Frequently asked questions

HybridEdge beta · Updated 24 July 2026

The short version: HybridEdge measures what your plug-in hybrid really costs to run, petrol and electricity together. No account, nothing leaves your phone, and you don't need any hardware to use it.

What is HybridEdge?

An iPhone app that answers the question the trip computer won't: what does each drive actually cost? Petrol and electricity together, per trip and per 100 km, with the split between them shown honestly, not averaged into a number nobody can confirm. The rule it's built around: every figure is measured from the car, or it isn't shown.

Which cars does it work with?

The beta is aimed at the BYD Denza B5 and B8, where the measurements have been validated against the dash over hundreds of kilometres (battery state agrees within about 0.3%). The app's database covers ~80 plug-in hybrids sold in Australia, and any PHEV can use manual logging today. Full automatic readings for other models arrive through in-app calibration, and the app tells you honestly when a value for your model is verified and when it isn't.

Do I need to buy anything?

No. Every core feature works with manual entry: tap Start trip, type the odometer, fuel, and battery figures off your dash, then end the trip the same way. All costs, the logbook, and insights work from that. If you want the car to fill the numbers in itself, a ~$50 Bluetooth OBD-II reader (we test with the Veepeak OBDCheck BLE+) plugs into the port under the steering wheel, and the app records battery, fuel, odometer, and speed continuously while you drive.

Where is the OBD port, and can a reader harm my car?

Look under the dash above the pedals, around the steering column; the socket faces the floor. It's a 16-pin trapezoid about the size of a matchbox, and some cars hide it behind a small flip-down cover. The reader stays plugged in permanently.

The port is designed for exactly this kind of accessory. HybridEdge only asks the standard read-only questions a mechanic's scan tool asks (battery level, fuel level, odometer, and speed). It cannot change settings, clear fault codes, or modify your car in any way. That said, OBD readers are third-party hardware, so if you're unsure how an accessory sits with your warranty or insurance, ask your dealer before plugging one in.

What about my data and privacy?

There's no account and no sign-up because there's nothing to sign up to. Your trips, costs, and locations are stored only on your phone. The app makes exactly one kind of network request, downloading a public list of vehicle specifications, and it contains nothing about you. The full detail is in the privacy policy; it's short because there's so little to say.

What do the permissions do?

Bluetooth talks to the optional OBD reader. Without one, the app simply stays in manual mode. Location is optional and records trip routes and start/end place names for your logbook, stored on-device. Notifications power the trip prompts: "log a new trip?" when the car starts, and end-trip options when you switch off.

Why does fuel show as a percentage?

The dash's kilometre range is the car's own adaptive guess and can't be matched by any app honestly. The tank percentage is what the car actually reports, so that's what HybridEdge uses, everywhere.

Why is the app dark?

The beta ships dark-only; it's designed around in-car readability. A proper light theme is on the roadmap.

How do I join the beta?

Testing runs through Apple's TestFlight. Invites are going out in waves, so ask in the HybridEdge Facebook page or email support@hybridedge.com.au. It's free during the beta.

I found a bug. What's the best way to report it?

Three ways, best first: take a screenshot inside the app and use TestFlight's built-in feedback (it attaches useful diagnostics automatically); send a report from Settings → Diagnostics (coordinates are rounded and place names masked by default, and you see the contents before sending); or email support@hybridedge.com.au. Every report gets read.

When will it be on the App Store?

When the beta proves it's ready. Accuracy comes first: the app ships when its numbers can be trusted, not before.

Contact

Anything else: support@hybridedge.com.au