I have found EV mode to work well at the end of trip, through the neighborhood or in a parking garage. My commute to work consists of driving to an indoor garage, going up the ramps, parking, and taking the Metro. I press the EV switch when I go into the garage. Even though I'm going up the ramps, the mpg reading goes up. In my Gen II, my mpg would go down if I'm climbing, regardless of my speed. At night, I switch to EV when I enter my neighborhood. There are stop signs and small hills. The EV mode works as long as I have enough charge and I don't accelerate from a stop too quickly (it can be well under 25mpg) and the mpg reading climbs rather than drops.
I use EV in my garage and backing out to the street. Then I start the ICE and at least I'm moving during warm up and not sitting in my garage or backing slowly out of the driveway. I also think it good in parking lots, etc. or in neighborhoods with lots of stop sign and you have to stop and go every block.
This is excellent advice. I have been returning home by cutting through the neighborhood in my NHW11 but it has no EV mode. You still have to be ginger on the accelerator. But the EV switch in the ZVW30 works great! Thanks again, Bob Wilson
It seems it would be best coming home if you're in a residential area or place you could not exceed the MPH limit. It seems you should use it as much as possible in this instance because when you start up the next morning the ICE has to run to warm up anyway, so you're replacing the charge you drained the night before.
Also, the NiMH batteries lose about 10% of their charge over night, according to the datasheets. If the NiMH battery is already low, there is that much less charge to lose. <wink> Bob Wilson
I think this is inadvisable - although the engine is running during warmup it does not produce electrical power without consuming additional fuel. By requiring that it recharge the battery at this time you are making it produce power at a time when it is cold and running with low efficiency. Also during warm-up much of the power comes from the battery to minimize the load on the engine (I've seen over 100A battery currents during the first 30 seconds of operation). If anything it may be more efficient to do the opposite and ensure that the battery has a high-charge at the end of the day to provide the energy for powering the car during the warm up period. (notwithstanding the comment about losing charge during the night - 10% seems unlikely in 12 hours) kevin
Yo, Bob's just having fun with y'all. Search this topic just for fun. It's been hammered flatter than a nanoparticle!
I concur on the ECO mode - I use that all the time. I've not had your experience in EV mode, though. It seems to kick out as soon as I press the accelerator too far, regardless of speed. I'll try it again tomorrow. Thanks!
I have to rescind my previous statement - that's how I thought it worked - but lately I've been paying more attention - EV will back me out of the driveway, but then the engine starts when its cold (not run). Obscure EV mode factoid - if you run EV mode, get to 25MPH, and click to set the cruise control, the EV shuts down.
I have my new 2010 Prius since 1 week. I had trouble myself understanding the use of the EV mode. I think I now understood the purpose of it. Granted that you can use electric only if you are driving at low speeds, or gliding (this is how you get the low fuel consumption), the EV mode is simply saying to the computer: if the speed and acceleration is within limits and you have enough charge, postpone the turning on of the ICE as much as possible. This is not the case in any other mode. If for any reason, even within the parameters of speed and acceleration, or charge, the computer decides that it needs the ICE, it will turn it on. Once case where this is valid, when in EV and going up a slope. Out of EV mode, the ICE will likely start to avoid using too much battery, while in EV it will simply use more current/battery, thus reducing the amount of time available in EV mode. I use EV mode in parking lots, or in the side streets before getting home. Usually for no more than 5-600 meters. But I still do manage to shave off 0.2L/100km from my overall 18-20km commute (e.g. from 4.8 to 4.6L/100km).
I see many arguments regarding EV mode, both with the switch and just driving in full electric by feathering the throttle. I don't agree with the naysayers who say that EV mode is a waste of time or not effective in order to gain on economy. I disagree vehemently with those people, as much as they vehemently disagree with me. One fact is, and this is not arguable, even by those who say that EV is overrated, is that if you can accelerate from a standing stop to some moderate speed (15MPH-25MPH) you will be saving a huge amount on economy because standing starts are the most inefficient part of an ICE (Atkinson cycle or otherwise) power band.
I use EV mode for the last 3/4 mile or so of my drive home, as I've said before. My commute ends on an uphill with three stop signs, and begins in the morning on a downhill with three stop signs, so I get plenty of free regen in the morning. Yesterday's commute home was very slow, with a lot of driving under 20mph, slow accelerations and decelerations. The HSI stayed on the left side of the line a lot, leading to a low SOC (2-3 bars) for about 15 minutes. I wasn't able to enter EV mode for the rest of the drive home (35 minutes) even though the SOC got all the way to the optimum level. I still couldn't enter EV mode this morning when I got in the car but by the time the commute was over, it was fine.
I have not been able to back out of the garage in EV since I've had the car. It just keeps telling me it is "not available". Good temps, good battery, all other conditions met. EV will not come on until about 100ft down the street.
If you don't engage EV the first few seconds the car is on, you will be forced to allow the engine to start and do the warmup sequence. If you "do" engage EV within a few seconds of the car first turning on, you will be allowed to drive up to 10mph before it kicks out and the warmup sequence initiates with an engine start. If you wait and do it "after" the warmup, you will be allowed to go up to 25mph. Seems they give you EV basically as a convenience for very short distances and don't want you try to go far or fast without the use of the ICE as thats not efficient anyway as the ICE will just have to run extra hard to give you back that energy and the conversion is never pure so there is waste. I'm not real sure why they give you such a short leash when the ICE is cold verses warmup up though?
Not sure how all that works.. it has to warm up sometimes.. might as well charge the battery back up while it does! Just funny that if the ICE is warmed up you can go 25, if its not you can only go 10?... whats the benefit of that?
