CRC99

Assuming the AC compressor works off the engine, does the AC affect when the NX350h goes into EV mode. Anyone know how that works?
thx

nx450plus

For the NX450h+, EV range is reduced by about 10%. I can only deduce that the 350h would spend around 10% less time in EV mode.
Not enough of a penalty for me to not use AC during summer.

Mrnovanova

The AC doesn't impact my fuel economy. It probably does on really short trips but for regular 10 to 30 minute drives I see no difference.

CRC99

What I'm asking is how does the AC run if the car is in EV mode so the engine isn't running. Does it start the engine?

Mrnovanova

Gotcha. Well not immediately. From my experience turning on the AC doesn't automatically turn on the engine if you're in EV mode.

darkloki

Can somone explain to me whats going on? So I just purchased my NX 450+ about 3 weeks ago and my previous cars have been a 2020 Supra and a 1994 Supra. My wife has a mercedes C Class AMG from 2020 or 2019.

So... When I drive my 450+ I run the seat air and just normal air (non AC) and I consitantly get cool air prompting me to not run AC. So cool in fact that I keep checking to see if I have AC on or off but I swear I've checked this like 15 times and the blue icon is not LIT on the AC I hit it see it lit then turn it back off. I live in Southern California Irvine/Newport Beach and I have yet to find a situation where I'm like OMG I need to have AC on. So again what's going on here? I've never experianced this in any other car.

Susido

I'd also like to know what's happening here because the same occurs on my 350h. The A/C indicator light is off but I'm getting a lot of cooling anyway. Is AUTO climate mode using the air conditioner without enabling the A/C light?

FastFord

I don't have a hybrid but the 350 works the same way. You get cold air because the AC is on. Yes the little blue light is off but the air is on.

Went on a trip 150 km on an extremely hot day 35C 44 with the humidex....that's hot even in F degrees. The whole drive I was very cool while driving even with the sun blasting me on my left side.

The blue light was off but cold air from the vents and through the seats. Pushed the AC button and the blue light came on, pushed again blue light off. In about four minutes very warm outside air is coming in the vents and the seats were not blowing cool air.

The AC will work automatically in some eco type mode unless it is turned on, then off, assuming the blue light is off to start with.

Try it on a hot day, feel the cool air with the AC blue light off, turn it on, then off...you will feel the difference very quickly.
I asked my sales person and the service advisor when I was last there and both confirm this. I tried to find something about this and could not. Maybe somewhere in google land or even the owners manual would explain it better than my sad description...sorry best I could do
I do not use the auto feature for heat or cold.

ct6978

Toyota doesn't trust us enough to know how to operate HVAC controls.....My best guess is that the heat pump runs to keep the battery at optimal temperature and the vent air is mostly based on the temp you set to a point. I've been playing with this a bit, and the cool temp gets lower to a point. When you turn on A/C you are boosting the power (or switching stages assuming it is a multi-stage pump) which uses more battery power. I do notice more cooling when A/C is set on.

You may also have noticed that the fan speed control works similarly, the fan speed actually varies a little even when set to a specific speed. But that may be S-Flow working. Looking at the manual, fan output may change regardless of your wishes based on the car knowing better, for example - "In order to maintain a comfortable interior, airflow may be directed to seats without passengers immediately after the hybrid system is started and at other times depending on the outside temperature."

This all drives me crazy, I'm ok if "Auto' makes decisions for me, but on manual I want complete control.

I was told this was all part of their 'Climate Concierge' system and that even if it was set off it still partially works, not sure if that's the case.

I have Climate Concierge set off and S-Flow set on.

CdO

This is likely not a good assumption. The 450h+ definitely has an electrically driven compressor. I'm less familiar with the 350h; but, @Mrnovanova 's experience suggests it is also electric.

mbezzo

450h+ has a heat pump that is electronically controlled, ie not belt-driven by the engine. In fact, there are no belt-driven accessories on the 450h+ engine. I believe, but do not know, that the 350h has the same setup (they share the same engine, but the hybrid system and motors in the 450h+ are just larger).

Some good info here:

clmk

Related to this discussion, I wasn't very happy with the airflow of the aircon, and the heating action... turning off "efficient air ventilation" or whatever it's called seemed to fix this for me.