EV Mode - estimate of actual benefit

actual benefit: -X% (Negative benefit of ?%)

why? Because 100% of the energy comes from gas. Gas -> Motion -> electrical -> battery (chemical) -> electrical -> motion = huge losses in energy as the conversion processes is NOT 100% efficient.

 

The biggest benefit seems to be the ability to move the car out of the way in a driveway.
I was thinking though about adding the mod, thinking it would be nice on my way out of work to not use the ICE until I get out of the parking lot at work.

 

+1 on the accelerating out of EV mode, it is not economical and takes the charge down on the main battery way too fast. Best used sparingly, I installed it about a year ago and have used it maybe a dozen times.

It has it's place, not a gas mileage saver in the big picture though.

 

So basically in Stage 1 the car prefers to just warm up the engine at a low running speed, and uses more Battery then ICE to propel the vehicle. This does make sense and would help explain why when I leave my house and come out of my neighborhood 25 MPH speed limits my first 5 minute bar is always above 25MPG even on a cold engine, but when I leave a store and get on the highway almost immediately the first 5 minute bar is well under 25MPG and that is with a somewhat still warm engine.

I think Dr. Evan knows everything about the Prius and one of these days I'm going to actually play you on xbox live..

 

Cost of EV switch $65
Gas saved over lifetime $2
Frustration from never getting the d*** thing to work when you want it to (-) Priceless

 

Hi Sweetguy,

I think you should rethink the EV switch. I had mine installed last October (Hobbit did mine). It is very simple to use. It also works great. I use it 90% of the time as an engine kill switch. Many times when the ICE doesn't shut off because I am not in stage 4, the EV switch will shut the ICE off.

 

i installed it for free, i only use it to get down to the main road, its like 1000 ft away, then i drive at like 45-55 mph all the way on my commute, then when i reach my destination, i engage EV mode in parking lot, it probably doesnt save much, but i just feel its really cool, im sure if my 01 prius had a EV mode switch it could travel farther than the 05 prius on battery

 

I would like to comment some...

- As everyone said there is no magic here, the EV switch does not produce any MPG improvement unless you undestand how it works.
- We know heavy use of battery power lessen your fuel economy.
- A Pulse&Glide technique tells us do not use the battery power for the best results.

If you understand better how Prius works, you'll see better and better MPG results.

Ken@Japan

 

I totally agree with efusco on this parking garage scenario. Don't use it there.

 

every penny that turns into gas and drips into the ICE that I can savfe is worth it.

You don't know how much I hate to hear that engine fire up for no reason at all. As sson as it's warm and wants to shut down I'm where I want to be and turn it off anyway. I might as well drive a honda civic.

 

I use my button all the time to force the same kind of shutdowns
that I *would* get if I was in stage 4, but before I get there.
I think that usage, i.e. allowing the engine to run efficiently
or not at all just like normal P&G, contributes quite a bit to
overall system efficiency. Note that it doesn't mean I'm leaning
on the battery any harder than I normally would.
.
The other problem with the delayed-ICE-run scenario, i.e. waiting
to light until you get out into traffic, is that since you're
entirely on the battery during stage 1 warmup you're sitting
there pulling 80 amps out of the pack trying to get the car
to scoot. Best to let it go through that first minute under very
light load conditions -- if you've got a short stretch of road
you can normally drift slowly along without bugging people, or
a downhill, go for it, but if you're diving straight onto an
interstate or secondary highway, back-time what you do accordingly
so the car's really ready to deliver when you ask.
.
There are *numerous* threads about this in the archives...
.
_H*

 

EV button is standard here.
I use it in very limited situations.
1/ Showing off when I drive past work mates in the work compound. (Remember turn off AC, it's noisy)
2/ Back out of my garage quietly at 6.00AM
3/ There is no 3.

Why not just let the car manage itself? I don't want to buy a new traction battery so I won't stress the one I have. Using EV might save a few cents worth of petrol but it *may* stress the battery and cost you several thousand dollars. I'm not saying the battery will fail tomorrow after installing a EV switch but why for a few pennies worth of fuel would you play at that casino table? Little to win and lots to lose.

While it is advantageous to Toyota to get the most miles from each gallon of fuel you buy it is counter productive if that comes at the cost of reliability. I prefer to allow the computer programs to do their work unhindered.