Great news today - 2012 Toyota Prius PHV to get selectable EV mode, full battery regeneration

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by freedom45, Jun 15, 2011.

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  1. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    .. or maybe even a plug-in CT300h, with the expected bigger engine, for when you really want to have fun! :D

    but seriously, with my commute, I'll be all electric 90% of the time, no matter how much the car weighs, so give me that heavy power seat option!
     
    #21 ggood, Jun 16, 2011
  2. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    So I'm happy :):-:D=:)
     
    #22 mrbigh, Jun 16, 2011
  3. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    If the info in the article is correct, then B mode doesn't throw the regen power away, it charges up the plug-in batteries? If this is true, then even better news!
     
    #23 DavidA, Jun 17, 2011
  4. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    There's only so much regen you can get, even in B mode. If you press the brakes hard enough, friction brakes will kick on. So far, I have not seen any advantage the B mode has to offer.
     
    #24 cproaudio, Jun 17, 2011
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  5. xyes

    xyes Hybrid Synergy Driver Malaysia

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    will it come to other part of asia?
     
    #25 xyes, Jun 17, 2011
  6. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    B mode holds you back coming down a big hill or mountain.

    Mike
     
    #26 WE0H, Jun 17, 2011
  7. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I assume you're taking that from this quote in the article:
    I don't think you can infer that there is a change in the way B-mode works. B-mode always increases regen, but it also uses engine braking thus throwing away energy as heat whereas using the brakes regens maximally. Obviously with the huge capacity the batteries will offer it would be silly to use B-mode unless they truely do change the way B-mode works--but I don't think they will.
     
    #27 efusco, Jun 17, 2011
  8. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    We often take the trip up and down blood mountain in GA and use B mode. It works great.


    A tame section:
    [​IMG]
     
    #28 billnchristy, Jun 17, 2011
  9. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    It does work great, but I have a question...when you use B-mode does your battery Always max out to full green to the point that the ICE begins to rev quite fast before you get to the bottom of the hill?

    If yes, then keep on using B-mode--it's the perfect application--and perhaps the only one that can be justified.

    If, OTOH, you are not seeing a full green and the ICE isn't reving by the bottom, then you are NOT maximizing the regen and are wasting at least a small amount of the energy you could be capturing by simply using the regen brakes without B-mode.
     
    #29 efusco, Jun 17, 2011
  10. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Every time I use B mode coming down large hills & mountains, it always fully charges the battery plus it keeps the speed under 90 :p

    Mike
     
    #30 WE0H, Jun 17, 2011
  11. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    Yes, but we don't go green...we are always that pale tealish grey that the gen 3 displays with (It's like a pastel apple II).

    And yes, the engine revs up quite high, but on the gen III it seems to do it in stages per cycle...IE you get in a good twisty downhill and by the end of it the engine is revving like you are passing a semi on flat land, then the next segment you start over again.

    I have seen the battery filled to the nipples a couple times, most of the time the nipples and one bar under are empty. The 3rd gen really doesn't like getting it that high and I think that is why the B mode gets more aggressive before that point.
     
    #31 billnchristy, Jun 17, 2011
  12. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    That little leaf car represents 50 Wh of energy recaptured. NiMH can store maximum (empty to full) of about 10 of those.

    In theory, Prius PHV can regen maximum of about 70 leaf cars.
     
    #32 usbseawolf2000, Jun 17, 2011
  13. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    I use the 1min display so its only 30.
     
    #33 billnchristy, Jun 17, 2011
  14. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Then 17 for NiMH vs. 117 for Lithium PHV.
     
    #34 usbseawolf2000, Jun 17, 2011
  15. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    I have seen a full battery a few times. One car, I don't recall if it was a Gen II or Gen III, showed a different color for the top bar or something weird like that.

    Mike
     
    #35 WE0H, Jun 17, 2011
  16. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    I don't know if this new feature will save much on fuel costs, but the propeller-heads sure will have a lot of fun fiddling about with pulse/glide/dance/tap/tap or whatever trying to figure it out.

    I'm glad that Toyota's engineers figured out how to make this possible. I can't wait to see what's possible with this change. My daily 80 mile r/t commute may average 70 MPG in a PHEV.
     
    #36 Rebound, Jun 17, 2011
  17. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    With all the battery capacity available and regen to charge it back up, are we gonna get a Zap button to throw an arc at those idiots that like to cut off a Prius :p

    Mike
     
    #37 WE0H, Jun 17, 2011
  18. bagwell

    bagwell Active Member

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    but you're only averaging 47.8mpg now? you must be all freeway driving, 75-80mph?

    I'm showing 58.6mpg over 10000 miles on the display.
     
    #38 bagwell, Jun 17, 2011
  19. mlg779

    mlg779 Junior Member

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    just beautiful
     
    #39 mlg779, Jun 17, 2011
  20. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    I think it will add more to the fun factor. We'll be able to use two power sources - one at a time or a blend of both. That's the beauty of E-CVT hybrid and the plug with bigger battery would bring more fun!
     
    #40 usbseawolf2000, Jun 17, 2011
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