Prius Performance Query

105 is a software limit, the car will not allow you to go faster. I have heard of people hitting that limit, but I have only had mine up to 90 or so... It will still plenty responsive at 90.

 

I believe this topic has been discussed lots of times. Here's what I know or remember:

1. I believe the Prius is transmission limited/locked to ~106mph (Someone else can probably confirm this).
2. I have personally taken my Prius up to 107mph at which time the car just wouldn't go any faster. The engine rev's didn't sound particularly high, nor was there any type of detectable limiter (e.g. fuel cutoff, rev limiter, etc.). This leads me to believe in #1.
3. I personally feel that the Prius is a little unstable at speeds above 90mph (less if there's wind or curves).
4. In my experience my gas mieleage plummets at speeds past 85mph.

Just my thoughts.
--GD

 

The software limits the top speed to 106 mph (99 mph for the Classic) to protect the electric motors and ICE from exceeding an rpm limit specified by Toyota engineers.

European Prius speedometers tend to be about 7% over reading (e.g. at a true 70 mph, speedo reads 75 mph). European law dictates they MUST over read by a certain amount (not 7% though), but this error rate is common in cars over here. Several owners have reported seeing 113-114 mph indicated which equates to about 106 with this error factor taken in account.

Because it is an artificial limit, the car produces strong acceleration right up to its top speed.

It seems European spec Prius have a stiffer suspension than US models, and they are reported to be acceptable stable at this speed.

Regards

PeteB - 02 Silver 'Classic' - 72k miles
Luton UK
Life mpg 51.43 ~ 42.82 ~ 5.49 ~ 18.21
(UK ~ US gal ~ I/100Km ~ Km/I)

 

I tried mine on a long stretch of private road that goes across the desert near here and got up to 102, I spotted a truck comming the other way and backed off. It was still accelerating nicely and had a little battery left so I'm sure it would have reached it's motor/ICE limit.

Later I talked to Brian from BK Tech, he has had his on a dyno and he told me top speed was limited to 106 or 107.

 

believe it's governed to just above 100. car is still pretty peppy in fast traffic. i don't know the rpm's required to do that but it's obviously doable.

glad to hear another person who likes their prius in black

 

According to http://hybridcars.about.com/od/news/a/priuslandspeed.htm
a Prius without the limiter went over 130mph at Bonneville.

 

OK, now that you all have discussed the stock Prius, I'll go in another direction.

As far as I know Prius now holds the land speed record for a hybrid. That may have changed without my notice, but if so it just changed recently.

Toyota added more cells to the battery to goose the voltage and I don't know what else, probably rewrote a few lines of the software too. Anyway, they got 130 mph out of it.

 

Frankly, if you are worried over maximum speed, I'm not so sure that that the Prius is the right car for you. No offense! It really is not the car for everyone.

If you do choose to go through with purchasing a Prius, you'll soon enough get Prius MoJo and quit stressing about maximizing your speed and start stressing over maximizing your MPG.

 

Probably a liability thing in the US. There isn't anywhere I know of that you're allowed to go over 100mph. The fastest Highway I've been on was 80. Just imagine the lawsuit...

Person: "The brouchure said I could go, over 100"
Judge: "The speed limit sign said 60!"
Person "But the brochure! It's Toyota's Fault"
Judge: "I see... well, no more Toyotas in the US. You are free to go. Court Adjourned"

Isn't the US legal system great?

 

There is no speed limit... it's just posted how fast you can drive for free. Anything over that just costs more.

 

I personally wouldn't even go 75, unless that's the speed limit in your state. My recent mileage tests showed almost a 1:1 relationship between MPG and MPH at highway speeds, so driving 5 MPH less will net you 5 MPG more. Driving 10 MPH less is even better!

 

The 05 USA model handles just fine at high speeds. Better than most US car manufacturers that I have driven.

 

I think this is what Brian K. was refering to.

http://www.toyota.com/hybridsynergyview/20...bonneville.html

Dosen't sound like they did all that much to it. With more extensive modifications it could (will) be much faster.

 

The Bonneville Prius's modifications were limited to the inverter, HV ECU, final drive (differential) and ICE...no battery modifications were made. Actual top speed during the week was 139.xxx mph , record is at 134.xxx mph by the Prius. There is to my knowedge only 1 other Prius in the US capable of those speeds, all others are limited to 106 by the ECU. That speed is limited purely by the ECU and not physics ie: more speed is there, the ECU just won't let it happen

 

You can read more about the mods at
http://hybridcars.about.com/od/news/a/priuslandspeed.htm