Is My EV Damaged?

Nothing wrong with your car most likely. If there were something wrong I'm sure the car would throw codes (check engine light) or something more pronounced....

From what I can tell with the distance and temperature is that the car is still in the warmup cycle and I'm guessing you're running AC being so hot out so the AC has to run while the battery is being charged. If you were driving a bit longer probably would start going in EV a lot more. There are so many variables, everything from how you drive, operating temperature, speed and so forth.

 

I had the issue of not wanting to go into EV mode. The rear seat cover for my dog was blocking the intake vent for the HV battery. I moved the blockage and my Prius was happy again.

 

When I got my car last august, I made the mistake of trying to drive it in the EV mode as much as possible. I would push the EV mode button and try to keep it in the EV zone on my graph. Needless to say, my gas mileage sucked big time. Now, the only button I push is the PWR button. When I tried to drive it to get the best gas mileage possible, I got 42 to 43 mpg. Now, I easily get 47 to 48 mpg by just driving the car like a regular car. What I had to see (and by reading all of my fellow Priuschat postings) is that the on board computer will always work the system to our best advantage. The people at Toyota wanted the driver to not feel like he has to make the Hybrid get the best mileage. We are supposed to just drive the car. This is the best advice I can give someone who just bought a Prius...................just drive it..........if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Great advice, which after 3 months of Priusing (is that a word?) seems MOSTLY to make a lot of sense.

Having a mindset of experimentation, I've tried just about every possible driving style - and mostly, "just drive it" would fit the bill best for most people.

BUT (1) - there are some who, after experimenting, will know places where they can fiddle the system a bit. Eg - I've got one slow area where using EV and depleting the battery is beneficial ONLY because it is followed by a long downhill stretch which will completely fill the battery again.

BUT (2) - those who learn and are patient enough to engage in pulse&glide driving will eke out a little better economy.

BUT (3) - Most of the time - I'm too lazy, and engage DRCC during most driving, though I do slow off for traffic lights, stop signs to gain a bit more regeneration.

 

Hi Alanclarkeau!

Yep, experimentation is part of the fun of our cars. Having tried the hill thing as well as pulse and glide, I realized that driving wasn't fun anymore. Yes, I gained a gallon or 2, but I equate it like those who play fantasy football. If you really want fantasy football to work, you gotta work it...........and thus you pay more attention to the fantasy football rather than just turning on the big screen, kicking back with your snacks and beverage and getting into the fun of just watching. That's just me. I respect those how are figuring ways to get even better mileage..........I just want to drive my car, mod my car, wax my car.....etc.

 

Yes - but I'll pass on the waxing - haven't waxed a car in over 10 years!!! I do wash it occasionally.

 

I'm nuts. I've waxed mine twice a month, for the last 6 months. And I use Rain-X window cleaner every other day. The car looks nice, but after all that I STILL see bird poop sticking to it, and water that happens to splash on the windows will leave spots. Very frustrating.

 

I hate washing but I love waxing. I only wash it because it makes no sense to wax a dirty car. (If there's research saying it does make sense, I'll be all over it.)

 

I drive my car every day, so it is impossible to keep it clean...

 

Towel dry the car...that's what I do and it works.... Also, this might be a "duh" thing but...when you wash the car, start with the top and work your way down, this way any grit, dirt, etc doesn't scratch the paint, do the wheels last, try not to let the water dry...so it is best to wash in the shade on a day when the winds are calm. I've spend too much time washing cars...particularly when I had the Challenger...

 

I generally wash late afternoon after the sun has disappeared behind the trees, and dry it off with a thick microfibre cloth designed to outdo a chamois. I wash from the top down too, rinse continually, and re-spray the top while I'm washing the lower panels so they don't dry off. I dry the windows first, then the panels from the roof down - the lowest vertical panels are less obvious if they've got spotting on than the horizontal or higher panels or windows.

In hot weather, I've been known to wash it in the rain - but the comments from the neighbours ... they thought I was crazy.

Meanwhile they've spent the day at the beach consciously jumping into salty, sandy water in the hot sun with a whole pile of other people - THAT'S CRAZY!!

 

Yes, thanks, I do all those things... it's a labor of love. (My very first job was at a car wash. It's in my blood.)

 

Back to the original question - relationship between EV Mode and l/100km/hr (MPG) = almost none.

Today, I did my longest run since I got my PRIUS, travelled 275km, mostly highway, avg 3.4l/100km (83UK MPG; 69US MPG) - and total EV was 32%.

 

At highway speeds this would seem normal...especially the fuel economy...well technically anything over 50 would be normal but looks like you really have to thrash the throttle a lot to get down to 50...or drive over 75 MPH. Some mornings I can get 83 MPG to work, driving around 55...Here lately been getting like 74, no apparent reason. One the way back the engine is cold, the interior is hot, and a lot is going up hill...sometimes getting 60 doesn't happen, just depends on traffic...my mood lol

Anyway, if you can take it for a drive at speeds under 55 MPH you'll probably see a lot more EV, especially if you are in ECO mode or have rolling hills, etc.

 

I would like to know why I always get better MPG when I'm in PWR mode. Is it because I don't have to mash down the gas pedal as hard to get the car moving?

In PWR mode, the car's engine (and performance) just feels more free and unrestricted. Everything seems to run lighter and smoother. Why would I ever go back to ECO mode?

I think "ECO mode" is just another marketing gimmick, and doesn't allow the car to perform up to it's capabilities.

 

Sorry, probably wrong. Forget altogether about EV for a month or 2, it has almost nothing to do with your MPG. Prius is a Hybrid, not an EV.

Drive your PRIUS, get used to "just driving it". If you REALLY want to, check the MPG at each shut-down, but don't take too much concern. 80+ is probably only achievable with VERRRRY gentle driving, and with someone who is VERRRRY experienced with PRIUS driving. My l/100km has been gradually reducing since I got the car, and that is because it and I understand each other better. And I look less and less at the dashboard. What tyre pressure are you running - I've put mine up to 40 and it may have made a difference, some Prius drivers say it does.

My best economy ever, a mixed run about 140miles gave about 71MPG - and that used 35%EV. I've seen 80, 90 for short drives, but realistically, short drives don't count as they're not representative. I've also seen 60-70%EV on VERY short drives, but driving further pushes that figure down. I really don't expect to see those figures for more normal driving. That was using DRCC most of the time - maybe driving without DRCC might eke a little more economy, but at the cost of my nerves.

There is a driving style called "Pulse and Glide" or hypermiling - you can GOOGLE it or search for it in PriusChat search. It is a driving style which isn't possible in all driving situations without creating anger among drivers around you. But, if you're new to PRIUS (like I am, but I'm not new to hypermiling), I wouldn't try it immediately, but after you were used to the car.

 

Did you have the air conditioning running during that 3 mile drive?

And what was the battery level? How many bars were showing?