Reverse question

I have not experienced a similar situation. To answer your question reverse is electric only.

 

As mentioned, electric only. However, if you give it enough throttle, the ICE will start but not to add torque.

 

All driving torque in reverse is supplied by MG2. If needed, the ICE will kick in to generate electricity via MG1, but the operation of the ICE will reduce the available reverse torque. This is because some torque from the ICE always tries to move the car forward, which fights against the desired movement in reverse.

Tom

 

Electric reverse is way cool. The MG2 provides all the power that I need for reverse and there is no need to carry reverse transmission weight during most of my driving that is forward.

 

My wife parked our Prius forwards down a steep narrow drive and the car would not back out because the HV battery was low and the ice kept running giving insufficient power to back up. I had to force charge the battery for a couple of minutes before it would reverse up the hill without the ice running. Lesson learnt.

 

Backing out of our driveway, I have to back up a moderately steep slope, and my Prius always feels very sluggish backing up that hill to get out of the driveway. It works fine, I'm not going to get stuck, but the first time I tried it I was a little surprised.

 

How steep a hill can a Prius back up with a good charge on the batteries?

 

My inlaws have a steep drive I back out of several times a month. Prius throttle almost on floor and we slowly go backwards up the drive. Really weird. It makes it but very slow. If I loaded it with (4) 200 lb guys I bet it would barely make it (my wifes and 2 daughters weigh less than 120 lbs each).

 

Interesting as I have a pretty steep driveway and never had an issue backing out. It doesn't strike me as very slow. If there's snow on it, backing out is the only way (puts more weight on the front wheels).

 

That sounds almost like the Volt.

 

The Volt has several modes of operation. The one you are thinking of is a serial hybrid mode, where the prime mover (ICE) powers a generator which powers an electric motor.

The Prius often operates in this mode, but only partially, as there is also a mechanical path from the ICE to the wheels. In reverse this mechanical path fights the serial hybrid path, greatly reducing available torque and efficiency. Fortunately we don't spend much time driving in reverse.

Tom

 

That's correct, when you're going backward, theGen 3 Prius is like the Volt, but for a lower price.

 

How fast will it go in reverse on a flat road, would I be able to throw a J-Turn to escape baddies ?

 

2001 Toyota Prius full speed reverse! - YouTube

Gen I, but you get the general idea.

Tom

 

:rockon: Now I just need instructions on how to J-Turn with a foot operated parking brake. :car:

 

Whoa, that's really good to know!

Thanks for pointing that out. It's really quite clever to do away with the reverse gear to simplify the transmission.

Hmmmm...mentioned this to DH and he doesn't like it at all. Thinks that it will be a severe disadvantage getting unstuck in snow.

Does anyone have experience with getting stuck in the snow in a Pri?

 

I'm from Northern Michigan. I have experience getting stuck in snow with nearly every type of vehicle imaginable: cars, trucks, Jeeps, snowmobiles, airplanes, and even boats.

The Prius isn't a Jeep, so don't expect it to go through snow like one. On the other hand, it does as well as any front-wheel-drive car as long as you put good tires on it.

Rocking it out of snow is more of an issue about traction control than rear torque. It will rock, but you have to work harder at it than you do with a manual transmission. I do think it's easier to rock than a normal automatic.

Tom

 

While that looked real, I suppose you could make it look like 100MPH in reverse by running the video backward. I look the direction I'm traveling and drive pretty slowly in reverse, but that video has me wondering what the Gen 3 Prius speedometer reads at 20 MPH, or any other speed, in reverse. Is it pegged at zero, or does it read 20? Does this discussion remind anybody of the vintage Ferrari in 'Risky Business?'