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Golf gte - gte mode/hybrid mode

11K views 28 replies 8 participants last post by  MrPaulus 
#1 ·
When driving my gte I've noticed that it feels faster when I press the kick down switch in hybrid mode compared to when I do it in gte mode is there an issue or is it just me thinking it feels faster haha ?
 
#5 ·
Not true. Electric boost is available in both modes. In hybrid, if you press the pedal down to the floor past the kickdown point, the car engages the full boost and you get 201 hp.
You can even get it in e-mode. If you press the pedal all the way, you will get boost, although it doesn't seem good to start the engine from cold and ask for full power, so I wouldn't recommend it.
 
#11 ·
VW made a number of changes to the cars over time. I think standard hybrid mode keeps the battery charge whereas GTE mode will use some of it over time to improve the efficiency. However GTE will stop this when the battery gets to about 12 miles range. It will also charge up the battery to 12 miles range if it is below, which can burn extra fuel.

I usually just use Hybrid for longer trips, switching to GTE briefly when I want a bit of fun.
 
#13 ·
Because if it's not using the battery aswell why's it even called hybrid mode the only reason I'm saying this is because when I first got the car it felt like it used to switch between battery and engine when I was driving round town, now it just seems to use the engine and only runs on the battery when going really slow or is this normal
 
#14 ·
@Tom13045 I think you are overthinking it. Hybrid mode is using both electric and ICE. But at the same time, attempts to maintain the same SOC. So, let's say you are setting off at 50%SOC in hybrid mode, the car will start by using the electric motor to get you moving and at some speed will start the ICE. You have now used some electrons and the SOC is 45% (exaggerated). The car will then spend the next few minutes and any excess power or regen will be directed to the battery with the aim to bring the SOC back to 50%.

If the car uses mostly ICE, I can only assume that your SOC is very low. Basically the car can never reach sufficient SOC to run only on EV. Anything below 3miles on the GOM will wake up the ICE almost as soon as you move off.

You can do a simple test: charge to full and see how the car behaves then.
 
#15 ·
What @Todor said

It uses the battery but only as a buffer. Think of it like a water tank, it can take from it and put back into it, but the software ensures the level stays the same over the long run.

You can see this on the Consumption display, the car on 'Hybrid' alternates between charging the battery and using it, I suspect it guesses when the engine is running less efficiently and can apply additional load to it to improve its thermal efficiency, and then vice-versa when running inefficiently it can use the battery to assist it.

But the true logic is a mystery to me and I suspect only VW know!
 
#16 ·
Has anyone here much experience with the Passat GTE as well as golf? My experience with my Passat is that the battery gets used up slowly in hybrid and it prioritises ev if under very light load regardless of the speed. Although the lower the speed, the greater chance of running on battery.

Is this a coding difference between the car models as the golf is aimed at the driver where the Passat maybe aimed at a family/cruiser?
 
#17 ·
It is the same with the golf. What you are describing though sounds like driving at low speeds and/or urban/city. The car has no chance to recover the electricity used so the SOC slowly drops. It still tries to maintain SOC, just doesn't have the ability to do that: no high rpm, no heavy braking, etc.
 
#18 ·
And, unlike some other hybrids (e.g. the Prius) the car won't switch the engine on unless there's demand for it.

I was stuck in traffic once for over an hour with the battery at 10 miles range and the heater running. To my surprise, the engine didn't start once, the car just started running the heater from the battery.
Eventually the engine will turn on but only because the battery is totally exhausted.

The car maintains hybrid SOC at higher speeds where the engine is running, but it doesn't do anything at lower speeds, contrary to initial expectations.
 
#19 ·
Yeah ok. That makes sense. Most of my journeys (not necessarily miles) are done urban-ish (at least no greater than 50mph for longer than 20 secs) so I don't see much in the way of recuperation. When I do a motorway run and select hybrid it does a reasonable job of maintaining the SOC.

Sounds like the coding between the models is the same.
 
#21 ·
That's an error with a microswitch in the shift mechanism. Common on all dsg cars with this type of lever. It's one of the reasons VAG have gone to the tiddly electronic levers on recent cars.

There are 3 options as I see it:
1) get it replaced with a new shift assembly
2) search the interwebs for the guide on replacing the switch
3) do nothing.

I had it appear on my Octavia a few times in the 3 years I had it. It was infrequent so I didn't repair it and it never caused an issue.
Option 2 is the more involved repair but much much cheaper if you are able to take the bits apart yourself. An auto electrician should be able to do it too. Option 1 is a last resort as far as I'm concerned. Unless the car is under warranty?
 
#22 ·
I have exactly the same issue on my car and I've been driving it for 3 years without an issue. It's so rare and intermittent, it's probably down to minute timing of that microswitch bouncing on and off when going over bumps in the road. Unless the error stays on there permanently I'm going to ignore it. There's a video on how to repair:

But to be honest, it's a lot of work for a random fault.
 
#25 ·
Look at the revs when you are in GTE mode going steady at 40 for say 100meters. And then look at the revs going steady at 40 in hybrid at again 100meters.
Then peedle to the floor in both cases Agree acceleration is the same in both as it. It’s where it holds the revs that makes it more response. Going 40 with revs at 3500. And going at 40 with revs at 2000. Apply the same pressure. Which is going to take off quicker (rhetorical questions). I know we all know the answer.
 
#27 ·
Hello, im considering buying a golf GTE 2022. Unfortunately i have no home charger since i live in an apartment. Therefore I have 2 questions;
1. How many 'modes' are there on the golf GTE? I know there is a hybrid and GTE mode but i cant find the correct answer online.
2. How long will my battery last if i only use the hybrid and GTE mode? I know the car can drive on petrol only, but it will cost me more since the car will be heavier while not using the electric motor. Im not planning on using the EV mode, so how many times a week will i be charging at a station? :) thanks!
 
#29 ·
I'm guessing you mean don't bother with a GTE unless you can charge it easily, preferably at home.

I tend to agree. A PHEV doesn't make a lot of sense if you don't charge it, and to charge the small 13kWh battery on public charging probably isn't going to be economical.

Asking "How long will the battery last?" is not easy to answer. In GTE mode, the car will top up the battery and keep it around 50%, but of course, it's using the ICE engine to do that. The hybrid mode will gradually run the battery down, but how quickly depends on how fast you accelerate, top speed etc.
 
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