Power Going up Hills

Marvinh · 08-28-2007, 11:58 AM

I just took a nice long car trip in my new 07 Prius (it has about 3,000 miles on it now).

I was very pleased, and even a little surprised, with the power it had going up hills!

. No loss of power at all. I was able to maintain a steady speed from a level road to the top of the hills. Usually around 65-70 MPH. And I got an average of 48.5 MPG! I used the cruise control to maintain speed.

Its hard to tell if the engine is racing (no tachometer). I looked at the yellow gauge on the right side of the consumption screen and it was around 25mpg going up hills. I read in some other threads that the engine is designed to run at higher torques and its OK to run at higher RPM's.

Is there any problem with running the engine at high RPM's going up hills?

Thanks - Marvin

Doc Willie · 08-28-2007, 12:03 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marvinh @ Aug 28 2007, 11:58 AM) [snapback]503230[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Is there any problem with running the engine at high RPM's going up hills?
[/b]

Aside from decrease gas mileage, no. That is what it is made to do. And some folks manage to drive the Prius to >100 mph, so you can imagine what the high end must be.

David Beale · 08-28-2007, 12:21 PM

I've seen 5000 RPM going up hills at highway speed. This was at 110 km/hr on a 8% grade using cruise control (passing SUVs at the time - the drivers were not happy I could pass them so easily

). The car will protect itself from over-reving. I understand that 5000 RPM is the max the car will allow on the current "second gen" Prius. It is, after all, a tiny 1500 cc engine, so it has to rev high to deliver higher HP numbers. All part of the design philosophy to wring as much fuel economy as possible from the car.

masterphomeg · 08-28-2007, 02:14 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Doc Willie @ Aug 28 2007, 09:03 AM) [snapback]503238[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Aside from decrease gas mileage, no. That is what it is made to do. And some folks manage to drive the Prius to >100 mph, so you can imagine what the high end must be.
[/b]

See Al Gore's son, when he got busted.

brick · 08-28-2007, 05:34 PM

The Prius does a good job with hills. I do have a tach, and I generally don't have to wind it past 3500RPM to maintain speed on the kind of hills we have on east coast interstates. The system doesn't start drawing power from the battery until you are closer to 4,000RPM. And yes, 5,000 appears to be the redline.

zqfmbg · 08-28-2007, 07:33 PM

There were some reports of power loss up hills. Personally, I just completed a 4700 mi loop that took me up I-80 from San Francisco to Salt Lake City, then up I-15 to Calgary, east to places that don't matter because there aren't big hills there, west on the Trans-Canada to Vancouver, and finally back down I-5 home. I had the engine pegged at 5000rpm (by ScanGauge2) for a lot of the climbs, and while I did run the battery pretty low, I never seemed to lose power. In fact I had no trouble forcing myself back up to 75 and beyond even on a steep climb.

It was kind of fun scooting down the Coquihalla at about 90mph, too.

narf · 08-28-2007, 07:43 PM

On really long steep climbs (like the approach to Eisenhower tunnel on I70 in Colorado) you will run out of battery pretty quickly. Once that happens you can maintain 65 or 70 MPH, but if you get slowed down it takes a long time to get back up to speed. Of course on the way down you are at full green bars long before you stop descending. 5000 rpm is normal on the uphill climbs

IsrAmeriPrius · 08-28-2007, 07:47 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonDog in OC @ Aug 28 2007, 11:14 AM) [snapback]503304[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

See Al Gore's son, when he got busted.[/b]

Or Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Hybrid car proves power once again

Doc Willie · 08-28-2007, 07:55 PM

I was trying not to name names.

Whatever.

Nda3rdCar · 08-29-2007, 09:13 AM

The longest hills I've dealt with are between Los Angeles and Las Vegas (Hwy15). Long climbs with truck/slower vehicle lanes, speeds 70+ uphill, thousands of feet alltitude change. The little Prius engine slowly revs higher and higher... but the speed is maintained and yes, while passing other vehicles lugging up the hill. I have no tachometer, but that engine was going pretty fast.

In the case of driving in 100+ degree temps, the battery is being tapped at the same time to cool the interior. The purple, blue and green bars of the battery display acted very differently than around home. I just drove it and watched the system deal with those climbs and temps. It did a great job.

