Installed EV Mode switch today

btw.. someone on here mentioned a warranty over at 80k... you were in so cal. you get a 150k mile warranty.

I'm part of that niche market. It's useless to do now since i changed rims.. although it helps warm up greatly...

my house has a 2.5 mile stretch that's slightly rolling but slightly downhill. I can move my car a good half mile before i force the ice on due to high mph. I cruise at around 42 (because of my wheels) and get a good length of time where i could switch over to electric go get a quick boost over a few hills.

 

It is true that EV mode -- by itself -- doesn't improve gas milage. In fact, it has every chance of worsening it by causing the ICE to come on cold.

However...

I am scheduled for the Hymotion PHEV mod, and when THAT is installed, EV mode is going to become critical. So here's my question.

EV mode can be incredibly annoying! I certainly have no problem with the Pri starting the ICE when the battery level gets too low, but what's with the speed limitation? Can someone please explain to me why, if im COASTING down a hill and go over 34 MPH it should start the ICE???

I mean, other than the obvious: Toyota was influenced by the oil companies not to make the car too efficient?

Has anyone figured out how to change the speed threshold? Do we need to re-program the ECU?

 

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It may have something to do with the same reason we can't glide past 40 mph.
Something in the engine starts spinning and the ICE has to turn on so it won't over spin.
.

 

I come a long drive down off my local mountain and the engine comes on periodically. I assume it is because the engine cools down and it comes on to heat it up. The EV Mode switch should help in that case. Can someone tell me where to get the radio shack installation instructions?
Thanks,
Bud

 

Why is it obvious -- or what is the evidence, period -- that Toyota is influenced by oil companies? What is your source for that claim?

There is a lot about this car that remains a mystery. I'm sure some are trade secrets that Toyota understandably wants to keep secret. As to your specific question, I know of no one who has discovered how to change the 34 MPH threshold for EV mode.

It could be cooling down enough for the ICE to light, but that's less likely this time of year than in the winter. What I suspect is that, coming down the mountain, the ICE is behaving as though the car is in B mode, especially if it sounds like it's revving higher than you might expect at idle. The car manages battery charge very effectively to avoid overcharging. Down a long incline with substantial regeneration, it is easy for the battery's maximum state of charge (~80%) to be reached. Once it is reached, the car begins using the ICE to help slow itself (engine braking) instead of allowing more regeneration. I've seen this several times descending the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. It's a paradox of sorts: Take your foot off the gas and the ICE runs; give it some pedal and it quickly cuts off as it uses some of that charge.

See this for my installation, with a link to the instructions I used -- those Evan Fusco previously developed for the Radio Shack switch.

 

I don't understand the posts that claim the EV button won't save gas. Isn't that the primary purpose of having the battery pack in the first place? I would think that using a greater % of it's capacity could increase the overall capture/reuse of braking energy. I understand that the US Prius is not a plug-in, which goes hand in hand with the EV button. But it seems that proper use of the EV button, especially in hilly terrain, could use that extra bar or two to make it up that next hill without the ICE kicking in. Then recapturing alot of that energy, used to get up the hill, through regeneration, going down the other side. There's alot of that kind of terrain driving in Metro Atlanta situated at the foot of the Appalatians. There are a number of stretches of bumper to bumper traffic, @<35mph, going up and down hills that I leave the 2000 Avalon XLS in second(automatic) to keep the trans from continuously shifting and having to ride the brakes. I think these stretches would be ideal for the EV button.
That said, my reservations are warranty concerns and shortened battery life. I think it's practical in Europe & Japan since the Plug-in can be used to recharge the battery. But I do believe it can be used in a manor that could save gas under the right conditions.

 

could not find Radio Shack instructions or EV mod. Could you re-post.
Having issues ordering across the Canada/US border without shipping and customs charges taking huge bite.

Thanks

 

Follow the link in my previous post.

 

ev mode doesnt save gas, it drains the battery resulting in the prius having to compensate during normal driving with ICE on.

i use the EV mode when im in a parking lot, or driving slow for short distances, its basically a party piece

 

It does when used properly under the right circumstances. I linked to this earlier in this thread, but here it is again for your convenience.

 

All energy utilized in the car ultimately comes from gasoline.

The EV switch can save gas if it is used to prevent losses of efficiency greater than the losses suffered by converting chemical energy (gasoline) to mechanical energy (ICE) to electrical energy (MGs) back to chemical energy (battery storage) back to mechanical energy (MGs again).

So, I think that in some specialized cases the EV switch can probably be seen to save some energy (increase MPG). I think for most people in most places, it won't.

 

Dear Seftonde,

So how did you make out with your gas milage? Did it improve?
I ask because when I arive at the industrial park where I work I would like to go into EV mode for the last 3/4 mile to the parking lot, and the same when I turn on to my final road going home. I figured as you did that I would recoup the losse charge on the startup at the end of the day or in the morning.
Is it worth the cost, time, and effort of installing one?

Thank you,
Roland