EV MODE button location, how do you like it?

I'm not familiar with the regular Prius, but the buttons on the PIP are ok, except for the location of the Park button, which is way to close. It’s just a big accident waiting to happen, I wish the Park button were located far away from where you could hit it while driving.

 

I think you will find that if you try to put it in park while driving fas,t it will not allow it and will beep at you!

 

I have gone from a 2004 Prius to the Plug-in. It is hard for me to reach the EV/HV button. I spread my hand so my middle finger
is on the temperature window and my small finger rests on the EV/HV button. This is awkward, but I am getting used to it. I could raise the hand over the shifter, but to do this I have to look every time, and I tend to use this button quite a lot. Would be much better if the shifter was on the dash so the three buttons for modes were easily reached. I liked the positioning of the shifter in the 2004 much better than the 2012.

That being said, I believe the Plug-in is a better vehicle overall.

 

How often a person presses the button will depend on their driving patterns, but for my normal daily commute. I dont use it at all. A couple days of the week, when I know I will be needing a bit of juice to run an errand immediately after getting home, I'll try to save some range for that. On those days, I'll hit it once as I start the uphill portion of my drive home.

I think it is great that it is included in the production version (it was not on the test mules, right?). For those who dont want to deal with thinking about when its best to use EV or HV, you dont need to deal with it. For those who want to play the Maximization Game, it provides the flexibility.

 

I don't like its location, I think it could easily be on the steering wheel itself. I tend to leave the car in EV mode now instead of trying to mess around with the modes. MPG is slightly worse but not enough to really bother me. I'm still averaging above 80, and that's good enough for me. I don't know what it'll do as far as the wear of the battery pack, since I tend to run the battery up and above 62MPH. Time will tell.

 

The location of the EV/HV button doesn't bother me too much (other than being hidden behind the shift lever), but I did accidentally turn on the emergency flashers once while resting my arm on the console, while preparing to push one of the buttons (I think it was the EV/HV button). At first, I didn't realize what I did and it took me a few seconds to figure out why all my lights started flashing while driving down the freeway. I wish the emergency flashers button wasn't raised up as high as it is, so it would be more difficult to accidentally engage.

 

Getting my PIP tomorrow... My 30 mile commute involves a large hill climb and descent on the 241 toll road here in Orange County, which drops my long-term MPG to the low 40s. Would those already driving their plugins think I should use HV only
to preserve EV miles or use the EV boost to reduce the MPG hit? I will of course likely try it both ways but what do you all think?

 

I know the hill you're talking about (in fact I live really close to the 241). If you're in EV mode on the 241, you're probably going faster than 62MPH right? So in that case, it'd be running in HV mode anyway.

But to answer your question, I would definitely go up that hill in HV. I think even if you were trying to climb that hill in EV, it would be a huge drain on the battery. Thats a pretty big hill.

Coming down that hill you should pick up atleast a couple miles of EV range, I bet.

 

Thanks! I figured that's what I would probably do... With the Gen III I usually end the hill with a full HV battery for sure! The only "maximization" strategy I currently use is to turn off climate control up the hill.

Your comments beg another question. Is EV "absolutely" off over 62 MPH, or is it like the standard Prius where if you're going slightly downhill, or have lots of charge etc. you can seem to keep it in EV at higher speed?

 

I have very little experience with EV over 62MPH.. that was kind of just the first week when I was figuring out which way to get to and from work to try to make it in all EV. But from what I saw, anytime I went over 62 (acually like 63-64 on the speedo), it started up the engine and went into HV mode. From the owners manual, it sounds like it will never be in EV beyond 62MPH.

The other thing I noticed (which others here have confirmed) is if it was in EV mode and was forced into HV (so, you didnt manually switch it), then the car will switch back to EV as soon as possible (as long as the engine was already warmed up).

 

I think the steering wheel would have made more sense as well, as it is easier to find with a quick glance while driving. At the same time, I'm still getting use to where everything is and I expect once I get use to it, I'll be able to press it w/o looking. Maybe bumps or dips in the drive mode switches would have helped with telling them apart by feel.

 

It seems to have to do with throttle control. I've had it in EV up to about 67 mph, but if I put much pressure on the pedal the ICE engages. If I get over 20% or so on the HSI display the gas engine engages. Even at high speeds in EV (70+) it blends pretty well, I seem to get 75 mpg until the battery depletes or I manually switch to HV.

 

Try both ways, it's a great car and no matter what, your going to get great mileage. If you leave it in EV and it needs help trust me the PIP will bring on the ICE. I go up steep hills in EV. If your already rolling before you hit them the car just goes, if your at a dead stand still and you need to move faster the ICE will come on.

 

FYI on the Park button: if you press it while at speed, the car beeps an puts you in Neutral with no harm done!

The EV/HV button replaces the EV button in my Gen 3, so it's natural for me. The little raised ridge on the center button (ECO) helps my fingers find their way too.

 

My personal HV/EV mode button... LOL!

Anyone want to buy the 2011 Gen 3 with 6500 miles?

 

i dislike it, hope they improve the location on the next one.

 

I use the button very frequently and find the placement to be fine, probably because I use it so often that it comes naturally. In addition to the EV button, I also make regular use of N because I find it too tedious to give just the right amount of throttle to coast. If Toyota would change that worthless power mode button to a regen mode button that allows a true coast, I wouldn't have a need to ever use N.