uneven throttle response in cold weather

My supplier is 41% renewable, 32% natural gas, 20% coal and 4% nuclear (Our fuel mix - Ecotricity - building new green energy) UK averages are 47% gas, 25% coal, 18% nuclear and 6% renewable.

If your block heater consumes 800watts for two hours that's 1.6kwh. 1.6kwh of petrol is 0.04 US gallons. You would definitely save more fuel than that using a block heater, so i would argue that even a coal fired power station providing 1.6kwh will emit less crap than your prius running from freezing up to 70C for ten minutes.

 

Mine did too. I could see RPM clearly going up on the ScanGuage.

Of course, they same was true with the tachometer on my Taurus back in the 90's... when I first discovered RPM was higher during warm-up in the winter.
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Yes, our weather has been so odd for the last two years there is definitely "something" going on and it's getting very difficult to ignore.

I hope you can learn to drive around this issue, it did suprise we when it first happened, but once you know to expect it you can avoid it.

 

Your right, if it's not a surprise then the people behind me can just cool their jets while my car warms up, it only takes about about 3 or 4 minutes some times less and the problem goes away, but the first time it happened my thought was I got a bad tank of gas, pushed down on the pedal and it didn't move and I had pulled out in traffic so all I could see in my rear view was the guy behind me close enough to know he didn't shave that morning

 

Another new owner thing from the past was being timid about pushing the pedal. In the past, you always had to regulate power on your own... sometimes with serious consequences, especially when misjudged with a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

But driving a Prius, you can feel free to floor it. Since the throttle isn't the old-school metal rod, it's no big deal. The direct connection has been replaced with a computer sending instructions. So, all you're really doing is just informing the system that you maximum acceleration. It figures out how to best deliver that.

The response to "flooring" it is a surge of power to the electric motor, which is so smoooooth it's easy to overlook. Most newbies only notice the engine ramp up that follows. Try it (both during warm-up and afterward), focusing on the speedometer instead.
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I own 2 Z06 Vettes one with a blower the electric gas pedal is nothing new, the lack of power because the programing is as such is new, if you think that pressing the pedal to the floor gives you a "surge of power" you must be in your 80's or 90"s, my Prius has no surge of power anywhere, I get my surge of power at Limerock or Pocono at 160 to 170 mph, what I didn't expect was the flat spot till the pedal hit the floor when it's cold. When I bought the car I didn't expect it to run like the vettes or even my Tahoe but I was expecting better mpg , letting it warm up and taking short 2 or 3 mile runs when it's cold really seems to kill that, but I'm sure as the miles get put on and it's broken in and I get better at driving it all will be as expected

 

Had a similar experience this morning in Minnesota. Air temp was -22 to -25F (-22 on prius display, -25F on outdoor thermo). With a cold engine I could not get the ICE above 3500 rpm (took a very long time to get to 55mph). It would cycle from 3500, cut power down to 2500 rpm, then vrooom all the way back to 3500, repeat... At these temps I'm sure there was little contribution from battery. The car was parked outside all night, but had block heater for 3 hours. Not sure what initial coolant temp was because Scanguage display didn't work until the cabin warmed up a bit. (That's cold!)

Even once the engine temp was ~ 170F, it would do the same up to ~4000 rpm, but no more.

Maybe a fuel pump rate limit? Plugged fuel filter?

Fortunately weather below -20F is a rare occurance, but it was enough to scare me pulling on the highway.

 

I have a hard time getting the car up my steep driveway when the motor is stone cold, had to shovel snow this morning so I have to drive around the block and get some heat in it before it will go up the driveway without surging. Tonight we get YOUR stinking weather 0 to -10, thanks

 

I'll say I definitely am more cognizant of the cold temperatures now that I own a Prius. I almost don't want to take it out below 20 degrees - not because I think I'll harm it I just know its not going to do me any favors either.

Real happy I sprung for that shed this past summer and made room in the garage for the cars. Starting the car in a 30-35 degree garage is a lot nicer on everything than pushing that button on the driveway when its this cold.

Speaking of which, when the hell is it going to at least get back to 'normal'? I'm all for winter and its place among the 4 seasons, but the past 2 years have just been brutal ! My heat pump in the house hasn't gone on for almost 2 months. The propane man loves me this year. Bastard ...