when will the ice kick in during acceleration

[J_w73]

I just bought a used 2007 prius. I'm in California and it is very warm. It seems like the ICE will kick on during the slightest acceleration from a stop even if I don't try to accelerate very fast. I wish it would have just a bit more pep at the start without the ice coming one.. I don't mind the ice coming on and realize it needs to at some point to recharge the batteries but in stop and go traffic or going down a road with many lights it would be nice to be able to go at a pace that the person behind me doesn't want to shoot me and still have the ice not come one..

I do notice that when the batteries are in the green you can do alot more with the electric motors..

[Bob64]

The less you accelerate with the batteries, the better mileage you'll get.

The green batteries symbolizes the charge level
it'll turn different colors based on how full or empty the batteries are. look at the number of bars on the battery, you'll see it'll have different colors based on how many bars it has.


And to answer your question: the ice will kick in unless you wanna accelerate really slowly. That's what its designed to do for optimum mpg. Second-guessing the programming will only hurt your mpg.

[J_w73]

Originally Posted by Bob64

And to answer your question: the ice will kick in unless you wanna accelerate really slowly. That's what its designed to do for optimum mpg. Second-guessing the programming will only hurt your mpg.

what is "really slowly" what is normal??

[Bob64]

Really slowly is probably the throttle position you have to push so the engine doesn't come on while the charge is blue

Normal is any position after as soon as the ICE turns on + a little bit extra to eliminate it directing most of the electricity to the batteries instead of to the electric motors. Approx 1300rpm and up to approx 2400 rpm. Any higher and it'll probably be wasting gas due to pumping losses as well as the adjustment of fuel injection for more power instead of efficiency.

Just accelerate at the same speed of traffic. Just don't purposely go slower so the engine doesn't come on. Because after awhile, the prius WILL FORCE the engine to come on at the SLIGHTEST push of the accelerator.


Heres why using the battery is bad:

Energy is lost converting mechanical energy into electric, then chemical energy, and then back into electrical and then back into mechanical.

Think about it: the electricity comes from GAS. Converting gas to mechanical, then to electric, then to chemical, then back into electric, and then finally back into mechanical is even less efficient then simply leaving all those other conversions out and just use gas into mechanical energy LIKE IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO.

The whole point of the battery is to capture BRAKING ENERGY: Which is the energy that would otherwise be LOST in the brake pads and converted to useless heat.

[J_w73]

this is just creeping right.. I know it is hard to describe in words.. just seems like with the slightest push the ice kicks on..

[vertex]

Install an EV switch.

[Bob64]

Originally Posted by J_w73

this is just creeping right.. I know it is hard to describe in words.. just seems like with the slightest push the ice kicks on..

That's normal, depending on how low the battery is. Whats the color of the battery? purple? red? Blue?

Battery power accelerates ~three or five times as fast as creeping.


If you really wanna figure this out, get/borrow a scangauge so you can tell exactly how much energy is coming from the battery.

[J_w73]

I have a scan gauge already.. I'm gonna hook it up tomorrow so I can monitor the load , rpm, and the battery like you said..

I've never been in the red.. never really seen less than half but once..
usually at 6 segments in the blue.. never been completely full to 8.. get to 7 green during city driving.. I guess the regeneration?

from what I have seen and the fact I am on the freeway mostly at 65+ speeds I think these battery levels are pretty good... NO ??

[J_w73]

Originally Posted by vertex

Install an EV switch.

I have read this about the EV mode..

EV mode will automatically disengage
when: your SOC reaches 2 bars; you step too hard on the accelerator;
you reach 34 mph; or your battery gets too hot

how much more accleration can you do in EV mode before the ICE kicks on

[Rokeby]

Originally Posted by J_w73

...how much more accleration can you do in EV mode before the
ICE kicks on

J_w73,

There is significant difference in the greater EV acceleration you can
get with an EV mode switch. If you already drive gently, it feels like
gentle ICE use and its easy to forget you're using EV mode and run the
HV battery down to the red/magenta bars. In stop and go driving it
takes a really long time to get back to 5-6 blue bars. At 65+ it
wouldn't take so long, but in both cases the recharge has a big MPG
hit.

I've got an EV mode switch, but I've gotta say that I hardly use it
any more. The conversion losses in energy going from ICE to HV
battery and then on to MG1 to power the car just kill your FE/MPGs.

FWIW, you can quickly drop out of EV mode at any speed or SOC
(HV battery) level with a quick, half-throttle punch on the go-pedal.

You don't seem particularly concerned about maxing your FE/MPGs, so
you just might be one of the rare cases/people where heavy EV use
and the attendant FE/MPG loss isn't an issue.