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Prime 2017 max speed?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by mveras1972, Aug 15, 2021.

  1. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    IIRC, that is about right, driven at least in part by MG1's rpm limit. Similar for my RAV4 Prime. To go faster, the ICE must be fired up, or at least spun up.

    Non-Primes, at least of older generations, had lower ICE-off speed limit thresholds, above which the ICE must spin to protect MG1 from overspeed.
     
  2. The Tramp

    The Tramp Italian Prius Expert

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    The 2017 Prime has a lower top speed than the normal 2017. This is due to the lower gear ratio that the prime has.
     
    douglasjre and sylvaing like this.
  3. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    It is fast enough for me. I once took a trip from Seattle to Denver going South thru Oregon and Idaho. The speed limit was usually 80 on the freeways. Set the cruise control to 90 and just cruised. I typically set my CC to ten over the speed limit. It has been quite a few years since I have received a ticket.
    Ray
     
  4. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    I do the same, but in km/h, 15 km/h over (almost 10 mph). No tickets either. The only exception are the photo radar. They trigger at 10 km/h over (6 mph) so gotta be careful there, especially with the mobile photo radar.
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Only in Idaho and Utah. Both Washington and Oregon top out at 70. I think Colorado goes only to 75, but I normally drive just I-70 just once a year, and typically only through the mountains, rarely reaching the plains, so can't speak to the other Colorado Interstates. We also drive numerous lower speed non-Interstates.

    At the time and place I grew up and took Driver Education, a habitual 5 mph over the speed limit would typically get one's drivers license suspended for excessive points in roughly a year. A relative is now a judge there, and receives lots of speeding ticket appeals from out-of-state drivers for 5 mph over the limit. Or at least he did before Pandemic de-policing, I haven't asked since. The geography there makes many highways hazardous, and sparse rural populations keep highway budgets low, limiting upgrades for safety at higher speeds. But lots of out-of-state drivers simply couldn't get the lead off their pedal foot and drive to local conditions, so got tickets. Thanks to low population and low staffing, a large majority of speeding once-through travelers make it through without tickets. But those of us visiting frequently must be more careful. The in-law who is the fastest driver in the extended family, gets more tickets there than everywhere else combined. It is embarrassing for him to visit the family member who is the judge, at the very same time Officer Friendly who just gave him a citation, is also visiting.
     
  6. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    When I had a G3 it was electronically limited to 108, but that was with the itty-bitty 'dolphin on roller skates" 16" tyres.
    I'm thinking that the '2017 is similarly limited since their typical S rated tire is good for.................(wait for it!).........112 mph (180 km/h) under optimal conditions.

    'Optimal' being the operative word!
    This would take into account all manner of things including population density, road quality, and whether or not your area is a destination or an originating point for the (*COUGH!!!) "pandemic" defund the police movement here in the US.
    Our local LEOs are more interested in moderating the effects of STUPID drivers, and in some cases this would include some punk going over 100 in an eco-hatch, although you have to admit that there are plenty of trucks and Mopars out there to draw their eye away from you.

    Mostly the ACAB crowd gives me plenty of cover to drive 10-20 mph over the limit without much thinking about it - and traffic densities allow for moderate safety.
    At 20 over I'm being passes by my fellow motorists very regularly.

    MY mileage.
    YMMV.
     
  7. sylvaing

    sylvaing Senior Member

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    Yeah, if I need to go faster, I simply wait for someone to pass me, give him some lead time and then follow him, watching for his brake light turning on. It's too late for him but gives me plenty of time to react lol. Of course, on roads where speed is controlled by airplanes (and now drones), that is not working. Airplanes were easy to spot but not drones.
     
  8. OptimalPrime

    OptimalPrime Member

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    I'm not going to give a tutorial on where to do a top-speed run, but suffice it to say that just a few years ago, there were multiple states in the USA where the Prime's top speed of 104mph would just get you a regular speeding ticket, so you could just blast along an empty Interstate with few worries. One state where 110mph was just a moderate-cost, single point speeding ticket, has reduced the amount over the speed limit where you get into trouble. And of course, even at 85mph in an 80mph, you can get a ticket for more than just speeding, if how you are driving deserves it.

    My spirited driving is not done on interstates or other major highways. There are much better options, though of course you have to check them out to make sure of whether there are any side roads, residences, farms or whatever, where a vehicle, person, or livestock could appear from. Some roads are just really remote and have nothing going on, nowhere a car or person will pop out from, nowhere for a cop to hide.

    My own favorite spots for going very fast are incredibly remote, empty, and safe to go any speed you wish. Emptier than "the loneliest road in America". If I can't see for at least 2 miles behind me and 5 (preferably 10) miles ahead, it's not time for a speed run. And it's not as if the top speed of a Prime is that much faster than locals out there drive their F350 dually carrying bales of hay. They're doing 85-90mph themselves, to support Exxon Mobil.

    Sometimes I'll drive my favorite valley back and forth, not always at top speed, either. One day, there was a diagonal crosswind, and it was great to learn how the car reacts to the airflow detaching and reattaching when the relative flow varies too much from the direction of travel. Very instructive, and made me glad I understand vector math. Likewise, timing it to go right through a dust devil mini-tornado crossing the road, was fun and instructive.

    Bottom line, it's a great handling, very aerodynamic, surprisingly heavy car that is very comfortable to drive at speed if you have good tires inflated more than Toyota suggests. Actually, the faster I went, the less it was affected by crosswinds, gusts, etc.
     
  9. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    Optimal. There's no need to defend your safety. Don't worry I get it. I'm a motorcyclist and we always go for the backcountry reds where we can be away from others. You and I get it. Common man doesn't. Don't worry about what the common man thinks. Common man will hold you back filling you with defense statements. You'll waste your time. I know some real good roads where you can enjoy them. Curves are a ton of fun. We have a favorite area up around North Carolina, Tennessee. Wolf pen, Gap deals, Gap and blood mountain are a ton of fun. Blood mountain is very safe because it's uphill very flat and two cars wide. Lots of room. Don't know why it's called blood mountain because there aren't any accidents there and I can't see the logic and calling it. That. Sounds kind of morbid. Anyway, there are lots of good roads and the car clubs go up there often. I even railed my 3rd gen Prius through deals Gap one time. Got lots of cheers for doing so. Had traction control off of course because it would have been inhibiting me so much. Good times