Of course, gas mileage was affected... but only to 42mpg average. Besides, highway 15, in both directions, will daily have cars/trucks/trailers on the side of the road with blown engines, cooling systems, transmissions and tire failures. I've done the LA/LV run without a problem and will be doing it again in a few weeks.

08-28-2007, 12:21 PM	#3
David Beale Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 1,556 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've seen 5000 RPM going up hills at highway speed. This was at 110 km/hr on a 8% grade using cruise control (passing SUVs at the time - the drivers were not happy I could pass them so easily ). The car will protect itself from over-reving. I understand that 5000 RPM is the max the car will allow on the current "second gen" Prius. It is, after all, a tiny 1500 cc engine, so it has to rev high to deliver higher HP numbers. All part of the design philosophy to wring as much fuel economy as possible from the car. __________________ Edmonton Alberta "Pearl" is a 2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius.

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08-28-2007, 11:58 AM	#1
Marvinh Marvin Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NY - Long Island Posts: 110 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I just took a nice long car trip in my new 07 Prius (it has about 3,000 miles on it now). I was very pleased, and even a little surprised, with the power it had going up hills! . No loss of power at all. I was able to maintain a steady speed from a level road to the top of the hills. Usually around 65-70 MPH. And I got an average of 48.5 MPG! I used the cruise control to maintain speed. Its hard to tell if the engine is racing (no tachometer). I looked at the yellow gauge on the right side of the consumption screen and it was around 25mpg going up hills. I read in some other threads that the engine is designed to run at higher torques and its OK to run at higher RPM's. Is there any problem with running the engine at high RPM's going up hills? Thanks - Marvin

08-28-2007, 05:34 PM	#5
brick Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 700 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The Prius does a good job with hills. I do have a tach, and I generally don't have to wind it past 3500RPM to maintain speed on the kind of hills we have on east coast interstates. The system doesn't start drawing power from the battery until you are closer to 4,000RPM. And yes, 5,000 appears to be the redline.

08-28-2007, 07:33 PM	#6
zqfmbg Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 139 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	There were some reports of power loss up hills. Personally, I just completed a 4700 mi loop that took me up I-80 from San Francisco to Salt Lake City, then up I-15 to Calgary, east to places that don't matter because there aren't big hills there, west on the Trans-Canada to Vancouver, and finally back down I-5 home. I had the engine pegged at 5000rpm (by ScanGauge2) for a lot of the climbs, and while I did run the battery pretty low, I never seemed to lose power. In fact I had no trouble forcing myself back up to 75 and beyond even on a steep climb. It was kind of fun scooting down the Coquihalla at about 90mph, too.

08-28-2007, 07:43 PM	#7
narf Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 525 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	On really long steep climbs (like the approach to Eisenhower tunnel on I70 in Colorado) you will run out of battery pretty quickly. Once that happens you can maintain 65 or 70 MPH, but if you get slowed down it takes a long time to get back up to speed. Of course on the way down you are at full green bars long before you stop descending. 5000 rpm is normal on the uphill climbs

08-28-2007, 07:55 PM	#9
Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Out there, somewhere Posts: 1,089 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 8	I was trying not to name names. Whatever.

08-29-2007, 09:13 AM	#10
Nda3rdCar Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 81 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The longest hills I've dealt with are between Los Angeles and Las Vegas (Hwy15). Long climbs with truck/slower vehicle lanes, speeds 70+ uphill, thousands of feet alltitude change. The little Prius engine slowly revs higher and higher... but the speed is maintained and yes, while passing other vehicles lugging up the hill. I have no tachometer, but that engine was going pretty fast. In the case of driving in 100+ degree temps, the battery is being tapped at the same time to cool the interior. The purple, blue and green bars of the battery display acted very differently than around home. I just drove it and watched the system deal with those climbs and temps. It did a great job. Of course, gas mileage was affected... but only to 42mpg average. Besides, highway 15, in both directions, will daily have cars/trucks/trailers on the side of the road with blown engines, cooling systems, transmissions and tire failures. I've done the LA/LV run without a problem and will be doing it again in a few weeks.