Can I start and move in EV mode?

Yes you can as long as your SOC is high enough (4+ bars). Also you can't go more than a few miles per hour. I do it all the time since we shuffle 4 cars in the garage and driveway and I'm always working on friend's cars in my garage.

 

The Prius has a mind of it's own and only Toyota knows what parameters govern EV mode. Don't expect EV to work in your Detroit winters.

 

One addition:
You have to push the EV-button within the first couple seconds after starting the car.
As soon as the ICE is running, it will not stop before working temperature is reached.

Martin

 

As sgm0815 says, it may work if you hit the EV button a moment after starting the car. I'm in CT which has it's share of cold and I am able to back out of the garage/driveway on electric without incident, though as soon as I switch from Reverse to Drive, I accelerate sufficiently fast that the car forces me out of EV mode (which doesn't take much at all).

On the non plug in version, EV mode is really more of a gimmick than a practical option. It works, just has too many limitations.

 

Also, I believe I read that you cannot have the rear defroster on when using the EV Mode. I assume because of the current draw against the batteries.

-Sam

 

I wish the Prius had what I would call a driveway car wash mode. This morning I pulled the car out of the garage to wash it, the ICE came on. When done, I drove the car 50 feet back in to the garage. Seems ashamed for the engine to run in that situation.

The temperature has in the mid 90's, so I was kind of surprised the engine came on. I thought the engine block magic temperature was around 78 degrees. In Detroit, the odds are that the engine will kick on.

 

Since you own a 2010 Prius, you DO have that mode, only it's called EV mode. But you must press the EV button within 3-5 seconds of pressing the power button...or else the engine warm-up sequence will start.

 

Keep in mind that even if the engine doesn't come on you didn't move the car for "free". All of the Prius' power comes from the gas engine. The next time you use the car the engine will have to replace the power you used to move the car in EV mode the previous time. When it comes to energy there is never a free lunch.

 

But on the other hand, running the car for 1 minute where the engine is doing nothing but warming itself and all the power comes from the battery anyway is particularly inefficient; you're better avoiding that first minute of runtime as often as possible. Even if the power didn't come from the battery during early warm-up, the engine is running inefficiently, and you'd be better off draining the battery a bit and filling it later when the engine is warmed up and you're taking a longer trip.

 

I don't know if it's a UK thing but with 4-6 bars SOC, pressing the EV button as soon as the ready light and beep comes on, I can travel nearly 1 mile, up to 19mph, on EV from a cold start. Why a 19mph threshold applies I've no idea.
Once the ICE has been on and warmed up and the battery recharged, I can travel up 25mph in EV.

 

There must be additional restrictions or timing windows. Mine consistently flashes "EV Mode Unavailable" when backing out of the garage in the morning. SOC 6 bars, car not yet rolling, defroster and all climate control off, and coolant temperature 64F this morning (ScanGauge fWT).

It DID function as expected during yesterday's evening commute, with coolant at 75F. It canceled out due to "excessive speed" at about 11 mph at that temperature, at 26 mph after full warmup, and for "excessive acceleration" when starting uphill from a stop.

 

Yes for most tries, though I've tried a few after also. All cold attempts at home have been unsuccessful.

I gave up on EV mode very early, but now will start exploring it again. Tomorrow's commute home will be after a longer cool-down, so maybe I can start getting finer resolution on any temperature sensitivity.

 

SWMBO's Gen 2 can go up to 25mph from cold in EV mode. Not sure about the distance though, will ask her to check it next time she drives more than 1/2 a mile.