Mileage with EV Mod

It might help you on the downhill leg as you describe, but it won't help you uphill. The hybrid system is not designed for sustained EV propulsion, and it won't take you far on your trip home before the ICE will override it to recharge the battery. And when you try to force EV propulsion you'll generally hurt fuel economy.

Lots of threads on the subject. This will get you started, and from there I suggest a good search.

I highly recommend an engine block heater if you don't have one, especially in Canada. I would use my EV switch a lot less if I could plug my heater in at home. It doesn't take long with EBH-enhanced warmup for the car to reach stage 4 temperatures, at which it will shut the ICE down on its own when it's not needed.

 

One thing you can try when making short stops (5-10 mins) is to turn off the MFD, leave the car in park and lock the car with the metal key. It will save the stage 1 warmup when you get back in since you left the car on. Obviously don't leave the rest of the key fob in the car.

 

Keep in mind that in Canada we have to have DRL, therefore the lights will be on if you leave the car on.

 

plug-it-in
If you're able and willing try to combine those short trips. I used to do some of my shopping during my lunch time but now I do it on the way home. The EBH is a good suggestion, but if you look it my signature it shows that good MPG can be achieved even without one. I live in a highrise and no place to plug in an EBH, but if you do have that opportunity it would help your first 5 minute (5-10 in the winter) MPG. Good luck.

 

I am an EV Mode user when in the right situation. If I am not in stage 4 (163.4F) yet and moving uphill or on level ground not in a glide or stealth I found that my Scanguage II SOC gauge will drop by 1% every 400 feet. Thus at a full charge in the high 70's% I can travel about 10,000 feet with no regeneration or ICE. This would convert to about 1.8 miles before I hit an SOC of 50% which will turn on the ICE. This also has to occur at speeds under 43 MPH. Also the EVM in this situation has to be activated on start up.

 

I am totally second what you said. That's also the same reason I wanted to install the EV switch. But just kinda afraid that may void my warranty for the Hybird system. I am still thinking of a really clean way to install it. Because so far every method I have seen, if the tech really looks for it they can still find evidence you have clipped into the wires etc...

Also it would be nice to be able easy removal. Just in case for whatever unexpected reasons you need to take it to the dealership....

IMHO, they should have this option available in NA. Why only highlander has the EV mode switch here?

 

Several things for you to think about.
Try to integrate your grocercy store stop with other necessary travel. Avoid that short trip altogether.

The "downhill charge" you imagine is going to be nothing compared to the uphill discharge, that will be so great, you probably won't make it home.

And even if you do, you are sitting at home with a totally depleted battery, what kind of situation does that leave you in for the next outting?
The necessary charging requirement after that next startup will be so great and long, it will have a much greater negative impact on MPG and efficiency that if you had just driven normal to the store.

Get a engine block heater.

The EV switch is only usefuel for short repos, and brief "pulse" situations where you link glides and stealth that would not have been otherwise possible due to limited normal "stealth'' load demand.

 

I have the CoastalTech mod installed on my car. There are days when the car seems to ignore my request.

That aside. I have gotten into my car one day, turned it on, (put it in EV mode) drove over to Walgreens, went shopping, came out, turned the car back on (put it back in EV) and drove home. Without the ICE!

Your driving TO the store, EV will keep the ICE off, and you get to charge your battery. Driving back up, you do partially EV, the rest with ICE....MAYBE, when you use ICE, you often get a boost from the MG2(1?) so you might want to keep that charge in the battery for the climb.

ANY time you are leaving and heading downhill, I think you SHOULD be in EV mode whenever possible. Driving off, keep your pace steady (I set cruise) while the ICE warms. Cruising at 35MPH on cruise, I have noticed numbers are low as 35, but I have also watched it holding in the 60s for quite a while, with it occasionally going into EV mode.

As a side note, I have watched my car go into EV (on cruise) with 4 bars, and stay while on even while going to 3 bars. People like keeping their battery at 6 bars, but I don't see the point.

 

I have the EV button with Scanguage. One thing I never saw mentioned here that you might want to keep in mind is that the car actually acts like your in EV mode during warm-up. The engine idles to produce heat, but almost all of the propulsion is from the battery, unless you really ask for alot of power.
I mention this because my idea was to get out of my development on EV, then switch it off and let the engine warm up while on the 35-45 mph section to the Interstate. The problem is, I use 1-2 bars getting out of the development, then while the engine is heating up, it sucks the battery dry (down to 3-4 bars) trying to go 30-35...rather than using the engine power, even though its idling....Frustrating, but there you go.

 

A perfect example of where an EBH would be most useful. It would eliminate your battery getting sucked dry, as you describe, at the very beginning of your drive, as your ICE is trying to warm up. Because your ICE would already be warmed up, and it would not favor the battery for propulsion. And more importantly, the subsequent, extensive loss of glide potential for so many miles after that, until the battery can recharge.
That's where the greatest negative impact on efficiency really is.

I have that exact same situation. At the start of my commute, I leave my house and have to climb a moderate hill out of my hood. Since the car is in S1, it tends to favor the hybrid battery for that climb, and depletes it almost completely on that hill. That robs me of glide and stealth potential for many miles to come, until it can recharge at least 4 bars or so. All that waste of battery power, and lost efficient driving opportunity is eliminated if I use the EBH to warm the ICE before I go.

 

Another vote for an EBH here. I turn on the heater 2-3 hours before I go (yes, you have to plan) and combined with EV mode I get 50 MPG from the start.

 

i have the ev+ebh, best two mods i have done.
i use the ev to get me the hwy (about 3miles in a some what down hill).
i avoid the ice warm up thing all together
avg to date 53.6 seen it get to mid 60's for 200miles before