Coastal EV Kit

If you are interested, this is where I put my EV button. It's right by my thumb for easy access. I don't have to worry if I'm turning my wheel because I always keep my right hand there.

I ran the wires down the passenger side, underneath the passenger seat and up to the console. It's stealthy.

 

I use the EV button almost exclusively to force a glide below 34mph when the engine won't shut down on its own. You have to reach stage 4 operation for the car to do that automatically, and it can be a while before an opportunity arises to complete the 8-second warm idle check at a stand-still. On my commute, which involves low speeds and traffic snarls, the button comes into play almost every day.

One thing that I do not do is drive the car any distance in EV mode. If I want power, I let the gas engine do the work. The only exception would be moving the car less then a couple hundred feet, in which case it makes no sense to start the engine and blow nasty cold-start emissions out the tailpipe if you don't have to.

The best companion around for the EV button is a ScanGauge II with the "evb" x-gauge. If you make frequent use of the button then you really want to know if it is on or off. Otherwise one can accidentally leave it activated when pulling away from a light or stop. The delay of the Coastal mod is especially irritating when in that position. I know that many don't want to be caught with the switch, but I prefer the solution that stands the smaller chance of causing actual harm to my battery.