✓ Valid for: hybrid vehicles

Fig. 121 In the infotainment system: Battery manager menu

Your plug-in hybrid Seat Leon features multiple driving operating modes, allowing you to seamlessly tailor the powertrain's performance and efficiency to match every road condition and driving situation. Once the drive system has been successfully switched on, and provided that all required operating conditions are fully met, Electric mode is always automatically activated first for silent, zero-emission electric driving.

Operating mode selection

• Switch on the vehicle drive system.
• Access the Battery Manager menu in the central infotainment system ( > Charging > Battery manager).
• Select either Electric Mode or Hybrid Mode directly within the infotainment display interface. Further detailed information regarding each operating mode can be found in ››› Fig. 121 4.

Electric mode (driving in electric mode)

While operating in Electric mode, your Seat Leon runs exclusively on electrical power, utilizing the electric motor while keeping the petrol combustion engine switched off as much as possible.

To ensure Electric mode can be activated and sustained, all of the following core conditions must be met:

• The high-voltage battery possesses a sufficient state of charge level.
• The current vehicle speed remains below 130 km/h (80 mph).
• The internal temperature of the high-voltage battery is above -10 ºC.

If any of these necessary parameters are no longer satisfied while driving in Electric mode, the combustion engine will start up automatically and pure electric driving will be temporarily suspended.

In this event, the dedicated indicator lamp lights up on the instrument cluster display.

The combustion engine will also start immediately if you perform a kickdown while in Electric mode to access maximum acceleration; however, Electric mode itself remains active in the background.

Hybrid mode (use the battery's charge)

Hybrid mode is the primary operating mode designed to optimize fuel economy across extended journeys in your Seat Leon.

The intelligent operating mode control unit works continuously to make the most efficient use of the remaining battery charge. To achieve this, when route guidance is active, the system also incorporates live navigation and topographical data.

In this operating mode, the electric motor and the petrol combustion engine share the propulsion duties dynamically.

Energy from the battery is managed with high efficiency, and if route guidance is active, the vehicle may autonomously use the combustion engine to recharge the high-voltage battery in anticipation of upcoming urban driving zones.

Manual control of the battery charge

Manual control over the battery charge level is exclusively available while operating in Hybrid mode. Any custom target selected by the driver remains valid only until the ignition is switched off or the vehicle is manually toggled back to standard Hybrid or Electric mode.

Key to ››› Fig. 121:

1. The horizontal slider bar can be used to set a lower theoretical target charge level for the high-voltage battery. The vehicle management system prevents the selection of a target charge higher than the current state of charge. Your Seat Leon will only consume battery power when the charge remains above this selected threshold, saving the rest for later stages of the journey.
2. Maintaining the current battery level . The high-voltage battery charge level is held approximately steady at its current status while driving. If you press the accelerator harder or increase your driving speed significantly, the combustion engine will start up. Once driver demand permits, the vehicle switches back to pure electric driving whenever possible.

   SEAT recommends utilizing an external charging socket to replenish the high-voltage battery whenever possible for maximum efficiency.

3. Adjust the recuperation level. This setting allows you to choose between distinct levels of energy regeneration: Smooth, Auto, or Strong. If there is no active route destination set in the navigation, the system can suggest activating a predictive route profile to optimize hybrid efficiency.

   Smooth: In this setting, deceleration energy recuperation is minimal, allowing the car to coast freely.

   The recuperation intensity can also be adjusted manually on the fly using the steering wheel shift paddles.

   Auto: In "ECO" and "Comfort" driving profiles, recuperation is generally smooth, adapting dynamically to the immediate traffic situation. If the "Performance" profile is selected, recuperation becomes strong. Manual adjustments via steering wheel paddles remain available.

   Strong: The vehicle recovers the maximum possible amount of kinetic energy through regeneration whenever you lift off the accelerator.

   When the brake pedal is depressed, energy recovery is maximized through the high-voltage electrical system. When recuperation is set to Strong, the brake lights will illuminate automatically to signal deceleration to trailing traffic.

   For peak energy efficiency, we recommend activating the built-in efficiency assistant, driving in "ECO" mode, setting the gear selector to D, and leaving the recuperation mode on Auto.

WARNING Medium and strong energy recuperation levels can reduce tyre traction and cause wheel slip, especially on wet, icy, or loose road surfaces. This can lead to loss of vehicle control, skidding, accidents, and severe injuries.

• Only activate high recuperation settings when visibility, weather, road surface, and traffic conditions safely permit, ensuring other road users are not surprised by your vehicle's deceleration behavior.

WARNING The higher the state of charge of the high-voltage battery, the weaker the regenerative braking effect becomes, to the point where zero braking effect from recuperation may be available. This can alter expected vehicle deceleration behavior on descents, leading to accidents and serious or fatal injuries.

• Avoid fully charging the high-voltage battery right before driving down a high-altitude mountain pass, ensuring battery capacity remains available to absorb energy from downhill recuperation.
• Always reduce vehicle speed proactively before starting down a steep gradient.
• Control your speed using the friction service brakes when descending steep slopes.
• Keep in mind that the mechanical brakes will experience higher thermal loads if engine or regenerative braking is unavailable.

Show the active operating mode

The operating mode currently engaged is clearly indicated on the instrument cluster display, for instance via icon .

WARNING Attempting to switch operating modes via menus while driving can easily distract your attention from traffic conditions and lead to dangerous accidents.

Note Real-time information regarding the currently active operating mode, alongside the exact state of charge of the high-voltage battery, is continuously visible on the instrument cluster display.