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ICE Engine startup at startup?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Doorknob, Mar 24, 2010.

  1. Doorknob

    Doorknob Junior Member

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    I just picked up a 2007 Prius. Absolutely new to the prius. I'm trying to learn as much as I can and make any mods to my driving so that I can optimize the efficiency of the vehicle.

    I was reading that the ICE may / may not start when you start up the car. For me, it seems like the ICE ALWAYS starts up after about 10 seconds after the car says "ready." Battery is full bars (green, minus the top bar... not sure how to get that last bar full - thoughts?)

    Anyhow, I don't jam on the gas, but press on it super easily in hopes of getting out of my driveway and down the street purely on electric power - no dice. Engine is always on. I only drive 15 to 20mph thinking that the engine would shut off. Nope. Stays on.

    The ICE does shut off, don't get me wrong. But it's only after about 2 mins of driving.

    So questions:
    1. ICE always turn on at startup?
    2. Can you fill that last bar on the battery?
    3. How shoudl one drive to maximize the battery use at startup?
    4. Coming off a stop sign / light, how would one drive to not start the ICE for initial acceleration?

    thanks!

    BTW, as part of buying the vehicle, I had the dealer replace the 12V battery.
     
    #1 Doorknob, Mar 24, 2010
  2. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    Read up on the 4 stages of prius operation.

    The ice always starts up on startup unless both it and the catalytic converter is at operating temp.

    You can fill up the last bar on the battery, on heavy downhill braking - but why would you want to? A green battery is a sign that your wasting gas. Gas = electrical energy.

    Here's my methodology for driving: use the gas for moving - that's what its designed to do. Your not saving any gas by using as much electricity as possible, since that's converted from gas in the first place!
     
    #2 Bob64, Mar 24, 2010
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Just drive the car and your surroundings, the computers will make good decisions for longevity, emissions, and mileage. Once you are comfortable with how those decisions are made, you can start second guessing the computers.

    John's Stuff - Toyota Prius and more
    Is a another great place to start learning about the Prius.
     
    #3 JimboPalmer, Mar 24, 2010
  4. Doorknob

    Doorknob Junior Member

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    thanks.. searched and saw some more info about the battery. I don't care to fill, but thought it was odd that on pure highway (300 miles) i never saw it full bars.

    The reason i asked was that I wanted to know if there may be a problem w/ the car - i bought it used less than 3 days ago. :)
     
    #4 Doorknob, Mar 24, 2010
  5. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    #5 usbseawolf2000, Mar 24, 2010
  6. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Six Blue bars is the "optimum" state of charge for the battery under normal conditions. The prius does NOT try to fill the battery completely.

    Having more than six bars (the green bars) means that the battery has a little more than optimum charge (usually only happens after regenerating down a hill) and the car will try to use electric mode more until it brings it back to six blue bars. I'm not saying that having green bars is a bad thing, it's good if you get it for free as in downhill regen as it will allow the car to use less gas for a while. But the battery is designed to sit at about 60% state of charge, both for battery longevity and so that there's always headroom for both giving and taking of electric power (that is, both electric power/assist and electric regeneration/braking).

    Having less than six bars means that the car will usually run the engine a little bit harder and generate some current to bring it back up the six bars. This is why you don't normally try too hard to keep it running in electric only mode (eg with very light throttle) unitil the bars start to fall, because then it only has to work harder to recharge the battery when the engine does eventually kick in and you use more gas overall that way. This is a common newbie mistake BTW.
     
    #6 uart, Mar 24, 2010
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