When do you use strictly EV mode?

Your Prius will use electrical mode when it thinks ALL conditions are optimal. Using the EV switch is only useful for moving the car a few feet from one parking place to another (when the ICE if still warm). Trying to out guess the computer may result in more gas being used (not less). I suggest you use ECO mode in bumper to bumper traffic and let the computer decide when to turn on the ICE.

Unless you got all your battery charge from regen coming down a long hill, that electricity was generated by burning gas. The best MPG is gained from hording that electricity in the battery. Which is what the car's computer will try to do. Some people try to use all the charge before they park at night, reasoning that the ICE will run in the morning to get up to operating temp and they will get a "free" charge and/or they a heading down hill and will get a free regen charge.

 

I use it when I pull into the parking lot thing at my work. I have about a half mile of road/parking lot to drive through to get to the area I like to park in. Works perfect for that type of situation, but yeah pointless in traffic I have found. And I definitely do what the previous poster mentioned - I try to use up as much of the battery as possible since the ICE is going to be running regardless of conditions next time I take a ride.

 

Does the battery charge over night if your not driving?

 

No.

The reasoning behind people running the HV charge down before parking up for the night is that the Prius (any variety) will have to run the engine in the morning to warm up the engine and emission equipment. If the engine is having to run you may as well put that fuel use to some good and also let it charge the battery. On a cold start, if the HV battery was full, the car will stop trying to charge it but the engine would still be running to warm up.

Others have indicated that excessive use of EV mode might not be good for a long HV battery life either, as it will discharge the battery faster than if the computer was taking care of it. I guess that might be why there is such a small window of use for EV mode (speed and temperature restrictions etc).

As others have said, let the car work out the best mix and perhaps use 'Eco' mode if you're likely to be in heavy traffic for a while. The use of EV mode is best left for moving the car very short distances such as swapping cars on the drive or moving it out of the garage to wash it etc. Oh and for showing off to friends.

 

I only use it for off-road positioning, typically in the car park at home, at work or some other car parks in specific circumstances. The main use for me will be to delay the ICE start until I can actually use it - and even here I only need the EV button if I'm going to be going up a ramp or something. I can easily drive the car without starting the ICE while just in ECO Mode only.

Other than the final stretch uphill to my car park entrance at home, I never use the EV mode button while on public roads.

 

Haven't really needed to set the ev button as it always goes automatically into it during slow driving or sitting at the drive-thru, or coasting. I have learned to slightly depress the gas pedal, let off completely and slightly depress again and let off to encourage the ev to engage when driving under 40 mph.

 

I use EV mode when I'm at a stop light to get up to speed. I've found that if I don't use EV mode and use ECO, NONE, or POWER mode then it always goes to gas engine first. So if my battery is charged at a stop light I go ahead and hit the EV button for those quick starts off the block. (Yes, I know your suppose to go gradually up to speed but some traffic lights and people on your bumper forces you to go a little faster.

 

Question about what you said - you are only referring to using EV mode by PRESSING the EV mode button - not when you're driving the car and it's using EV instead of the ICE? Because I use EV all the time when I drive in city - battery goes up and down all the time... maybe I'm not doing this the most efficient way...? *Shrugs* I still get about 60 or so MPG on my way to work (15 minute drive, about 6 miles). But I don't want to be hurting the battery either Thx!

 

That's why I called it 'EV Mode' rather than 'when driving on electric'

 

I use EV mode during my last mile on my commute to work & last mile or so when going home. Usually get the low battery warning when I'm about to park.