Is the Prius too complicated?

These guys?

 

I suppose the reason hypermiling does nothing for me is that I don't have much to hypermile with. I have one stop sign at the bottom of a hill and that's one mile from my home. I coast mostly to that point and can drive for nearly another mile before the ICE kicks in. I can get it up to 50 MPH in EV! (not selected with the EV button) The rest is a 55 MPH (speed limit and I have to go a little faster if someone creeps up behind me) for twelve miles to town. Two stop signs and then parking lot for the closest "grocery store." No traffic lights. No traffic. No passing. Just rolling hills. I get 60 MPG going in and 67.5 coming home in every configuration setup I try. Those include AC settings, driving modes, coasting, the glide thing, or not using the glide thing. I've even driven it slower. No noticeable difference. The car knows when to put it in battery operated mode and it does it.

When I go to a real grocery store in the valley, it's a 100 mile round trip and my mileage only gets better because I get down on flat land. Even then, when I get to the city, I only have half a dozen traffic lights to contend with. This little car shows me 68 MPG round trip no matter which tech tricks I try.

I suppose I should put it in power mode, use bat out of hell speed like everyone else, and just treat it like an old pickup truck to see how lousy I can make it run to make me feel better.

 

They look like they are stealing flowers from a graveyard.

I might be projecting.

 

You ARE hypermiling.

 

Once you get used to the pedal tension then the only differences are the AC power and the "catch-up" speed in DCC. Neither of those apppy to you.

 

love the eco mode, you just stepped up to the platinum priuschat membership.

 

are you on 'do not resuscitate' too?

 

I swear I'm going out next time, I'll slip it into power, turn on the Full AC, and squash that pedal to the floor like a.. like a... <insert your favorite "stick it" saying here... I can't think of anything that isn't offensive... michelle has a filthy mind> I haven't revved it up since I bought it. I'm just not that sort of driver. No testosterone to send up in smoke to impress the squirrels. But one time... just one time...

I came home today. I thought I was doing great and then got behind the local school bus that had to stop in the car's favorite EV eight mile stretch FIVE times! When I got home my mileage went clear down to 63 from 67 for my return trip. EV usage showed 50 percent! Boo hoo. Ha! You know when I bought this car, I figured I might get 46 to 48 MPG if I drove it really careful up here in the hills. I've never had a car beat the EPA numbers on the sticker.

Meanwhile, while NOT watching the stupid gauges, and I really don't, other than the HUD, I really am enjoying the JBL sound system. Much of the boominess has dissipated. I've got a number of tracks that really do sound quite good. I have a 1970's rock and a classical ear. Hip hop won't cut it on this system. I'm very happy with it. I'm not an audiophile... just a wannabe.

 

mmm... mine is cabernet, i think.

 

i'm having pacemaker issues.

 

Interesting Question.
Is The Prius too complicated?

Well I think the great thing about Prius, is despite it's Hybrid Synergy Drive, and the addition of the components and software needed to make it a hybrid, you CAN just get in the vehicle and drive it. You can make it as simple or complicated as you wish.

I often recommended to "Newbies" that they at least initially ignore hypermiling and much of the Prius hybrid feedback and "Just Drive". Then as they became more and more familiar with the vehicle adopt whatever level of interface they wish.

Also I don't feel information about Owning and Operating The Prius is "All over The Map".
This is a forum, and the internet. So when an opinion is asked for, or information sought sure you are going to get a lot of input.
But generally the information is pretty good, and straight forward.
The only topic that seems to generate a lot of unnecessarily confusing feedback IMO is the usage of "B". Also some debate over The Prius's "modes"....but a lot of that is simply personal preference.

I'll admit that part of my recent choice to return to a regular ICE vehicle was based on a desire to return to a "simpler" machine. I like that I now no longer have to worry about 12 volt batteries behind the seat, Hybrid Batteries, Hybrid Battery fans, or regenerative brakes. Even though I do miss the advantages that all those components in a Prius create, which mostly was fantastic gas mileage and cleaner emissions.

