cheaper and easier for the DIY'er to deal with as they age.
 
I don't think atikovi is correct in regards to all hybrids. Older Honda Hybrids used NiMh cells while they switched over to lithium ion many years ago. NiMh battery cells are more finicky, but cheaper and easier for the DIY'er to deal with as they age.
I mentioned I used it for my Insights, and they use NiMh cells.
 
I know my Highlander Hybrid is "made for" this, as Greasymechtech stated. The hybrid battery is recharged with braking, and even with coasting at certain times. Short tripping will not run it down, just the opposite. I commute 7.5 miles to work, with a few stoplights along the way. Now this isn't good for fuel dilution, with very few out of town trips my last UOA got fuel at 2.3% or something like that, with only 5K miles. But the hybrid battery within a few minutes, can get recharged much of the way up the meter. So I wouldn't worry about it.

It is what a hybrid is made for and not an issue

I wouldn't worry about it

Hate that automakers didn't give a charger option for their mild and regular hybrids. Revolt doesn't cover too many. Starting the day off at 100% could help some of our commutes.

I guess we should be happy for extended range hybrids.
 
Quattro, you're describing my commute...
4.3mi to work. sit for a couple hours, less than a 1/4 mi to/from the gas station on first break, sit for 2 more hours, then 1/2 mi or so to/from local restaurant row, sit 4 more hours, 4.3 mi home. Sit overnight then start same cycle over again.

the only thing I've noticed is moisture buildup in the top of the crank case (little bit of cookies and cream yogurt under the fill cap) over winter if I don't get out for a longer drive every once in a while. but the oil coming out looks fine.
 
My wife's Gen 2 Prius has a coolant storage bottle that collects heated coolant and stores it for quicker engine warm-up. I assume the newer Toyota hybrids have the same feature.
They've switched over to a heat exchanger between coolant and exhaust heat, near the catalytic converter.

My 2nd gen prii were great at making heat, just idling in my driveway. Give them five minutes to defrost and there'll be "steam" coming off the windshield.

As to the original question: Hybrids excel because they have smaller gas engines working closer to peak efficiency most of the time. So a smaller engine, and its commensurate smaller oil & coolant quantities, and thermal mass, tasked with moving a bigger car is better for short tripping. Assume its battery is NOT grid charged, all the energy has to come from the gas tank and through the little hard working engine.
 
I use an older version of this high end model for my Insights, but you can get cheaper ones for under $200.

That’s so obsolete relative to OP’s question, I’m not sure why you’re showing it…

Hybrid battery would get unbalanced and deteriorate. Grid charging would help.
You don’t grid charge modern hybrids. OP isn’t asking about PHEVs. Li-ion based hybrids have battery management systems that balance the cell groups automatically to keep balance.
 
Not talking about PHEV but traditional hybrid like the Accord.

Say your typical route is 4-5 miles one way, park for 1 hour, and then 4-5 miles back, maybe 3-4 times a week, and we do have long and cold winters here. Fuel economy implications aside, would such driving pattern be detrimental to a hybrid drivetrain even more so than to just a plain ICE?

I suppose pure EV would be better in such situations, but let's keep EV out of this discussion please.

Thanks.
I have a traditional hybrid, an Accord specifically. Love it.

Two general things to keep in mind:
1) batteries don’t charge well below freezing
2) making cabin heat requires fuel so MPGs will drop in the winter.

My commute is more like 8 miles. In warm weather I get 60+. In cold weather, depending upon heat use, I get 38-45. Highway is worse than city year round, nature of the design. But always >>40. I love mine.

My bigger concerns are:
1) in the cold, the hybrid will still try to go off battery if there’s sufficient charge. So I often purposely turn on heat to force an engine start, if I know I’m soon going to be on the highway or high load.
2) in the cold if the battery is low, I don’t like the regen to happen as it’s not good for a cold battery.

These things aside, my HAH has been perfect, since I bought it new in 2015. It has sat in Covid, it has sat for vacations, it fires right up, and works great. Short trips are not an issue, and in the 3/4 of the year thst it’s temperate or warmer, does really well.

Im a big fan of hybrid, and probably more so of PHEV…

Theyve saturated the market in northern Norway, so they can’t be that bad….
 
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That’s so obsolete relative to OP’s question, I’m not sure why you’re showing it…


You don’t grid charge modern hybrids. OP isn’t asking about PHEVs. Li-ion based hybrids have battery management systems that balance the cell groups automatically to keep balance.
I didn't post about PHEV's, and yes, he said traditional hybrids,
Not talking about PHEV but traditional hybrid like the Accord.
the traditional hybrid Accord used NiMH batteries. Only the modern Accords use LI.
 
Here is screen shot of the Maverick's trip info from the round trip to McDonald's this morning. I do a lot of these trips. Plus I usually do 2-4, 35 mile interstate trips a week. My oil on the dipstick has no fuel smell when checking oil. From here on, im doing 5-6K OCI's. If you never take long trips I would fo 3-4K oci's.

20230226_093315.jpg
As far as the 12V battery is concerned. I frequently slow charge mine on a float mode charger until it goes into float mode. I've had some charging sessions that last overnight, before it goes into float mode.
 
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