Just got my PIP a few weeks ago and I am yet another satisfied customer. I am a newbie to hybrid and have questions of "What is the right way to drive a plugin?". I search the forums/web and didn't quite get satisfactory answers. So, let me try it here. I drive in EV mode till it gets the freeway. While I am entering, I switch to HV till the traffic slows. Then i switch to EV again after it picks up speed because I read on the forum that I could prolong the battery life by stay below 62mph on EV mode. So, my questions are: Should i warm up the ICE a bit before driving on freeway at HV? Do i need to switch in and out of HV?
I switch to EV for the last bit of freeway driving when I'm about 12miles from home. The switch occurs at the top of a long downhill stretch, with usually about 9 miles estimated EV range. Otherwise, if I'm in slow or stop- and-go traffic, it automatically goes into EV.
welcome to priuschat, congrats on your new pip! 1) yes 2) no 3) driving over 62 mph will switch out of ev automatically. 4) driving slightly under 62 mph will reduce battery life, not prolong it. 5) all the best!
My answer is yes and no. On my 34 mile round trip commute, I leave in EV on the highway and use up the battery as a super hybrid. On a trip to the shore, around 140 miles, I leave EV off until around 12-14 miles, then I turn it on.
If I know I'm going to encounter traffic I save it for that, otherwise low speeds and I try to use it up before arriving at a charging spot. Fuel cost isn't particularly lower with CPUC-sponsored electric utilities and current dino prices, but I presume wear and tear is lower.
I'm not sure number 4 is always correct. That is what the operating manual says. But I asked a Toyota representative if that held true if the vehicle were going downhill at just below 62, and he said that it didn't as long as the draw on the battery was low. So when driving between 60 and 62 and going downhill slightly, I sometimes switch to EV, being sure the battery use stayed low. As soon as the road levels or starts up, it is HV. I also have the question: How much below 62 do you have to drive in EV to avoid reducing battery life. I suppect that going uphill with a large battery draw at 30 mph is as bad for the battery as driving at 61 mph on the level. In other words, I suspect it is the large battery draw that reduces battery life, not the speed
Why is the battery life reduced when driving just under 62? Are we talking the actual battery life of the battery over its lifetime or just that particular charge? I've been leaving my PiP in EV for my entire commute to work (approx 31 miles) of both moving and stop and go traffic on the 91. It seems to be choosing the right setting based on what I need at the moment. Maybe I'm doing it all wrong?
Because the manual says so. I don't think anyone knows for sure as the technology is so new. We can speculate, though. As you discharge the battery by using it, it gets hot like a laptop or a cell phone. We know battery life degrades in hot weather a la Nissan Leafs in Arizona. By going 62 mph you're discharging the battery and warming it up really quickly. The assumption is that this high temperature decreases battery life. The answer to your 2nd question is both. Obviously, more power to go 62 mph will discharge the battery faster. And speculation above is why I think the manual says battery longevity will also decrease. You're not doing it wrong. This is how Toyota programs the PiP by default. Start the car up and drive. The car decides what's best to do. You'll get great fuel economy. If you want, you can tinker and get even better fuel economy. iPhone ?
