I am wondering since the AC in the hybrid works on electricity and not the engine. In summer, when using remote start to cool down the car, does it affect the fuel consumption as in cold weather or not?
logically It shouldn't unless the battery needs charging.
Looking forward for your feedback.

 

Guss: yes. As it warms up, sooner for you than me, the AC will come on in a remote start. The AC is powered by the 300 volt system and runs at variable compressor speeds and power. Since you can't get killowatts for free, you will burn some gas. However your 2010 will Auto-Stop while in a 10 minute remote start cycle. That should help make up for it. When the engine does run it will be at a more efficient load point.

 

Thanks Marty for yoru feedback
so it will burn less when cooling, than heating correct?

 

Guss: sort of... This might not make much sense since "normal" cabin heat is considered "free" since it is usually effluent heat from combustion.

When your engine and transmission are near freezing it takes a while and a significant amount of gasoline to bring them up to running temperature. About 350 Kg of aluminum, iron, copper, and about 20 liters of oil, trans fluid, and coolant need to be heated to about 45C in order to feel heat. Heating the cabin draws from engine coolant and prolongs the engine warm up. If the HV battery is too cold the engine and hybrid system must do some other tricks that won't over voltage the cold battery. These "tricks" are inefficient but the system has limits or hardware can be damaged.

Now in warmer times the battery is able to accept a charge straight away. Cold battery over voltage is not a problem. The engine and transmission are much closer to running temperatures. So the overall warm efficiency improvements will most likely mask the air conditioning draw in the remote start.

Normally heating costs less gas than AC. But we are discussing the 10 minutes of a remote start. Once fully warmed up ~ 1 hour of operation... heating is cheaper.

But with short trips the warm up period hurts as you have seen.

Good luck as it warms up. Still -3C here but the sun came out.

 

Got it,
Thanks Marty

So using the AC in the summer, would still increase the gas conumption slightly, even though it works on the 300V?

 

Guss: Yes. Can't get something for nothing. Once the cabin cools from the initial start up you compressor power will drop into the 300 watt range. The blowers front and rear will use more power than the refrigerant compressor. So Auto will be most efficient.

 

Thanks Marty

 

Hi Marty does the 2009 Auto-Stop in Remote Start?

 

I believe that the Auto Stop in Remote Start and reverse was a 2010 addition.

So Guss has some new features the rest of us don't.

 

Thanks for the information Marty.