Question about being stuck in a traffic jam

[momfortheenvironment]

My husband asked , based on some recent bad weather he asked what I would do if I was stuck not moving in the prius. Where I might turn it off in warmer weather, but if it was brutally cold I'd want to keep it running. If I was stuck like that , for say an hour or so going nowhere would the motor keep the battery charged??

[Beryl Octet]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(momfortheenvironment @ Feb 17 2007, 02:24 PM) [snapback]392065[/snapback]</div>

My husband asked , based on some recent bad weather he asked what I would do if I was stuck not moving in the prius. Where I might turn it off in warmer weather, but if it was brutally cold I'd want to keep it running. If I was stuck like that , for say an hour or so going nowhere would the motor keep the battery charged??
[/b]

Yes. It will cycle the engine on and off as needed to provide heat and maintain battery charge. I'd not turn it off unless you are getting really low on gas or something.

[iaowings]

The ice will cycle as needed. I have been stuck at a bridge opening for 45 minutes and it was in the 20’s (Fahrenheit) the ice came on and off to provide heat. The ice will also do the same in hot weather when you need the power to run the ac. Your battery charge will get into the red before this happens at least in hot weather. In cold weather it is more dependent on what temp you set the heat at and how hot the engine is. If you have been running the ice (say on the highway) for a long time it will stay off when you are stopped for a rather long time, again this is dependent on your cabin temp settings.

[darelldd]

No offense intended...

It amazes me, however, that there are so many folks who still think that the Prius needs some sort of special handling in common traffic situations. This same (or very similar) question has been asked so many times that it boggles my mind. The Prius is a gas car with a bit of electric boost. Priority goes to the gas engine, and the gas engine will work to propel the car or charge the traction battery when needed. Just like every other automobile on the road, the car pretty much takes car of itself. The driver is just along for the ride.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Feb 17 2007, 12:28 PM) [snapback]392081[/snapback]</div>

No offense intended...

It amazes me, however, that there are so many folks who still think that the Prius needs some sort of special handling in common traffic situations. This same (or very similar) question has been asked so many times that it boggles my mind. The Prius is a gas car with a bit of electric boost. Priority goes to the gas engine, and the gas engine will work to propel the car or charge the traction battery when needed. Just like every other automobile on the road, the car pretty much takes car of itself. The driver is just along for the ride.
[/b]

Yeh. The biggest danger to being stuck in heavy traffic is being suffocated by the cars around you.

Dave M.

[dionmonge]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Feb 17 2007, 03:28 PM) [snapback]392081[/snapback]</div>

No offense intended...

It amazes me, however, that there are so many folks who still think that the Prius needs some sort of special handling in common traffic situations. This same (or very similar) question has been asked so many times that it boggles my mind. The Prius is a gas car with a bit of electric boost. Priority goes to the gas engine, and the gas engine will work to propel the car or charge the traction battery when needed. Just like every other automobile on the road, the car pretty much takes car of itself. The driver is just along for the ride.
[/b]

Question for you then.
I got stuck behind a train that stopped on the track for 30 minutes and kept me car idling to see how it recharges itself. However, my hybrid battery drained to two bars and turned a purple color on my MFD. How low will the car let the battery drain before the gasoline engine starts working as a generator? I don't doubt that it works the way you said, but it just freaked me out that the battery drained this low. Is what I described normal??

[john1701a]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ladodgers @ Feb 18 2007, 04:10 AM) [snapback]392294[/snapback]</div>

Is what I described normal??
[/b]

Yes, the system waiting until 2 bars before starting the engine is totally normal. And that's not actually low. It's really still at about 45%. The computer only shows you the middle of the capacity range.

Think about ages past. When sitting in non-moving traffic without a hybrid, the engine runs non-stop. In the summer, that produces lots of heat you just plain don't want. Having a temperature gauge, you may get very nervous. But since most only have a simple light, you don't. You are completely unaware how hard the system is working to cool itself off... until you witness someone's vehicle overheat... a situation the hybrid easily avoids.

Anywho, that hightened awareness makes so many new owners freak out it amazes me too. They do things totally unnecessary, then report later how their extraordinary circumstance led to those actions... only to find out afterward that all was just fine. Had there not been an indicator in the first place, it would have been a complete non-event.

[Beryl Octet]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Feb 18 2007, 07:38 AM) [snapback]392307[/snapback]</div>

Had there not been an indicator in the first place, it would have been a complete non-event.
[/b]

Another good reason for leaving the screen on the "consumption" display. Less distracting and more useful in helping to save gas than the "energy" screen.

[daronspicher]

All this being said... and... I agree.... Turn the car on... drive it like it is your grandfather's Olds... and it will take car of itself...

I think there is room for better programming logic for some of these special situations.

Inside of 5 minutes, the car could recognize you are in stop-n-go traffic... Move ahead 2 car lengths, stop... wait 20 seconds, repeat.... Then a message comes up on the screen with how the car should handle it's priorities. Cabin comfort on the left, maximize mpg on the right, you pick a priority for you given what your needs are.

I've only been stuck in a jam one time so far where the battery gets all the way down and the engine was on/off in some seemingly irrational way for about an hour. I think if I were to have picked heavy on the 'focus on mpg' side of logic, the engine could have stayed off a lot more.

I'd like it to recognize the more slushy deep snow problem and perhaps ask me if it needs to accomodate and give me a more aggressive pawing at slippery situations in the winter. My 2006 doesn't seem to go flatline dead on this, but I'd like to approve a more aggressive nature to the system. I understand the arguement about wildly spinning until the transmission blows, and I think they could give us 'more' without opening it up to self destruction.

There are probably other areas where a little input to direct behavior could be useful.

[Sarge]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Feb 18 2007, 09:30 AM) [snapback]392323[/snapback]</div>

Inside of 5 minutes, the car could recognize you are in stop-n-go traffic... Move ahead 2 car lengths, stop... wait 20 seconds, repeat.... Then a message comes up on the screen with how the car should handle it's priorities. Cabin comfort on the left, maximize mpg on the right, you pick a priority for you given what your needs are.

<snip>

I'd like it to recognize the more slushy deep snow problem and perhaps ask me if it needs to accomodate and give me a more aggressive pawing at slippery situations in the winter.
[/b]

I understand your reasoning and agree that it would be very cool (for Prius keeners like PC members) to have such flexibility.

HOWEVER, there is a careful balance that Toyota must maintain between flexbility/power of control/(whatever you want to call it) and simplicity. Remember that the average consumer is generally very naive, which is why we see so many posts like "do I shut my car off when the battery is low?", "the Prius is underpowered on the highway because it whines", etc...

Adding "tweaking" features to the car would have been akin to have the plug-in option when the Prius was first launched. Toyota went to great lengths to send the message that you just drive it like a normal car. Had they had a plug-in option, most consumers would have interpreted that to mean "I have to plug the car in? No way!", even though it would be totally optional.

I think having these sort of tweaks for basic operation would cause the same confusion. ("You mean I need to choose between comfort or MPG??? I want both!!"). Stick to the KISS principle.

Perhaps one day the market may be ready for this, but as of now there are still far to many people who do not understand hybrid technology.

As a marketing guy, that's the way I see it anyway.