Hybrid Tuning - Power and Performance

Hybrid cars have captured the world's attention, and with good reason. They potentially offer high fuel efficiency, low CO2 emissions and here in the UK often have significant tax advantages (particularly for company car owners). This has brought about a lot more interest in hybrid tuning.

There are three main types of hybrids: mild hybrids, full hybrids, and plug-in hybrids. Mild hybrids have very small electric motors, usually more akin to a large starter motor. These are used for boosting acceleration or moving the car in traffic. These cars can’t however be driven at road speeds solely on the electric motor. Full hybrids can run on either petrol/diesel or electricity, and they use a larger motor and battery pack than mild hybrids. Plug-in hybrids typically have an even larger battery pack that can be recharged by plugging it into an electrical outlet. 

Can you offer hybrid tuning for my car?

We get asked this question a lot and fortunately in most cases the answer is yes!

Quite often the engine part of the hybrid drivetrain is a de-tuned version of a more powerful engine found elsewhere in the manufacturer’s range. In these cases the results can be absolutely phenomenal. We have several great hybrid tuning examples: 

Mercedes A250e

The Mercedes A250e is another popular candidate for our hybrid tuning box. This car uses a 1.3 litre turbocharged petrol engine, coupled with a 57hp electric motor for a stock figure of 215hp. With the addition of our hybrid tuning box we see big gains right across the rev range.

BMW X5 45e

The BMW X5 45e uses the turbocharged six-cylinder 3.0-litre B58 engine. This is effectively the same unit found in other BMW models, which make 335hp from the factory, yet is detuned to 282hp. With one of our Bluespark Pro Petrol hybrid tuning chips we can unlock the lost power, and increase it significantly beyond the stock figure. We see gains on these of up to 116hp and 150Nm torque!

Click here to see our unit for the X5 45e.

 

BMW 330e (G20)

The G20 330e is a similar story. It uses the turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre B48 engine. This is another de-tuned engine, using the same unit from the BMW 330i but detuned to 184hp. We can unlock all that power from the petrol engine and get it back to producing over 250hp with our hybrid tuning box.

Click here to see our unit for the 330e.

You can find out more about tuning the B48 engine on our projects page here.

 

VW Golf GTE

The Golf GTE uses a 1.4 TSI 150PS engine coupled with an electric hybrid system. Together they make 245PS and 400Nm as standard, but this can still be improved upon.

Fitting our hybrid tuning box unlocks another 35PS and 50Nm pushing the GTE far closer to Golf R territory.

Click here to find out more.

 

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Car

If you're considering buying a hybrid car, you're probably wondering what the pros and cons are. Here's a quick rundown of the main pros and cons of owning a hybrid car.

Pros:

1. Hybrid cars typically return good MPG. This is probably the biggest selling point of hybrid cars. If you're looking to save money on fuel then hybrids can often help.
   
   
2. Hybrid cars are typically eco-friendly. Since they use less petrol, hybrids produce less emissions than traditional petrol cars. This means that you'll be doing your part to help the environment when you drive a hybrid.
   
   
3. Hybrid cars are often eligible for government tax breaks and incentives, particularly in company car ownership. If you're looking for a way to reduce your tax bill, owning a hybrid car could help you do that.
   
   
4. Once you have used one of our hybrid tuning options, performance can be phenomenal.

 

Cons:

1. Hybrid cars can be expensive. The initial cost of a hybrid car can be higher than a traditional petrol car, although the long-term savings on fuel will eventually make up for this difference.
   
   
2. Because hybrids are still somewhat new technology, some people may be hesitant to buy a used vehicle. This means depreciation might be steeper than for a regular petrol or Diesel powered car.

 

How to Maximize Your Electric Range

If you drive a hybrid car, there are ways to help ensure that you get the most out of your electric range. Here are some tips:

 

1. Use the regenerative braking system when possible. This system captures energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, and puts it back into the battery.

 

2. Park somewhere not too exposed to the elements. Batteries don’t like extreme heat or extreme cold.

 

3. Avoid using high-powered accessories like the heater or air conditioner. These can put a significant load on the battery.

 

4. Plan your route ahead of time. If you know where you're going, you can avoid areas where you'll need to use a lot of power.

 

5. Keep an eye on the battery level indicator. This will let you know when it's time to start conserving power.

 

By following these tips, you can help make sure that your hybrid car always has enough power to get you where you need to go. If you would like your hybrid tuning, please contact us to find out more.