edatoakrun
Well-known member
First drive report below.
IMO, every PHEV should have a Battery charge mode, allowing the driver to selectively control SOC for city driving, or (more importantly for me) large ascents.
Probably an even bigger win for Hyundai in the sales market:
IMO, every PHEV should have a Battery charge mode, allowing the driver to selectively control SOC for city driving, or (more importantly for me) large ascents.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/05/20150526-sonata.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Drive modes. The 2016 Sonata PHEV has three operating modes:
•EV mode. EV mode, or all-electric battery charge depleting mode, can handle speeds up to approximately 75 mph (121 km/h). This is the default mode for the Sonata PHEV, and is recommended for city driving.
•Hybrid mode. In hybrid mode (charge sustaining mode), the Sonata PHEV operates much like its HEV sibling—one of the major exceptions being the lack of a Sport Mode, which is available on the Sonata Hybrid.
•Battery charge mode. A long press on the HEV toggle switch on the center console invokes battery charge mode, which uses engine power to run the traction motor as a generator to recharge the battery pack more rapidly.
In our relatively short test drive, we found this last feature to be very compelling and well implemented. A typical use case scenario would be starting out on a longer drive or commute in EV mode, and moving onto a high-speed highway some miles into the drive. The Sonata PHEV is perfectly capable of handling (legal) Interstate speeds on battery pack alone; however, such operation depletes the battery relatively quickly...
Probably an even bigger win for Hyundai in the sales market:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/android-auto-review-the-smartphone-finally-finds-its-rightful-home-in-the-car-1432641601" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Android Auto Review: The Smartphone Finally Finds Its Rightful Home in the Car
A future without slow, unintuitive in-dash navigation systems is on the horizon
May 26, 2015 8:00 a.m. ET
I am petrified when my dad is behind the wheel.
His car’s $1,500 in-dash navigation system is riddled with menus so complex and unintuitive they should require a pilot’s license. So instead of keeping his eyes on the road, he splits his time between fidgeting with the screen and fighting with the robotic woman’s voice emanating from the dashboard. (She usually wins.)
It gets worse. Lately, he has taken to driving around with his smartphone in his lap instead. Google Maps and Waze are easier and more up-to-date and accurate than his fancy system, he tells me. As if I didn’t know.
But this isn’t just about my dad. It’s about how a safer, better system is hitting the road for the 70% of drivers who use their smartphones’ maps and other features while driving, according to a new study by AT&T. It’s about how I wish they would all be able to get Android Auto in their cars.
Starting this week, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata will be the first car to include Google’s new in-car software. When you plug your Android smartphone into the car’s USB port, the vehicle’s center screen is taken over by an interface with your phone’s maps, music and other street-legal features.
Apple ’s CarPlay, hitting mainstream cars this year, does something similar for iPhone users. (I spent some time with it, but will write an in-depth review only after I can drive with it for a few days.)
After a week cruising around with Android Auto, I’m convinced this is the future of in-dash technology. Taking the software design out of the hands of car makers and putting it in the hands of phone makers should have happened long ago.
Google’s mobile talents—maps, speech recognition, Google Now—are great behind the wheel...