Do You Use EV Mode

How can we pull the car out of garage in EV? Doesn't the engine need to be warmed up before EV mode can be used?

 

For the Classic & Iconic models... once the emissions system was warm, if the electric draw is less than 10kW and the speed is no faster than 42 MPH, the engine would stop. That's stealth.

For the 2010... still needs to be warm, not sure about the draw, but the speed maximum is now 45 MPH.
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If you push the EV button quickly after the Power button and speed is very slow, it will remain in electric-only operation. That's plenty for driveway moving.
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One other advantage of using EV mode is that it doubles yours acceleration potential without using the ICE (gas engine) all the way up to 25MPH. I use it from a stop when I have traffic behind and accelerate normally.

 

As long as you realize this costs you more gas in the end, its fine with me!

Personally, I'll keep using the most energy efficient way to accelerate, but I have to admit that accelerating swiftly in EV mode has a lot more "wow" factor!

 

Use it for the last block into the driveway. I do need to look out for cats and such, as it makes little noise. I should learn to use EV mode more often.

The other day the engine was all warmed up, etc. while doing just this, and I got the warning beep and Prius gave me the screen message "Speed too fast for EV mode." I was doing 7mph. Huh?

 

I've seen that several times at 9-11 mph.

 

EV means zero emissions from the tailpipe so it is good to use in enclosed carparks. I also use it to quietly back out of my driveway at 6:00AM and earlier. My neighbour's bedroom window is right by my driveway.

I like using EV in shopping centre carparks to show off.

If your in eco mode there is really no need to select power to enter a freeway on ramp, just sink the right boot into the plush pile and you will get full power in eco mode. ECO and PWR ony affect the first half of pedal travel.

 

I have the exact same issue but have not been able to get anyone to respond to my similar post. Have you received any response?

 

I got mine a week ago. I'm with you. I never use it even after a week. ECO works just fine. I am 100% happy with the Prius...I love it, BUT, I really was excpecting a little more electric only mode. With the air conditioning on, I pretty much immediately go gas engine when I start the car. I rarely, unless in perfect conditions, can go more than :30 in electric mode only. I only work about .8 miles from work, so I was hoping for better at least 1 way each day...

 

Why joke about it? I love doing this!!

I have to grow older, I never have to grow up.

 

I used EV the day I bought the car... just to see if it works. Since then, it's been in eco mode.

 

I hadn't posted about it before this, and am not all that concerned about it.

 

It should be emphasized once again that EV is useful for a short
move without lighting the engine at all, such as switching parking
spots or creeping out of a confined area before starting to
produce fumes, etc. Pressing EV a couple of seconds after
powering on defers the engine warmup cycle, possibly never even
beginning it if the car is powered down again shortly afterward.
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The manual actually doesn't seem to explain this, which is a
bit of an omission on Toyota's part. That's one of the best
uses of EV, which Iconic owners have utilized for years now.
It should describe this, and tell the owner exactly how long a
grace period they've got to invoke EV after startup.
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As far as self-cancelling at low speeds, it's probably due to
excess pedal demand. Using just enough pedal to move the car
but not really accelerate hard will let it stay in EV. And recall
that as speed increases, the amount of battery current drawn to
produce the same acceleration *also* increases -- power is torque
times RPM even for electric motors, and is also voltage times
current -- battery voltage is more or less constant, so as motor
RPM increases then so must current to maintain the same torque
[i.e. given level of acceleration]. So it's easy to draw more
current than EV mode allows as you get up around 10 MPH or more.
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_H*

 

The car will also give you an excessive acceleration warning when using EV. That was never the case when I tried to switch to EV at 9-11 mph. My foot probably wasn't even on the accelerator then. But the display popped up the excessive speed warning. Say what?

 

Hi John,

Your document does not address all the possible modes for the 2010 Prius.

You can have these 6 modes:

1. normal (or you also say automatic)
2. ECO
3. PWR
4. normal + EV (or just "EV")
5. ECO + EV
6. PWR + EV

IOW, EV is a distinct seperate mode that can be added to any other mode. Of course, in any of the non-EV modes you could be in stealth mode as well...and, sort of, by definition when you are in any of the EV modes you are in stealth mode.

It might be confusing (to some) to describe all these as automatic and manual since this might be related to a manual or automatic transmission.

3PriusMike

 

Why use EV?
We can go without turning the engine on up to almost 40 MPH without the need to switch EV on.
EV requires the same or even lighter foot than ECO or normal modes...
I go battery only all the time I am below 40 mph and have enough juice in the battery.

 

I debated about whether or not to mention the "do EV now, but when it cancels resume the mode I was previously on" feature.

Considering audience, the decision was no for this document (which is just a general overview). The upcoming 2010 User-Guide will provide that type of detail for owners.
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EV definitely has uses besides just the "wow factor", not that the wow factor isn't a valid reason to begin with. EV mode allows considerably more acceleration before kicking in the ICE than ECO mode does, which can be very helpful in certain situations.

Here is one situation I encounter frequently enough here in the Berkshire mountains... I'm stopped at a light or stop sign, on a slight uphill, with traffic behind me, so I cannot totally crawl up the hill when I start out. But it's a short hill, with a downhill right after, so I know I can regen the battery without needing the ICE to make up the electricity used. ECO mode won't give me enough acceleration to keep from holding up traffic, but EV works perfectly to get me over the hill. After the crest, drop it out of EV, kick it down to B for big regen and it saves having to start the ICE. Less fuel, one less unnecessary start cycle on the ICE... all good.

Here's another one... I live a short ways up a very steep hill in a residential neighborhood with a 25mph speed limit. I nearly always leave the house by heading down that hill. I cannot make it up the hill without the ICE in ECO mode, so I end up running the engine for 0.1mi right before getting home. Instead, using the EV mode gets me into the driveway with no problem. I use it again on the way out next time to delay the ICE warm-up cycle and I can regen on the way down the hill and let the ICE warm up on level ground with no load. All good again, as far as I can see.

So imho, EV mode is definitely more than a gimmick, even if the applications are somewhat limited and rather specific.

 

Yep! I can get it into stealth mode quite readily doing from 0 up to about 45 mph. Actually, if you know how and are good at this you can get into EV mode > 25 mph and without pressing the EV button. There are times when I can get it into EV mode even when it rejects the EV button!