Would it be better to run in HV mode before Charge Mode

My first thought is how do you know the gas is going to be stale soon? Did you get the warning to add fresh gas?
Car gas tanks are better sealed than the cans for power equipment to keep the fuel 'fresh' longer, and PHEV tanks usually take a couple more steps for that. The car knows when you last added enough gas, the engineers know how long the fuel can safely be left in the tank, and the monitoring system should warn you long before there is a risk from the gas going stale.

If you got the warning, adding 3+ gallons will be enough to freshen the tank gas back up.

Tank still full. HV mode will make more efficient use of the gas. If you need gasoline for something else, and have the means for siphoning, that would be better than burning it in charge mode in terms of resource use.

 

+1 to @Trollbait's response. It takes a long time for the Prime's gas to go stale. I just filled up after 5-1/2 months. It was doing fine.

But if you do think you should burn off some gas, it might be slightly cheaper to do it in HV mode. Or it might be a wash. In HV mode at 60 mph or slower, the car pretty much alternates between EV and Charge modes all by itself. On a 50 mph road I often drive, it'll go about 1-/12 to 2 miles in HV and then the same in EV and the back to HV. This should keep the engine warmer than it would if you ran in Charge mode since it doesn't stay off for as long.

 

You probably won't see any message from the car for another 3 months then. If the tank gauge isn't already at 3/4ths full, I'd start using HV mode more often, and only go with charge mode when closer to the one year mark.

Or don't worry about. With other PHEVs, the car would soon starting using the engine more often after the warning message and no fresh gas was added. Even not allowing EV use. I don't think anyone here as actually had a Prime get to that point yet, so its actual behavior is unknown.

 

I don't believe we should ever fill our tanks unless we know we will burn it , such as on a road tip! Otherwise just keep a gal or so in the tank!

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How many miles of driving say per week are you currently doing? I am driving around 50miles/week since mid March, but still needing to fill the tank once every 4 months. This is doing mostly EV/HV mixed drive. I only charge the traction battery to 30-40% since the car sit idle for most of the time.

I guess what I am suggesting is what you always recommending... That is "Just drive it." LOL

 

OK, you are really not driving much. It will take years before you can burn 3/4 tank of gas. Even if you use CHG mode for that 5 miles, I don't think you are going to make a dent with that little of driving you are doing. Besides, what would you do when you have 80% SOC in traction battery? That would be 4 weeks worth of your driving, you will not be using any gasoline.

My recommendation is "Get out of the house more often, and just Drive It". You don't have much to worry if you are not stopping at shopping malls and bars. Take a nice drive on the LSD and back to your safe home. You are all set. Here are other fine drives around Chicago.

9 Most Scenic Drives in Chicago

 

put your car in power mode and have some fun

 

My recommendation, too, unless you're under house arrest. I average about 200 miles a week and that's just routine stuff without pleasure trips. It's really unhealthy to stay cooped up in the house all the time. You need sunshine, variety, fresh air, etc. for physical AND mental health.

 

Are you still in the trial period, or does State Farm monitor you always?

 

I wouldn't tolerate that invasion of privacy (even if it's a voluntary program).

If you're really only driving less than 600 miles a year, insurance should be inexpensive from any company.

And if you're really worried about saving money or helping the environment, you might be better served by a vehicle that isn't an almost brand new car. The Prius is meant to be driven, and it will do the most good for the environment if it's in the hands of someone who drives more than average, as opposed to them driving a less efficient vehicle. The safety features of new cars are great, but with low miles driven your chances of a dangerous crash are very low.

Hopefully this comment doesn't come across as too negative. It's just the thought process I would personally follow.

 

Take a nice long drive, have a picnic at your destination, go for a walk, etc, then come home. Find somewhere to avoid people and try to avoid public restaurants/restrooms too.
My 2 cents.

Oh, and I feel like if you floor a Prius, it won't be accelerating fast enough that your insurance company would care!