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Mark gets a shot at driving the PHV Prius in and around NYC

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Paradox, Sep 30, 2010.

  1. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Well, the day I have been waiting for is finally here! Tony dropped off one of the PHV Prius at my house a little while ago and right now it's in the garage getting its first charge.

    This Saturday the family and I will be taking a trip to Lancaster PA in it but other than that, almost all the driving I'll be doing in it I plan to be in EV.

    I know alot has been covered already and many questions have been answered in other threads but if there was something someone was hoping to see or have tested let me know in this thread. If I can try it I'll post the results here.

    Let me also say Thank You to Erica, Doug and all at Toyota who were involved in making this happen for no only myself but all who are getting a turn at driving the PHV Prius around their towns. It's special to not only be entrusted with a vehicle such as this but to get a first hand feeling of how the vehicle performs in our own unique driving situations so when they are available for purchase we'll know just how well suited one may be for us.

    Oh, and if you look close enough at the pics, you'll see my 4 year old peaking out one of the windows wondering what's up with that new Prius parked out in the street. LoL

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  2. DanMode

    DanMode Brooklyn Prius Guy

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    Super! That's a mighty fine block o' Prii if I do say so myself! ;) I just hope you get as much exposure in SI with the plug-in, so people can get themselves pumped for the PHEV!!!

    As well, your 4 yr. old just may have come up with a great new marketing campaign! Imagine a TV spot where a young child always peaks out through their window to see the parents driving home from work and parking in front of the house. You can have "Monday - Tuesday" be the Gen III pulling up. On "Wednesday", the child gets a little wide-eyed and then gives a hearty smile. We then realize that the kid has just laid eyes on the new PHEV Prius! A compliment to any family household! End with the Toyota logo! Moving forward...I'd sure say so! ;)
     
  3. coach81

    coach81 Active Member

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  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    I did post in another thread, I think it was Tom's thread where he had the PHV in reply to Tony, that I would get the car on the scales at the plant my friend works at to weigh it. My friend is not working since he left for a cruise today but I'll see if I know anyone else working the next few days at that plant and see if I can in fact get it weighed. I think someone did find and post weights for the PHV but I'd still like to pull it on and get a reading for myself.
     
  5. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Since you plan almost all your driving to be EV, it will be interesting to verify if the sub-packs are regenerated or not.
    Say you have a chance to go long down-hill when you know the first sub pack is on line, will you be able to bring the battery icon back to full 8 bars?
    Thanks,
    Giora.
     
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Sounds like the misconception is growing. It originated from a question about recharging the sub-packs after they are depleted... which is no, they won't be from anything but the plug.

    While one is active though, that's different. YES, they most definitely regen from both MG1 downhill travel and MG2 braking.

    I saw the EV distance go up on many occassions that way.
    .
     
  7. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Mark,

    What I like to see is a video of a simple local trip (say to get milk) in pure EV and then back home. The purpose is to show the practicality of PHV Prius EV miles to virtually eliminate short trips.

    I think typical commute miles are hyped up so much (40 miles covering 76%) that the MPG killer (short trips) are overlooked. The importance of short trips need more highlight.

    We have seen how PHV Prius accelerate in pure EV from inside. I want to see it from outside. Take a video from a stationary (block corner with stop sign) location. This video would show PHV Prius approaching the stop sign and make a right turn around the corner accelerating away in pure EV.

    The goal is to highlight how quiet the PHV Prius is and how practical it is in accelerating "around town" with other cars around. If you need a camera man, let me know. I can give you a hand.
     
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Nice offer. I can guess what form the payment will take ;-)
     
  9. jstraw20

    jstraw20 Member

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    OK, I have to ask... Did anyone other than myself initially read the thread title as "Mark gets shot at driving the PHV Prius in and around NYC"? :laser::car::eek:
     
  10. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    I can pay back the cost of the electricity of a ride. It will be like what 20 cents? :D
     
  11. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    LOL, great use of the icons. :rockon:
     
  12. DanMode

    DanMode Brooklyn Prius Guy

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    You know, that's not a bad idea. And I've got a camera too, so we can do this Hollywood style! ;)
     
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I see a PriusChat Prius PHV advertisement brewing here...
     