Toyota has called Hybrids a "Bridge Technology". I agree with this. Mostly because of the amount of components and complication it takes to create a Hybrid Vehicle. It's here today, and a great machine. But I speculate that a simpler alternative will eventually supplant Hybrid Technology. I won't go as far as to speculate what direction or answer that may be, I think it may be a long way off. But someday I think full electrics, or an alternative fuel source vehicle makes us look back at the "golden age" of ICE/Hybrid technology.
But in an age with an infrastructure still so highly tied to gasoline and fossil fuel, I think that Hybrid bridge is still a long one. In my opinion, right now Prius offers a great choice for absolutely the best fuel efficiency possible in an relatively affordable product. And NOT having to plug it in, and being able to mostly just operate it as one would standard ICE vehicle is also IMO a great benefit.

Too an extent, all new vehicles are "complicated" today.
They all come with computer controlled systems, drive by wire throttle systems.
We've come a long, long way from the 60's and 70's, and a time when most vehicles were as basically simple as transmissions, engines, and carburetors.

I can also say....if the amount of information available for Prius, and within Prius Chat seems complicated or overwhelming? Appreciate it.
Compared to other automobile websites, Prius Chat is amazingly active and dynamic. You post a question here? You will get answers. Maybe a lot of them. But that's a indicative of a alive and vital online presence and community of participants.

Nearly any and all popular vehicles have some type of corresponding forum available. But few of them are as active as Prius Chat. I've seen forums where people will post legitimate questions about their vehicle and find only "crickets". With very few responses or activity.

Prius Complicated?
Arguably...but we can make it as simple as we want.

 

In digital single lens reflex cameras, I went from a Canon 5D, with menu you could more-or-less comprehend, all under one main heading system, to a 5D3, with about 5 times the complexity, a heading structure like a byzantine family tree, requiring multiple controls to even navigate. With the old one I could get what and where I needed, from memory. With the new one, I'm lost: pretty much anything I need to get to requires digging out the manual.

 

When you reveal the specifics of your usual driving parameters and environment, it explains a lot why you report to not see any difference between ECO, NORMAL or POWER Mode.

But you should realize...you're pretty lucky to have those conditions routinely and specifically.

I'm going to say, for the vast majority of people, that are driving in more diverse driving conditions, keeping the Prius in Power Mode IS going to result in poorer gas mileage.

If your usual driving routine is a long coast down a hill, followed by a long flat highway speed stretch?
Yeah, I can believe you choose Power Mode and don't see much MPG fluctuation.

PS.
I don't think you need to prove anything by driving any differently.
Results are results. If you're happy with what you are getting and the vehicles behavior?
Keep on doing what you are doing.

Meh...as I get older, everything seems more and more complicated....
Plus, it seems more and more things don't even come with manuals to dig out.
Manufacturers expect understanding based on intuitive familiarity...or that you will go "on line" and find the internet manual.

My Dad recently bought a GPS navigation computer, and was surprised that it barely came with a pamphlet that only showed you how turn it on, and charge it. But had very little information about really how to use it. It did have an internet address provided to go seek the information.

I have an older but similar set up, so I could go over and simply show him how to basically use it. But had I not? I think it would of been pretty overwhelming for him.

True story, but my brand new Honda Fit did not even come with a full fledged "Owners Manual". It came with an abridged "Owners Guide".
You can either go online and/or contact Honda within a specific timeframe and they will mail you a printed Owner Manual if you request it.
Otherwise....you don't even get a full owners manual.

 

A careful hypermiler could probably get the same mpg in any of the modes. Which is testament to all they really are: changes in the gas pedal travel vs throttle opening. There's nothing miraculous about them: pick the one that suits your needs. Personally I like Normal, the middle setting, it seems to have reasonable pedal travel and linear results.

Computer operating system upgrades are like that: without the internet community you'd be close to floundering, wondering why the hell Windows 10 is ____, or won't let you ____ (insert issue here). Just google the problem, you'll likely find people in the same boat, and solutions.

 

I suppose surprisingly I'm just getting old.
I can now tell the younglings about a time when people seeking information about goods and services use to access something called a "Telephone Book". Then make phone calls on a piece of wired equipment that's portability was commensurate with the length of it's cord.
Can you Hear Me Now? Only was a legitimate question if you pulled the cord out of the wall.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that the information I seek IS probably only a few keystrokes away.