Ran out of fuel AND battery!!

I drive over 500 miles per week. I have to fill up my tank every 6 days. If I filled up at half a tank I would be filling up 2 times a week. That's enough of a benefit to use my car to its capabilities. I don't like to push it, I know what it will do and haven't had an issue.

 

Intriguing. So, if not needing to stop in the middle of your travels once a week is worth this risk, would never needing to stop be of benefit?
I have to admit, I never realized just how inconvenient stopping in the middle of trying to get somewhere was until I stopped needing to at all (ok, once on a long trip).

It would seem to me that people that have little 'range anxiety' would be some of the earlier EV adopters (as long as they have somewhere to charge and the range of EVs meets their needs).

 

But there really is no risk... I "know" the car can do it. If I mess up the math, it isn't the cars fault.

 

That is why I put range anxiety in 's.
So to the main point of the question, are you also the type to consider EVs?

 

I can't wait for the plug in Toyota to be released in aus in 2015-16...Toyota Australia knocked it back due to the range issues and won't release a plug in unless the range is above 100km/60M
Due to the average km per person is pretty high.

 

It sounds like you've got a routine that's working, hasn't let you down. Our situation's actually similar, fill up is typically every second weekend, and even then (as you can see from the numbers), we've still got a fair ways to go.

My quibble is just with the "how low can I go" crowd, and their pursuit of a pastime analogous to Russian Roulette IMHO.

 

Absolutely. I wanted a Nissan LEAF, but couldn't convince the wife. I know it would have worked... but you know the saying. When the wife's happy... everyone's happy.

 

Of course. I meant that in reference to any car ever. Unless the gauge is broken, I see no reason for it to happen. Of course the day it happens to me, I'll have to eat my words.

 

I would've been fine with an EV for everyday driving.. especially too and from work. The bay area is very EV friendly with plenty of charging stations. Goodness, I drive past the Tesla plant on my way to work everyday during the week... and Google isn't that far from me. (and they are a very, very friendly EV tech company... if only I worked there..)

The only thing that kept me from getting one is that I more than often do road trips that very much would be beyond the range of the average EV vehicle.. granted, it's possible for one to make a long distance trip with charging stops along the way.

I have owned my Prius C for almost for 14 months now, and I have never run out of gas. I've pushed it before and sometimes on occasion when I have to... but I am comfortable enough with my car so as not to push it too far. I have not gone to the limit, and though it might help me.. it's just not good for the car.. so I don't.

I don't know how much I really drive on a weekly basis.. but it's definitely a lot. Just look at my fuelly banner in my signature.

 

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But it wasn't really a near miss. They consider the bottom bar the flashing out of gas bar... and you still had fuel.. so no near miss. When the light starts flashing you have over a gallon left.

 

I wonder if letting the traction battery become virtually exhausted could be corrected by towing the car, wheels down, for a mile or two? Assuming a good 12 volt battery and the car turned ON without pushing the brake pedal. The question comes from a thread comment about the motors turning anytime the wheels turn.

 

It isn't that kind of motor/generator.

Our motor/generators, MG1 and MG2, are the largest 'stepper motors' you can imagine. The Hybrid Vehicle ECU handle sending the right sets of signals to the "H" power electronics that switch on and off each leg of the three legs. There are no brushes but control software that operates the whole system.

Just towing the vehicle, a simulated 'downgrade' sounds attractive but it assumes the HV ECU would allow charging from a depleted traction battery . . . not a good assumption. Bad things happen if a module ever gets so discharged that it ever see a reverse charge polarity . . . it ceases to be a battery.

Now I don't have access to the control software that manages the traction battery state of charge but if I were writing that software, I would put a hard limit on charging a battery that is too discharged. I would require a service technician and software controlled, charger to handle bringing it up to an operation level.

Bob Wilson

 

It works in the Nissan LEAF... but not sure about the PC.

 

Trying to get back on topic for this thread...

Yes, it happened to me, a few months ago. My bottom fuel light pip was flashing, and I had run about 60 miles from the point the pip started flashing and got the beep (I reset trip A to measure the distance). I was headed to get gas and I ran completely out (I was wondering why I was slowing down).

I was literally about 100 yards from the station when it happened - at the bottom of the exit ramp off the freeway. Fortunately somebody came by and helped give me a push to the station (fortunately it was downhill from the exit).

I don't wait that long anymore (try not to let trip A get too much over 40). Yes it can happen to you!

 

^^ My best was intending to intentionally run my new Subaru out of fuel to see where the bottom was, last winter, with a spare can of gas in the back. Then I wimped out and pulled into the last fuel station for 70 miles. Then the engine stalled, out of gas, after I stopped at the pump, while I was pulling out my fuel logbook.

 

It's not worth risking damage to the fuel-pump or shortening the life of the battery. Fill up right away when the warning flashes.

 

My closest was waiting to turn right (your left) into a petrol station when the car spluttered and stalled. I just turned the key and moved the car the last 20 yards on the starter motor (it was a manual). I wonder if that was the start of my interest into alternative fueled and electrically driven cars?

 

I ran out of fuel today with my Prius C even though the last bar on the gas gauge was still lit and flashing. It lost power and then a warning light came on saying something about lost power to steering. I had always assumed that if I ran out of gas I would be able to go the extra half mile to the gas station in EV mode, but that's wrong. The car simply stops and will not start. I was going to walk to the gas station but called the Toyota service center. They told me that putting gas would not solve the problem and that I would have to get a tow. I got it towed to the Toyota dealer and was told that even if the only problem was no gas, the computer system would have to be reset, that it would cost me $125 for this service, and that it wasn't covered by the warranty. This is a real problem with the Prius that most people don't know about. Having to pay the dealer $125 for running out of gas seems unconscionable.