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EV Mode Cutting In/Out?

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by chiefofsages, Feb 25, 2017.

  1. chiefofsages

    chiefofsages New Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    So, I took my brand-new Prime with me to work for the first time today. Due to a muddy front yard, I wasn't able to charge it last night, but I still managed to go 12 miles on the 6.5 miles I had left. Bear in mind that I live in a hilly area.

    I charged at work, and left with a full battery. About a mile down the road from where I work, there is a long downward hill. I went down, using the regenerative brakes on the way to recapture what little energy I used in the first mile.

    About halfway down the little ev green car disappeared from the display. I figured it was due to a full battery or something, as the energy display wasn't showing the engine running. However, I got to the bottom and went to keep driving when the engine started providing power to the wheels, not the motor.

    It took another few miles before the EV kicked back on, and only after I switched it from normal mode to ev (even though I never switched it out to begin with). I drove for about another two miles, going up a decent sized hill in EV. I went down another small hill, regenerating on the way down, and it cut out the EV mode again, and used the gas engine to bring me up another hill. By the time I had gotten to the bottom of that hill, I could run in EV and did so for the rest of the trip.

    It was a nice day, so I didn't use any air conditioning or heating, no heated seats, and the defroster wasn't running. I had 20+ miles of charge left on the battery, so I am confused why it kept cutting out on its own? I've gone up and down steeper hills while keeping it in electric, so why did it cut out on these hills?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
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    Plug-in Base
    what is 'normal mode'? i suspect there was just too much charge in the battery for all the downhills.
     
  3. I'mJp

    I'mJp Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
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    Three
    Which one did you get. Your profile says 2014.
    What was the ambient temperature ?

    Do you have a hud, does it display the ev miles available ?

    So you left work fully charged, so you ev miles should be at max.

    It would help when you describe whats going on to use ICE to describe internal combustion engine.

    If you try any regin, that energy will have to be discarded, because the battery is full, no place to put it.
    So the car will use the ICE to brake, and you can hear it, it sounds like the ICE is running.

    The batteries generate a lot of heat while charging. If they get too hot, you prius will quit using them.
    You have no choice over that. If the car switches to a mode, it is trying to protect it's self, and still give you the best mileage possible.
     
  4. Gen 3 for me

    Gen 3 for me Member

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    Prime Plus
    I agree with the posts above. I suggest to prove that nothing is wrong with your car have your battery about 50% charged when you leave work. Take the same route and see if it stays in EV even on those steep downhills.
     
  5. chiefofsages

    chiefofsages New Member

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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
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    Prime Plus
    I think I will try that. I have a 2017 Prime Plus (Haven't updated my profile). "Normal Mode" is what it's in when not in either Eco or Power (the system literally calls it "normal").

    I'm going in for a short shift today (only 3 hours), so I will see if the difference in charge will affect it. I'm also going to try something else, since last night on a different route it did the same thing again without a full charge, albeit it was nearly full.
     
  6. Pdog808

    Pdog808 Active Member

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    Make sure EV Auto isn't activated either. I personally never use it.