I am running my 2015 PIP on hybrid mode only because the dealer tells me the charger is faulty, so don't plug it in (I got the "Check hybrid system" message) until it's fixed. I noticed today that accelerating from stop is extremely sluggish. I can get up to about 15 mph using the hybrid EV engine, and then when it engages the gas engine the car strains and goes up to PWR mode (the red bar at the end) to get from 15mph to 20mph. Once it gets to about 30 mph it seems to coast normally. Is this how the PIP drives in hybrid-only mode? Or is this another glitch? I want to get an idea if this is normal because I haul that poor car back to the dealer.
Sounds like you're not getting much help from the electric drive. The Atkinson-cycle engine in the Prius is notoriously sluggish on it's own. It's the price you pay for excellent fuel economy.
sounds normal to me. do you have it in eco mode? that will make it feel sluggish. throw it in power if you prefer that to higher mpg's.
Sounds like acceleration on 98 hp Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) only. If your traction battery is too low to power the 36 hp electric motors it could really hurt the synergy in the hybrid synergy drive and make for awkward driving. Think underpowered car stuck in third gear. But how would the traction battery get so low coming out of the garage? Do you live on top of a hill that could drain the traction battery as you slowly drive up your double diamond driveway? Let your dealer know about the unsatisfactory acceleration so they can hurry up and fix your charger/inverter and get you back to normal blissful prius driving.
New owners often get caught up with sound & feel, trying to drive efficiently based on what they see on the screen. Just drop the pedal down hard (don't worry, the computer won't actually give it full throttle) and tell us what happens. That's a brisk acceleration, taking advantage of both gas & electricity for better efficiency. The engine will briefly rev up to about 3500 RPM. You should find yourself leading the pack ahead of the typical pull-away from a stoplight. If what it says on the speedometer isn't a burst of speed, then there really is something wrong. Don't trust your senses. Full hybrids make sounds & feel different from traditional vehicles. Only what your eyes see on the speedometer can properly gauge performance.
