Hybrid System Indicator and Stealth

No apology necessary. I think you're all over this issue.

In a way it is kind of funny that it is rather difficult to engage the ICE at slower speeds. I'd just as soon drive all day with the ICE on if it is giving me 75 to 80 MPG. It also keeps the SOC up so that the real power is there if necessary.

Well, it seems we have a lot to learn yet.

 

I should have added I have the same problems with the engine display as everyone else. It's too hard to see the colored arrows, or the direction of the white arrows. The instant mpg readout has the same problems as the Eco bar. It's hard to know whether to really trust it for anything when it zooms to infinity every time your foot comes off the accelerator, or to the other extreme every time you press down. I'm not interested in extreme pulse and glide, but I do want to drive the car intelligently for normal driving patterns. It will be interesting to see what people discover.

 

Would it be possible for someone to post pics of their HSI to make it easier for a layman like myself to see exactly how it behaves? Am I right in thinking it changes colour the further it goes to the right?

Of course don't risk accidents taking pics yourself.... get someone else to take them for you

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVz-iAwIaPU&feature=channel_page]YouTube - 2010 Toyota Prius: Multi-Information Display[/ame]

 

I've been paying quite a bit more attention to this lately. I have a hard time finding the ICE on when the indicator is to the left of the center line, unless I am in warmup or above 45 -- or at the very beginning of a hard acceleration. In the latter case, the point is rather moot, because the indicator's presence to the left of the center line is only transient.

I just don't see that it is reasonable to look for that center line as some type of guide during acceleration. Perhaps if you are a hypermiler, but then there would be other instrumentation to give more precise information. The acceleration is much too slow to attempt this in any kind of traffic -- or, really, with anyone else behind you. My goal for the moment is to accelerate at the 3/4 point (halfway from center line to the start of the PWR area) or, perhaps, slightly higher. I, too, do not want to push into the PWR area for normal acceleration.

 

I find it almost impossible to tell if the ICE is on by feel, so I've been watching the instantaneous gas mileage bar. When I am driving with the HSI near the center bar sometimes I'll see the instantaneous gas mileage bar drop to 40-50 mpg. When that happens I ease off the gas slightly. My HSI is usually still near the center but the instantaneous gas mileage bar will quickly shift up to 100mpg. I assume at that point I have disengaged the ICE.

Even if I haven't, at least I'm getting better mileage for a fraction less acceleration!

 

Hey Prius Team, in what southern California city have I heard that before!!

Look, without a ScanGage you guys are just guessing with the HSI. With the increased insulation/isolation of the cabin and hybrid system, you just can't feel the transitions or ICE running, it's numb. You'll need an instrument to verify engine off. and the HSI will lie to you at different running times, temps, running conditions.

Wayne

 

Absolutely! With the absence of a tach in this generation, a scangauge is still a necessary tool. Maybe the Prius Team can get us a tach in the Gen IV?

 

How exactly does a scangauge work?

 

And it's a plug and play device to also. It plugs into the OBDII port. It displays engine parameters that are preprogrammed and you can add additional. It also reads and clears trouble codes.

 

Thanks. That makes sense.

In regards to Wayne's previous statement, how can one tell from a ScanGauge that the engine is off?

 

Isn't "Stealth", yellow arrows only, electric movement below 42 mph, without the use a EV switch.? what's that got to do with gliding?