What is Hilltop Mode?

[Todd]

I've seen references to it, but I can't find a definition.

 

[boltage]

Hilltop reserve mode stops charging at 87-90% full, rather than 100% full.

The idea is that if you live on top of a hill, you leave some of the battery empty to be able to regenerate energy into the battery as you drive down the hill (if the battery is 100% full, you would have to dissipate it with the brake pads when driving down the hill).

It can also be used to extend long term battery life if you are concerned about the greater battery degradation that may occur if charged 100% full all the time. I.e. charge in hilltop reserve mode unless your next drive will be a long one that may need the full 100% charge.

 

[SparkE]

I've seen references to it, but I can't find a definition.

Page 213 of the Bolt manual (and elsewhere in the manual).

It basically stops charging the vehicle when the battery gets to "about" 90% full. It should prolong the useful life of the battery (as Li-Ion batteries do NOT like being charged to full, or completely emptied). There are 'buffers' built in by Chevy so that only about 60 kWh of the approx 65 kWh total capacity is 'usable' (all rumored - Chevy is mum on this)

Edit: I see that I was a few minutes late ...

 

[cranial1963]

I've seen references to it, but I can't find a definition.

Check your glove box...

 

[michaellax]

Not to be confused with Hilltop ala Mode which comes with ice cream! :lol:

 

[Todd]

RE references to the manual -- I actually searched it, because it's a long read. But I searched for "hilltop" and Chevy has it at "Hill Top" which is different. My bad.

 

[SeanNelson]

RE references to the manual -- I actually searched it, because it's a long read. But I searched for "hilltop" and Chevy has it at "Hill Top" which is different. My bad.

Yeah, half the time the secret is in knowing what to search for. I've learned to try different combinations to find what I'm looking for - for example in this case I'd try "hilltop" and "hill top" and if neither of those worked then I'd try just "hill". You start with something specific and go to more and more generic terms if you need to.

Doing document and Internet searches is a bit of a skill that's worth developing, IMHO.

 

[like2bike]

I think it is called "Hill Top" instead of "Battery Life" mode because of what the EPA did to Nissan with their 80% setting for the early LEAF. They made them use the 80% for the stated range. Of course, if you just have an adjustable max charge, like Tesla had, then you are not advocating any setting for battery life. Nissan was good at making bad decisions like this, but Chevy comes in a close second.