EV MODE MOD

CoastalTech instructions, see post
Very easy to install, easy to use.
http://youtu.be/HszOMSaZtdc
New post, Thunder video has returned

 

And why they put it in the Japanese AND European 2004 through 2009 Priuses!

 

I just bought me an 08 Prius and going to do this EV mode as my first mod. I also wondering if i can do a plug-in mod for my stock prius. I see when I do search for plug in i find things about PHEV, a complete system. But is it worth it to just plug in the stock battery packs?

 

Well, never got a response about the potential of anything different from the .pdf instructions and my 2007, so I went for it. Didn't take too long and it works! WAHOO!

ONE QUESTION : Seems like I read that an EV light appears on the dash when in EV Mode... I don't see it. I get the 3-beeps when it disengages and the screen jumps to the energy screen when it engages, but alas... no light. :-(

Does the US 07 have a light?

Thanks, folks!

 

Prowler... It looks like you're thinking that the Prius is an electric vehicle, which it isn't. It's a gasoline vehicle that has done what it can to minimize losses to get the best mileage it can. Good aerodynamics is the most obvious. To get rid of braking losses, it had to store the energy somehow, so it stores it electrically. So it needs electric motors to get that energy back to the wheels. The motors in the clever hsd system, allows them to use a less powerful engine by effectively load leveling.... engine is enough for average output instead of peak output requirement, and running it at the best rpm. The Atkinson-type engine further reduces losses by getting more expansion from the power stroke etc etc.

The battery size is set to store enough energy between when you had some extra until you need some extra. Not much more. It's not enough to drive around much on, because that's not what it's for. The battery will not last a long time unless your charge/discharge range is small for NiMH. So, charging these batteries up at home will add a mile maybe, at the expense of shorter battery life.... not worth it.

The conversions put another battery in that is more suitable to deep cycling. That makes them an electric vehicle.

All that said... the prius is a good stepping stone to electric vehicles just because they now have provided lots of real life experience with a lot of systems that evs will need to have... elevtric power steering, electric power brakes, electric ac, regenerative braking. etc

 

Prowler, - Follow-up to BAllanJ’s comments – to have the extra batteries installed you are talking about a A123 Hymotion L5 Plug-in Conversion module. http://www.a123systems.com/hymotion/products/N5_range_extender
The challenge is the cost of between $8k-$10k – ROI is not where it needs to be yet.
Ralue – follow-up to our message – there is not light on my 08 for the EV Mode.
When I engage, I get the beeps and the screen changes to the battery. I think the light template is somewhere on the dash, but no light installed.

 

FOLLOW UP: Dealer gave me $700 more for my 04 when I traded it in on the GIII because of the Factory Switch EV Mod. They were amazed by an 04 with EV. Guess it was even more of a bargain than I thought back in 07.