The fourth time in 4 years, but still...

Regardless of state-to-state reg’s, a little courtesy in both traffic streams, and everybody gets where they need to be.

 

i generally can time the entering traffic pretty well. but when they come down the ramp like a freight train with no space between cars for me to merge into, i just close my eyes and let them figure it out.

when it's busy, i simply avoid the right lane and let everyone behind me suffer at the speed limit +2

 

I find that behavior odd as well. I never find it helpful—the sudden engine start is distracting. I would prefer to swap the “EV City” mode for the American EV mode.

 

Well, from the car's point of view, it doesn't know this call for power is just for a brief moment for getting on a highway, or because you have started a climb up a long upgrade. The engine likely isn't going to add much with the former, but you might want it for the latter. US EV won't turn the engine on in those situations, but the extra energy use from the battery to do so means shorter overall EV range. Whether that matters comes down to the individual's route. In terms of generalities, the car is going to burn gas in the engine. It is a question of when the car needs more power, or the battery charge runs out sooner.

The rational for letting blended PHEVs act like blended PHEVs by letting the system call upon the engine at times is that it lets grid energy cover more distance, and have less overall emissions. Even in a Prius, having the engine just run at peak efficiency during high power demands means less fuel burned and pollution than when operating in HV mode for all speeds.

Now, you could get US EV on your Prime, in theory. i3 REx owners here have gotten European operation of when HV mode can be engaged and tank size. It is a question of whether you kind find someone willing to do the reprogramming of the ECU

 

It could be due to using ECO mode, with less pedal travel near the end. The times it has happened to me I have floored it by accident. Maybe I should practice smooth driving in PWR mode, as it makes the accidental ICE starts easier to avoid.

 

Or split the difference and use normal.

Perhaps, though Toyota themselves hasn't released any details of what triggers the engine on exactly. Best to just remember that the engine coming on in an EV mode is mostly about protecting the battery. The US EV mode is likely coming closest to the edge of causing harm to the pack, but even it has limits at which the engine will come on.

BEVs protect the pack through larger buffers and/or more aggressive cooling. The larger pack itself also offers some by spreading the discharging and charging out over more cells.