Prius in mountains?

[obtuseangler]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Oct 13 2006, 09:11 PM) [snapback]332567[/snapback]</div>

Perfectly well, but be prepared for the engine to roar going up *and* down. Shift into "B" for long downhill runs. Remember to shift back to "D" for uphills and flats.
[/b]

I'm grateful this question was asked. I have summers off and go fly fishing in Colorado, New Mexico and Idaho, and plan to retire near the Rockies. Why shift back to "D" going uphill? I had a transmission in another car crater after spending two weeks running around Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park, just want to make sure I understand.

Thanks.

[tumbleweed]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(obtuseangler @ Oct 15 2006, 09:24 PM) [snapback]333300[/snapback]</div>

Why shift back to "D" going uphill?
Thanks.
[/b]

Two reasons: 1. Regenerative braking doesn't work the same way in the B mode, it gets regenerative braking just from being in B but there is no additional regeneration when you push the brake pedal so you only have friction brakes from the brake pedal while in B. 2. The cruise control doesn't work in B.

If you forget and leave it in B it will shift back to D after a period of time, I don't know how long.

I also have driven in high steep mountain country with my Prius and have found the only time I needed (or wanted) the B mode was coming down long steep mountains when I needed to go fairly slow and the battery was already in the green. As far as reliability is concerned the Prius PSD shouldn't have problems like an automatic transmission might. It has no clutches and no torque converter and it doesn't shift from one gear to another, there is only one gear. BTW don't worry if the battery gets in the "pink" going up hills, it will protect itself and charge up again when you come down.

[Rancid13]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silentak1 @ Oct 13 2006, 07:46 PM) [snapback]332585[/snapback]</div>

Depends on how much load (lbs) you have in the car. The *fastest* I could get up to was 50mph while climbing 9945ft (Tioga Pass, CA). I was alone with a few bags.
[/b]

Same here, except that my husband was riding as a passenger. But other cars going up the pass didn't fare much better (such as my dad's Honda Pilot, which was following us). By the time we reached the top of the pass, I only had 1 purple bar remaining on the battery, but never once did I feel like the car was underpowered. Man was that pass steep and long!

[obtuseangler]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tumbleweed @ Oct 16 2006, 10:07 AM) [snapback]333408[/snapback]</div>

Two reasons: 1. Regenerative braking doesn't work the same way in the B mode, it gets regenerative braking just from being in B but there is no additional regeneration when you push the brake pedal so you only have friction brakes from the brake pedal while in B. 2. The cruise control doesn't work in B.

If you forget and leave it in B it will shift back to D after a period of time, I don't know how long.

I also have driven in high steep mountain country with my Prius and have found the only time I needed (or wanted) the B mode was coming down long steep mountains when I needed to go fairly slow and the battery was already in the green. As far as reliability is concerned the Prius PSD shouldn't have problems like an automatic transmission might. It has no clutches and no torque converter and it doesn't shift from one gear to another, there is only one gear. BTW don't worry if the battery gets in the "pink" going up hills, it will protect itself and charge up again when you come down.
[/b]

Thank you very much for the information. Makes sense to me.

[Rangerdavid]

I love my Prius and it has performed amazingly well up here in the mountains. We regularly transverse an altitude change from around 3500 feet up to about 5900 feet. Since we live in the mountains the only time we encounter a great change in elevation is crossing the easten continental divide about 2 miles from here and going down the mountain towards Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Even with the elevation change I have never switched into "B"..... granted the Prius will run about 6-7 miles on batttery only when I reach the bottom, but it doesn't seem to hurt it at all, yet increases my mileage.

As far as horsepower going uphill, the ICE does rev high coming up on steep inclines, but the car handles extremely well and thus far has handled everything I've thrown at it..

BTW, we still do have a four wheel drive (truck) for the winter time. Here, four wheel is a must, or else plan on at least a week or two each winter not being able to get to town...

Also, we're averaging 48.7 miles per gallon in the last three months. Awsome, Just awsome!!!