Can someone clarify the A/C system on the FEH.

I live in Texas and temps for a couple of months a year can run about 100.

Do I understand that the A/C runs off the gas engine? How does this work in real-life. I'd hate to buy a FEH and find that I'm running the gas motor to power the A/C all of the way home.

I just bought a Camry Hybrid for my wife and the A/C will get ya lookin for a sweater real quick! It runs on the Electric system. Sooooo there is no problem there.

I'm going to be replacing my Highlander in May-June and want to decide on a FEH or a Rav-4 soon.

Thanks!

 

There are two options, though the engine must be running for the air to be cooled.

The Regular AC settings (with or without recirculation) work with the hybrid system. In other words, if the engine is on, the air conditioner will run. If the engine is off, the fan will continue to blow but there will be no cooling. The blown air will remain cool for a couple of minutes since the coils are still cold, but after that it won't be so cool. The regular settings will NOT cause the engine to come on.

The Max AC setting overrides the hybrid system and keeps the engine and the AC running at all times. The engine will not shut down in Max AC mode.

As for your fuel efficiency under Regular or Max AC, I'll leave that to some of the more experienced drivers here. I will say that if you do alot of highway driving (or any driving where the engine must run anyway) it won't hurt your economy that much.

 

The AC runs off the ICE rather than the electric motor. So what TimK described is correct. However I will say that when in "regular" AC mode, even in recirculated AC mode, my FEH's air does not stay "cool" for a few minutes when the ICE is off. It stays cool for maybe 30 seconds, then the air is noticeably warmer. If I am sitting at a long light, or crawling along in EV mode, in 90+ degree heat, I do not stay cool if the A/C is off for more than a minute. I will say that when you are moving again, and the gas engine comes on, it cools down again very quickly.

Basically, it will come down to your comfort level. Are you willing to leave the gas engine off and suffer a minute or so of increasingly warm air? If so then you will probably be fine. If not, then you may be someone (like my wife) who needs to use the Max A/C setting, which will take away a good chunk of the FEH fuel savings on very hot days.

 

I agree with everything posted so far. Nothing much to add on how the a/c works.

What I have found is that I can stay more comfortable at stop lights or extended EV periods by putting the blower fan on a lower setting, 2 or even 1. Once the ICE comes back on, blast the fan to get the cabin temp back down. This adds a little to the workload but it has become part of the routine. I don't use the a/c anyway until the temp is at least 90° anyway.

I do 95% or more of my driving alone so I don't have to worry about back seat passenger comfort. When I have the wife and kids in the car, the a/c policy changes a little.

 

I'm suprised the A/C in the Camry Hybrid works off the electric motor. I wonder why Ford didn't do that with the Ford Escape Hybrid? But I will have to say from experience that Toyotas have the coldest A/C of any automaker, whether it be a Camry or a Tundra.

 

The Camry A/C operates with an electric compressor, it does not run off the electric motor that propels the vehicle. The same is true about the power steering system.

 

Ford realized the problem with their power steeting system too. Its run by electric. Too bad Ford didn't do the same with the A/C system. I guess they just don't use A/C all that often in Detroit.

 

I think there may have been more thought that went into it than you are giving them credit for. A compressor requires a large amount of power to run and if it was running off the battery, the end result would be shorter EV times and more ICE on time. With the compressor running off the gas engine, the driver at least has the option of highest efficiency versus highest comfort. More often then not, I take the efficiency.

I have also found that initial warmup ICE running time is an ideal chance to cool off the cabin using MAX a/c. Once the car is ready for EV, switch back to one of the white settings.

The power steering is a different matter - you would never want to be without it so it was run off the battery.

 

Have you ever driven a base Escape and then a Hybrid? The steering ratio on the hybrid is a lot higher, probably to minimize the amount of current required with the power assist system.

Turns that require half a turn of the steering wheel on the base require almost 3/4 turn on the hybrid. Well, maybe not quite 50% more, but it is noticeable.

 

Besides running the A/C at initial warmup, another ideal place to run the A/C is when you are descending a hill in L. When your battery is full, the computer will spin the ICE with the fuel shutoff to slow your descent. Turning on the A/C not only adds more drag, but cools you for free as well!

rb