  14. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    I was not suggesting that an EV pack is recharged by regeneration affter it is depleted and disconnected from system, so no misconception here but rather misunderstanding my question, its probably my poor English...
    The fact that you saw the EV distance go up on short coasting/braking does not necessarily mean that the sub-pack on line is regenerated, it can be the HV pack that is regenerated.
    My suggestion to Paradox was to verify (if he has the chance) what you think is "most definitely" happening...i.e. does the EV pack currently on line regenerated? This can be a big bomus to folks living in high altitude.

    Giora.
     
  15. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Thanks for clarifying, Giora.
    To answer your question, yes. It could be feasible for someone to run entirely on EV, recapturing energy when they can and plugging in every chance they get. This requires that they never exceed the 14 mile EV range but yes, it's possible.
     
  16. coach81

    coach81 Active Member

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    I just mapped out my round trip to work and back.. about 7 miles or so... in a few years when I'm at my new school. It will be fun to drive on very little - if any- gas!!!
     
  17. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Hey all, just got back from taking a rod trip to Lancaster PA for the day. I'll post stats on the small trips and the Lancaster trip tomorrow since I am quite frankly shot from driving.

    So far though, let me say I am impressed with the car. All in all it is not different than any other Gen III, but being able to take my son to and pick him up from school, go grocery shopping and commute to work/charge/drive home all without using gas is amazing. Today I felt bad having the engine come on while on the bridge leaving Staten Island going into New Jersey. We did something like 350 miles today and averaged 52.1mpg with an avg speed of I think 52. I looked and looked up there for places to charge but no outlets readily available. I did sneak 1/2 an hour from an outlet at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater where my parents were seeing a show while we waited to pick them up. Two outlets I tried that I had found at the outlet malls were dead! How dare they not upkeep them lol.

    I'll work on getting a video driving to a local shopping center and back home and post more details on my experience thus far tomorrow. Oh yes, I did want to mention that I noticed once the EV range is down to about 2 miles the car looses some of the pep it has from a stop and needs the engine to come on to get it up to a steady speed and then it kicks back to EV to maintain a speed. For some reason I don't remember or didn't notice that while driving it back last May but I have noticed it twice now while city driving it (stop and go at lights/stop signs) around where I live.
     
  18. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Tony,
    My question is taking the EV range (or at least trying to) beyond 14 miles.
    Say there is a guy living in a city 1500 ft (or more) above sea level, his commute includes (one way) 6 miles city driving and then 13 (or more) miles out of city to work which is in the valley 1200 ft below.
    Now, if the EV pack on line (say, its the first) is regenerated in the down-hill stretch (and the HV pack as well) then he can have "full" battery icon and back to 13-14 miles EV range on the guage at the end of the bown-hill stretch and a total of up to 20 miles of EV range!
    I too cannot see a reason why the captured energy will not be channelled to the EV pack (on line) as well as to the HV pack, however, it may be that Toyota is, for some reason, dedicating the EV packs to supply energy only and not to capture energy during driving (maybe this way they can allow wider 'window of usable energy' for these packs).
    We will not know until we try it or until Toyota releases more info...

    Hope I am clear now.

    Giora.
     
  19. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I think TPS is saying
    No more than 14 miles (20 km) between recharges. Whether the recharge is from a wall socket or potential energy does not matter.

    If you start out with 3 kwh of usable battery stored energy and have 3 kwh of potential energy, you have *up to* 6 kwh of EV driving.

    Until you go home, anyway ;-)
     
  20. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Must admit - your answer is not clear to me...
    "TPS is saying" - to whom? to the PHT Prius?
    By your logic: 3kWh equals 14 miles EV, 6kWh equals 28 miles of EV drive. Is this what you are implying?