PHV range without using EV mode

Yes. The Prius calculates mileage only by measuring fuel consumption, not battery charge. Anything that moves the car without burning fuel increases the displayed mileage.

Tom

 

In the PHV (the prototype at least) you cannot manually override the CD mode and go striaght to CS mode (i.e. "regular Prius" mode).

Giora.

 

There's no need. Even at 70 MPH and well beyond 13 miles, you're still going to get a big MPG boost. For example, this drive I did with the PHV:



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What is the true MPG of a PHV AFTER its at-home charge is exhausted? It has a larger battery than a non-PHV, but in most cases a non-PHV never hits full capacity. Also the PHV is heavier. Can it generate better mileage and if so how? I understand its electric motor and regen are the same, right, or can it regen more aggressively (in which case I absolutely understand it getting better mileage).

 

I believe John posted above pics of his 64mile trip
(out of which 13 were ev i would guess)

 

Right, but that's one trip. Some people around here get crazy mileage. I wonder what his mileage would be on the same trip, or what Toyota's official position is of PHV mileage.

 

I'm sure when it was tested in CS mode it got "the same" mpg as a gen3. Regen capability will be increased slightly, as the boost converter and battery are more powerful. hypermilers don't regen much though, so it won't help with getting really high numbers.

As to the OP's question, you cannot enter or exit EV mode at will. It is in EV mode under ~30kw of power and 62mph. above either of those thresholds (so if you charged up at a service station on the freeway, and then when right up to 70mph) you would still be in CD (Charge Depleting) mode. In this mode the ICE runs at a low power level, and the electric motor continues to operate at a high power level (exact data is unknown, but will probably vary significantly based on road speed and load) meaning the displayed "MPG" will be very high (think still 80+MPG) until the EV packs are exhausted. they will likely be exhausted within the 13 miles you'd expect from EV mode, unless you are going down a hill.

 

Since there is no EV mode button, if you get in the car and drive it 4 or 5 miles down the road at 40 mph, will the engine be on during that time? In other words, will it attempt to warm up the engine each time you start the car, or only after a certain point?

 

Weird but since the battery is directly affected by temperature, maybe Toyota could slip in a Winter button that would turn on the engine to help with the warm up. When the cabin temperature gets up to a certain point then the electric only would gradually kick in. Would help with those particularly cold mornings in the spring and fall. Just a suggestion.

 

I believe it will start the ICE right away of heat is required, is that right?

 

My 2008 Prius (with enginer kit) does this as well. In the morning I drive along in EV mode for several miles until I reach a street where the speed limit is 45 so I have to go above the 34 mph limit for EV mode. The engine kicks on but when I watch the scanguage II, it is still drawing all motive power from the battery for at least another 20-30 seconds unless I really press the gas pedal hard.

 

In this case those in cold climates, during the winter at least, will really have no EV-only range, just an EV-boosted mileage because the ICE will be running purely for cabin heat.

 

Well that makes sense. when i'm going 60mph and want 1kw of heat the engine would barely be idling to produce that much heat, so the motive power will still come mainly from the traction battery and the "MPG" will still be 100+.

 

You know, not being 100% EV for some range due to various conditions may not be sexy like it is in the Volt (which has an electric heater, apparently not a great one), but it certainly has its ups from an effectiveness standpoint. One uses gas to boost range of an EV vehicle, the other EV to boost the range of a gas. I think Toyota did it better, but then they also have spent many more years at this.

 

The Prius plug-in prototype has heat pump based A/C heating, not from the ICE coolant heat, therefore the ICE does not run because of cabin heat requirement.

Ken@Japan

 

Thanks!

 

I suppose this electrical driven heat-pump will shorten the range in EV mode?

Giora.

 

Yes, but less than a resistive heater would. If the heater is running at 1kw, you will lose 4 miles of range for each hour it operates. if you are running 30mph, you'll cover the 14 mile range in just under half an hour, so with the heater on that may reduce to a 12 mile range. This is roughly the same as the Leaf losing 16 miles of range for having the heater on, or the Volt losing 6 miles.

That's not looking at all at the impact on range -driving- in the cold has (because of increased air density, decreased tyre pressure, increased friction on the road etc) but it's easy to see the PHV going to a 10 mile EV range, the Volt to 28 miles and the Leaf to 71 miles.