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Prius EV Mode Comparisons

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by PixelRogue, Apr 13, 2017.

  1. PixelRogue

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    Hello everyone,

    Noticed a few key differentiators in the EV modes of the Prius. Anyone able to add to this list with the differences in the Prime? Please pardon the layman language.

    2010 Prius ///
    - EV mode for short distances in some situations (golf cart mode)
    - Able to recharge while driving - regain golf cart mode.
    - Decent neutral cruising

    2012 PIP
    - EV mode good for apx. 12 miles.
    - Next to impossible to recharge once depleted. Requires plugin.
    - Neutral cruising drastically shorter then the 2010 Prius.

    Prius Prime
    ? Can you recharge depleted EV mode while driving?

    ? How is the neutral cruising?
     
  2. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    Prius Prime - 25 miles EPA rated, some users are getting more.
    You can charge while driving by descending a large hill or by putting it into charge mode.
     
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  3. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    For the Prime, you can regain EV miles by either going downhill for a period of time or using the Charge Mode.
    You can cruise in Neutral for a good distance on a level surface. I have gone through a automated car wash where it pushes the car through and the push that the car gets causes the car to roll faster than the rollers that push it. It has very little roll resistance.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    You can recharge the battery in the PiP. The smaller battery in the 2010 makes it look more obvious that the battery is being topped up.

    If you go down a long enough hill or a steep enough hill, you will get miles back in the PiP. The same applies to the Prime.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    what is 'neutral cruising'?
     
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  6. PixelRogue

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    To clarify the recharging question:

    On the PIP, if the auxiliary battery has been depleted (out of EV juice) it is next to impossible to renegade the EV juice mode without plugging in.
    (Yes, it can be done under the right (rare for this area) driving conditions).

    On the Prius ///, you can gain back the EV mode (from 100% depleted to 100% full) while driving.

    On the Prius Prime, once you have depleted your EV juice (est at 25 miles), can you recharge while driving - not requiring plug in.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there might be a little more regen on the prime than the pip, but i think you'll find under normal driving that regaining ev mode is unlikely, since the burden would be lower gas mileage.

    don't confuse gen 3 recharging with plug in's, the software must force recharge of the small battery, or you'd be driving on gas all the time, and the low state of charge in the nimh cells wouldn't be healthy. that's why you're around 6 bars most of the time.
    and regaining 'ev mode' is not the same as a plug in. you actually do get the same ev mode in the pip as you get in the lift back, for ev driving, the ev mode symbol doesn't light up though.
    once the plug charge is gone, it behaves just like the lift back.

    the newest thing on the prime is 'charge mode', which allows you to recharge the plug portion of the battery to 80% whilst driving.

    if you're referring to the ability of the gen 3 to start in ev mode if you have enough battery, and temps are warm enough, so that you can move the car around or drive a little until the engine fires, i agree, that feature is missing on the pip, and i think the prime. if there's no plug charge, the engine fires right away.
     
    #7 bisco, Apr 15, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
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  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    There is a CHG mode that forces the engine to charge the HV battery up to 80%.
     
  9. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    Is regen in HV-Mode faster than in the regular 4. gen Prius ?
     
  10. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    I don't know about that specific comparison, but I personally feel that it seems faster than my 05 Prius I had. Of course, I don't have anything scientific evidence to back that up. Just my personal observation.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
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  11. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    It is much faster than my 2012 v. Also HV mode can be used over the 43 mph limit of the v.
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I doubt it. Both cars use the same motors and dual-motor is only used for acceleration and is not used for regen.
     
  13. PixelRogue

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    To simplify, it would be my hope that you can charge a depleted HV battery while driving. So you are in a longer trip, EV spent - yet you can get it back without plugging in the Prius.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can, but there's no free lunch. although, if you have high electric rates, like we do here, it's cheaper to force charge the prime than it is to plug it in.
    but for that matter, the lift back is cheaper.
     
  15. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    The HV battery portion charges quickly just by driving and regen braking. I've used up most of my HV portion a few times every day and it will charge back up within a few miles.
     
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  16. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    Just bear in mind that doing it purposely (not because traffic conditions) is not the most efficient way to drive in HV. Just drive it would probably give you better HV mpg.
     
  17. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    Not really. Most times it gets depleted by going down slight declines for a while, but not enough of a decline to use regen. Then going up inclines or flat driving it regens fairly quickly. I have about a 35 mile HV only commute coming home and am averaging about 68 mpg with a 76.8 max. I don't think I would do better just driving it. I'm trying to use the most HV battery that I can. Regen is basically free for HV.
     
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  18. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    I am not sure I understood this, if you mean slight decline in which you still need some power input - this is not in the category of purposely I am speaking about, more like just drive it.
    Anyways, if this is the driving style you prefer, it is your decision, only my my experience shows that purposely depleting the HV portion to zero or almost zero has a price in efficiency due to the losses associated with using the battery and especially with regen.
     
  19. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

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    Don't have the manual in front of me, but I looked at it again last night and saw that there IS a recharge-mode while driving. I believe you HOLD DOWN the EV/HV button for a few seconds, and a light comes on to tell you it's in recharge (while driving) mode. It did mention that the most it would recharge the battery in this mode was 80% (not 100%) but if your EV range was depleted, and you didn't mind using more gas (instead of electricity) to charge it, and were driving for a while, if you put it in that mode, I guess you could get up to about an 80% charge by driving it, without having to plug it in (though I've never tried it, so don't know how long it would take, as to me it seems probably better just to plug it in).
     
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  20. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Spreading the incoming charge out over more cells could allow more charging of the larger pack over the same amount of time. It depends on whether the battery size is the limiting factor for regen in the hybrid.

    The Prime has a charge mode. The car just burns more gas to do so. Which might not be the best use for the gasoline.
     
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