I have a 2008 Prius and I know it has two batteries. A small one for unlocking and responding to the key, interior light and starting the car. It has a main battery for the hybrid use which is of course the subject of an information screen. My question is does the plug in then have a third battery, or is just part of the larger battery dedicated to the EV mode. I think there are three batteries. I am looking at leasing or buying a plug in at our local dealer.
As for simply putting the packs in parallel and discharging/charging them simultaneously, I don't see how it is done. The battery pack voltages don't match. The OEM battery pack is 207.2V (56 * 3.7V) and the PIS battery pack is 258.4V (76 * 3.4V). Maybe PIS battery pack is keeping the OEM battery pack charged. This would allow the PIS battery pack to discharge at a slower rate and increase the Ah that the battery could supply. Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/adding-extra-4kw-battery-for-more-than-double-plug-in-miles.114724/page-3#ixzz25kmIiA9C
No, the PiP does not have a 3rd pack. https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/staticcontent/en/techinfo/html/prelogin/docs/priusphv.pdf might prove interesting (ignore the 2010 version, that's the prototype/demonstrator model that was never a product). Link comes from TIS
Well, if it has only the one pack, what about the threads here that talk about recharging the plug in battery on the fly from using the regenerative features? They say you can "stack" charges by switching back and forth from EV to Hv. If there is one battery to they dedicate a certain percentage of its usage? On the above comments please what are OEM and PIS. Thanks
There was some info at 2012 Prius Plug-In Product Info (pdf) | PriusChat. On the production PiP, AFAIK, they did away w/the 3 pack architecture that was on the (2010) PHV Prius demonstrators. That had the goofy 2 subpacks that were disconnected as they were depleted and once you were down to the single pack, you couldn't regen into packs 2 and 3. That's all gone. It's just one large pack. I don't know the SoC thresholds at which the car goes automatically into HV mode.
OEM=TOYOTA FACTORY, PIS=PLUG IN SUPPLY ( aftermarket Plug In Battery Supplier) OEM=original equipment manufacturer
Priuskitty's comments were about adding an additional range extending pack I believe. The production (2012) Plug-in Prius has only 2 batteries, same as the standard Prius. In the 2012 PiP the NimH pack is replaced with a larger chargeable Li pack. The small 12V Sealed Lead Acid battery is the same as the regular Prius. The pre-production/demonstration models are often the source of much confusing information online. I believe these started unofficially in '07/'08 with what were basically a stock Gen 2 Prius complete with its stock NimH pack with additional modular Li packs added on. The 2010 demonstrator fleet did away with the NimH pack, but still had the Li battery split into two modules, one of which would be disconnected when wall charge was used up and the car entered standard hybrid mode. In the final 2012 production version there is just one big Li pack which is always connected. The 2010/2012 differences can be seen in the document linked above, as well as the dismantling guide here: https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/staticcontent/en/techinfo/html/prelogin/docs/priusphvdisman.pdf Rob
Just a small 12V accessory battery and the large LiIon battery that the software logically divides into "HV" and "EV" sections. The 12V battery does not start the engine; that is done with MG1 from the large battery. You just need enough power in the 12V battery to boot up the control computer.
When you have EV miles left and you enter HV mode, the car tries to keep that amount of EV miles, so any additional EV miles gained through regeneration are used up. If you toggle to EV mode and back into HV mode after gaining additional EV miles, it remembers the new EV miles left. This allows you to gain additional EV miles through regen aka "stacking".
23.1 SOC and it switches to HV mode, which shows 7 battery bars. I've gotten the car as low as 18.0 SOC, which showed 2 battery bars. It automatically switches back to EV mode once you hit 32.9 SOC (about 1.5 miles of EV range in my car). You can manually switch to EV mode once you have about .8 miles of EV range, which is at about 28.0 SOC.
Thanks to all for your responces. Great info that I really appreciate. I have a friend who just leased a new 2012 PIP here in Port Angeles. My wife and I took a ride to get impresions, and see how it differs from our 2008 Prius. We live 700 feet up from the Straites of Juan de Fuca. . We started with 9.7 mile charge. When we reached sea level (and the hardware store) we had 10.6 mile charge. We took the steep alternate way back and the engine did not come on. I used the "B" to help with the recharge as I do at every stop on my 2008. I did not have to baby the pedal to stay in EV mode. I was concerned that I would miss the display of the 08. Not really. If you want that, it is still there on the hard-screen with the two buttons now existant: energy and consumption. Plus there are three or four additional readouts. I missed the covered cupholders and the 2nd set that was on the rear of the counsel. I also liked the Gen 2 cubbies and covered area between the front two seats. However, if you add in the plug-ins features including new displays, mileage, heated seats, GPS, etc., and with the current lease or buy incentives and taxcredit, and fast charge , it is a winner.
"B" does not help recharge in the Prius Liftbacks. It enables engine braking to slow the car down, so you are actually losing energy through engine pumping losses that way. In the Plug-in, since it can handle more regen power, I think it increases the amount of regen braking, but you could do that by stepping on the brake as well. The rear seat cupholders have been moved into the armrest (which folds away to become the middle rear seat) in the 2010+ Prius models.
