Coastal EV Mod Install - Video

[bfenenga]

I just did this install a couple days ago. The video definitely helped, think I finished in a half hour or so.

Already used it on a rare commute down the freeway. Ended up averaging 95MPG for 10 minutes. Ran the battery down so the engine had to start back up but I got to use it again on the way back.

Really great mod, already told someone in the office I'd install it for her. I'd HIGHLY recommend it.

[douglas001001]

Thanks for posting the video, it gave me the confidence to do it on my own in about 45 minutes.

My wires (in 07 touring) had much less slack than the car in the video, so it might be a good idea to have some sort of hook (like a crochet needle) to find/separate/hold the purple/black&white wires when attaching the taps.

[tripp]

I used to really like the EV mod but now that it rarely actually engages it's pretty worthless. It actually works about 1/15 attempts. I'm thinking of removing it and just going with the light switch version.

[avdavsim]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ May 9 2007, 02:33 PM) [snapback]438457[/snapback]</div>

I used to really like the EV mod but now that it rarely actually engages it's pretty worthless. It actually works about 1/15 attempts. I'm thinking of removing it and just going with the light switch version.
[/b]

I just read a review of the new Lexus hybrid and read the sidebar about the EV switch in it. (I'm assuming that the Lexus hybrid is at least somewhat related to Prius technology.) It said that the switch has no effect if 1) The engine is too cold or too hot, 2) The SoC is not sufficient to drive in EV mode, 3) You mash on the accelerator and demand more than the electric motor can provide, 4) You want to go over 25 mph, or 5) You want to run the defroster.

I would like to have an EV switch to get out of my neighborhood first thing in the morning, but my car is violating conditions 1) and 2) above in that condition. (And when all of the conditons to run in EV are met, I can do so by carefully careesing the accelerator with my right foot -- I don't need no steenking switch!) So, until my awesome mod happens, I wouldn't any use for the switch.

My awesome mod is this:

1) Plug-in the Prius to get the built-in battery to an SoC of 7 or 8 bars first thing in the morning.
2) Start in EV mode to indicate my intention to take it nice and easy for a period of time (1-3 minutes, maybe).
3) Have an electric catalytic converter pre-heater get that device up to operating temperature in that 1-3 minute period.

By the time the engine comes on, the pollutants (CO, NOx and unburnt HC's) are treated. The fact is that for all cars, when they start cold and the cat is not hot enough to work, about half or more of the pollution your car is going to emit for the rest of the trip is spewed out in those first minutes.

This mod would actually reduce the emissions of those pollutants even further and give us drivers a chance to get to use EV mode when we would like. (I actually read a paper from the mid 90's by some Dept of Energy lab that described an insulated catalytic converter that would stay in the operating temperature range for 24 hours or so after the car was turned off, so if you drove every day, there would be no need for the pre-heater.)

But, I have a lot to learn before I get to take on such a mod. If anyone else wants to try, feel free to "steal" this idea.

[diamondlarry]

I really like the video. In fact, I bookmarked it in case I want to do it for anyone in the future. I watched it all the way through 2 or 3 times and it was a breeze. I did seem that my car had less slack than the car in the video but finding the wires was easy. The whole thing took me 15-20 minutes. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

avdavsim, at the risk of sending the thread off topic, I like your mods. It sounds like the technology, for the most part, already exists. My work commute is ~35 miles/day but the first part of it is in the dark with headlights. Between that and the climate in the winter, I would probably need something like 50-60 mile range to be on the safe side for all EV.

[steven@lov2krz.com]

I just did the install this past weekend and it went well with 2 exceptions:

1. the '07 harness is much shorter than what you showed on the video so I actually had to pull the plug through the lower trim piece (the plate that you did not remove in the video) opening to get access to the wires.

2. On the side of the gray wire block there is a small white plastic square (its the end of the wire hold down and can be seen in the step 6 photo of the instructions) that if you push in on it and then toward you the white hold down will move out just enough to push the wire pin in to the receptacle.

Just my 2 cents.

[4n6]

Great Video, it gives me the confidence to do it myself when it arrives.
I do have one question - can EV mode be engaged while the car is in motion or does it have to be stopped for it to work?

[diamondlarry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(4n6 @ Sep 2 2007, 11:51 AM) [snapback]505855[/snapback]</div>

Great Video, it gives me the confidence to do it myself when it arrives.
I do have one question - can EV mode be engaged while the car is in motion or does it have to be stopped for it to work?
[/b]

You can be moving. You can't be going any faster than 34 mph or you will get the 3 very quick beeps indicating EV mode is denied.

[4n6]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(diamondlarry @ Sep 2 2007, 01:13 PM) [snapback]505898[/snapback]</div>

You can be moving. You can't be going any faster than 34 mph or you will get the 3 very quick beeps indicating EV mode is denied.
[/b]

Thanks for the fast response.
In that case for those contemplating the home made version, there is a difference between that and the Coastal Tech one that works via the cruise controll.
It seems that with the "do it yourself" button version, the instructions say that in order to engage EV mode the vehicle must be stopped and either in P or D in order for it to work.

[Rest]

Great self help video!

I always wondered though, why the Coastal Tech EV mod only allows a top speed of 34 mph in electric mode, when the Prius will do up to 41 mph in electric mode without the mod.