40 mile drive scenario questions

It's generally best to let the car decide what it wants to do. It's usually (but not always) smarter than you. For example, the car won't let you use EV if it would mean that the battery would be completely depleted (and probably damaged). It will shift to the internal combustion engine (ICE) automatically to protect the battery. Keep in mind that using the battery is not as efficient as the ICE since some energy is lost in charging the battery and again when energy is used from it. The battery really helps when you are doing regenerative braking as that power would be completely lost with normal braking; the car will shift to EV from time to time to deplete the battery a bit to make sure it has room when you do more regenerative braking.

I went on a long trip in the mountains and used regenerative braking a lot, but after a mile or two of decending the mountain the battery became full and the engine and transmission automatically shifted to the braking mode. So, I wasn't getting the maximum benefit from regenerative braking. I tried to shift to EV on the climb hoping to deplete the battery as much as possible so that it would have more room for regenrative braking when I started my desent down the mountain, but the car would usally shift out of EV. That's a case where I was smarter than the car but it over ruled me. But that's not a common problem.

Generally, your best bet is to drive "gently" to maximize your mpg and let the car decide when to use EV.

Edit: I just realized I accidently got into the Plug-in forum (I have a Prius v), but my comments should still apply.

 

Since HV mode is so efficient while cruising, it tends to be a better initial choice to save EV for congested driving.

Without any congestion, use the EV while driving in the suburbs and HV on the highway.

Of course, if you can recharge at work: Just Drive It

 

When you know you don't have enough EV to make the trip you have to pick the right time to fire up the ICE. Make sure when you fire it up you have enough driving time/distance for the engine to warm up. Meaning you don't want to fire up the ICE and then sit at a light. So, fire up the ICE let it get warm and then stretch out your EV miles by using it only under 40 or using it to extend your glides.

If you are really running low on EV or want it to last. Use EV up to about 15 then HV up to speed and back off the throttle to glide and use EV to extend the glide.

This may be a little counter intuitive but you want to get up to speed by going almost into the power zone. You don't want to speed up too slowly. The goal is to have the engine off as long a possible.


Without any congestion do as john says EV while driving in the suburbs and HV on the highway

 

As the poster points out, they have a regular Prius, not a PiP. The advantage of the PiP on the long downhills is that there is a lot more capacity in the battery to absorb regenerative energy. It takes a long, serious downhill to fill the PiP battery.