Driving

Design and Function

Applies to: 2013–2016; D82PHEV, D87PHEV

Driving

The vehicle is driven like a regular car. The electric motor mainly runs at low speeds, the internal combustion engine at higher speeds and during more active driving.

While driving, it is possible to put the vehicle in different driving modes, such as pure electric, or if necessary both electric and combustion engine mode. The mode is selected using the interior buttons PURE, HYBRID, POWER, AWD, and SAVE. Regardless of the selected driving mode, the control system ensures that the combination of driveability, driving experience, environmental impact and fuel economy is always optimally related to the current operating mode.

The control system can automatically disengage the selected driving mode, or block entry to specific driving modes, if the selected driving mode, because of the conditions and environmental factors, is not possible. The system is set to Hybrid mode and the reason why the driving mode automatically changed is explained by a message in the driver information module.

Hybrid mode

Hybrid mode is the vehicle's default startup mode, but can also be manually activated when the driver presses the HYBRID button. Hybrid mode is also the mode that the control system will return to if a more serious fault regarding electric mode is detected and electric mode has to be blocked.

The control system uses both electric rear axle operation and the internal combustion engine - individually or in parallel - and calculates the optimum use for performance, fuel consumption and comfort.

The vehicle's high voltage battery is used to drive the rear axle, electric ERAD. Kinetic energy is recovered during light engine braking by ERAD engaging and thus supplying energy back to the high voltage battery.

When necessary, that is when the driver requests more power than electric operation can provide, or when the high voltage battery needs charging, the internal combustion engine starts and runs in parallel on the front wheels. When the internal combustion engine is running, energy from the belt driven high voltage generator is returned to the high voltage battery.

Pure mode

Pure mode is activated when the driver presses the PURE button and all conditions for Pure mode are met. This mode focuses on electric operation and low energy consumption and aids the driver maximise electric operation.

As range is related to the vehicle's overall energy consumption during electric operation, functions that restrict the range, such as climate and dynamic performance, are compromised, but can be manually activated if desired.

The vehicle's high voltage battery is used to drive the rear axle, electric ERAD.

Kinetic energy is recovered during light engine braking by ERAD engaging and thus supplying energy back to the high voltage battery.

If necessary, such as at speeds exceeding 125 km/h or when the driver requests more power than electric operation can provide, the internal combustion engine starts and runs in parallel on the front wheels.

When the high voltage battery charge reaches the level when electric power is no longer available, the control system automatically switches to Hybrid mode.

If the control system detects a fault on any part that affects electric operation which blocks the same, the control system automatically switches to Hybrid mode.

Power mode

Power mode is activated when the driver presses the POWER button and all conditions for Power mode are met.

This selection puts the vehicle in the best possible response and performance mode, both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine are active all the time.

The vehicle's high voltage battery is used to drive the rear axle, electric ERAD. Kinetic energy is recovered during light engine braking by ERAD engaging and thus supplying energy back to the high voltage battery.

All the internal combustion engine's power is used to drive the front wheels and only when the high voltage battery needs charging the high voltage generator engages and makes high voltage battery charging available.

AWD mode

AWD mode is activated when the driver presses the AWD button and all conditions for AWD mode are met.

This selection enables four-wheel drive, which improves the vehicle's traction and mobility. The mode is primarily intended for low speed driving on slippery road surfaces.

The vehicle's internal combustion engine is used for the operation of both front and rear wheels. No energy is taken from the high voltage battery, the high voltage generator is used instead to directly supply the electric rear axle, ERAD.

Save mode

Save mode is activated when the driver presses the SAVE button and all conditions for Save mode are met.

This function ensures that the hybrid battery's energy level does not fall below a range of about 20 km on electric power. The aim is to save the energy for later when the electric operation is more suitable, such as for city driving. Electric motor driving saves more fuel at low speeds than at higher.

If the hybrid battery's energy is low when pressing the SAVE button, the diesel engine first charges it to a range of about 20 km in electric operation - only then is the SAVE function activated. When the SAVE button is pressed when the hybrid battery's energy level corresponds to more than 20 km of electric operation, the hybrid battery maintains the current level of energy.