latest update (104) to Hymotion firmware

Has anyone experienced the latest version of the Hymotion firmware? In this latest version, they have resolved the problem with the backup camera. (Sometimes, the backup camera image was not displayed when the car was in EV mode.) The new firmware resolves this by not allowing the car to go into EV mode when it is in reverse.

Arthur

 

They sent someone to my house (They've been really great about that. I live in the middle of nowhere.) to do diagnostics because of an error code I had (12 short flashes, 1 long flash). They didn't find anything wrong and I haven't had any further errors.

Since they were here, they updated my firmware and my operating system. They said that the updates would fix several known issues, including the problem of low battery voltage in cold weather.

My commute is pretty short. So, I do a lot of EV mode. I never really noticed the problem with the backup camera image disappearing. I ignore the backup camera most of the time. But, I definitely notice the lack of EV mode in reverse. I find it very annoying that I can't get into or out of a parking space without the engine coming on.

I suggested that they should start considering user options for things like this. Some like it hot, some like it cold (EV mode). :rockon:

Arthur

 

I've been trying to avoid making a lot of extra mods to my system. In most cases, the Hymotion system goes into EV mode when I want it to.

Most of my "EV mode problems" have only existed since they did the updates to my system.

1) The CARB-mandated part of the update is really pretty harmless. As someone else mentioned, all you have to do is start your car with the Hymotion system turned off. Then, switch it on just before the engine comes on, and you'll be in EV mode. The only problem with this work-around is that it is no longer possible for me to drive in EV mode with the Hymotion system turned off.

I used to start the car with the Hymotion system ON and then switch it off as soon as EV mode engaged. That allowed me to run the traction battery down (to about 50%) on the flat stretch of my road, before starting down my big hill. That way, my SOC would never go above the low 70's. As a result, I would be able to capture ALL of the regen energy from going down the hill AND I would be able to stay in EV mode (but only if I stopped my car halfway down the hill, powered it off, switched on the Hymotion system, and powered it back up).

This little trick only works if the the Hymotion switch was ON when the car started. (If you didn't turn it on until AFTER the car started, your engine will start when you turn it off.) So, I can't do the down-the-big-hill workaround if I have just done the CARB work-around. In this case, a manual EV mode switch might actually be a good solution. Personally, I'd prefer to just not have the CARB warm-up, but I guess I don't get to make that choice.

2) I would really like to be able to use EV mode in reverse. I don't think a manual EV mode button would help with this problem, because shifting into reverse starts up the ICE almost immediately (if your engine is cold, which it always is if you're driving in EV mode). There wouldn't be enough time to press the EV button.

3) This one has nothing to do with the updates: I would like to be able to go into EV mode when my traction battery SOC is below about 57 or 58%. It seems like there should be some way for the Hymotion battery to bring the SOC back up without having to start the engine. This would be a truly useful update to their software (if it's possible). My SOC sometimes gets slightly low as a result of going up my hill on the way home, depending on whether my Hymotion battery is depleted or not. If the SOC is low when I start up in the morning, I can't get into EV mode until the engine charges the traction battery back up to the point where EV mode is allowed. (Then, I have to restart the car to get into EV mode.)

Don't get me wrong, I use my ICE as much as everybody else, I just like to be ABLE to get into EV mode, if I choose to.

Arthur

 

Okay. If it wasn't already clear that I'm crazy, this should clear it up:

Yesterday, I redefined the meaning of the term "hybrid car." I wanted to see if I could still make a round-trip to work and back (down the big hill and back up) without using any gas. Since I can't use reverse without the engine starting, I had my buddy push me out of the parking spot after work.

The people at A123 told me that one of the other firmware fixes was that they made it easier to go down a long hill without getting kicked out of EV mode. Yesderday, I got lucky on the way to work. On my way down the hill, my SOC only got up to 75.5% by the time I got to the first relatively flat side street. So, I turned off and kept it from going any higher. I never got kicked out of EV mode. I'm not sure if this was entirely luck or if it was also made easier by the firmware change. Time will tell.

So, avoiding gas entirely is still not impossible. It just requires that you are a little lucky, a little crazy, and have a new hybrid (electric power and human power) Prius!

This morning, I checked my Kill-A-Watt meter to see how much electricity I used yesterday (how much it took to charge back up). Based on that, the number of miles I travelled yesterday, and the my average kWh to charge up a fully-depleted battery, I calculated that my range in fully electric mode is about 14.9 miles. The last time I did this, I got 14.8 miles. So, that's pretty consistent. Other people might get more if they don't live on a big hill, or maybe they'll get the same thing. I don't know.

Arthur