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From Green to Pink

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by skguh, Nov 13, 2007.

  1. skguh

    skguh Member

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    The ability to drive in EV mode seems very short--less than a few miles. From green to pink I can go about 3-4 minutes-- a little bit longer if nothing's on but the motor. Is this normal? I understand the pulse-and-glide (although it seems like a lot of work for nominal distance so I must be doing it wrong) technique, but out of curiosity, if you were to drive with battery only, how far can you go before ICE kicks on?
     
    #1 skguh, Nov 13, 2007
  2. Ichabod

    Ichabod Artist In Residence

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    That looks about right... maybe 1/2 mile or so. You are, after all, powering a big electric motor. In general, don't think of EV as a "driving" mode, but solely as a utility mode. Like moving your car in a lot without starting ICE, sneaking out late at night so the wife doesn't hear ;) or forcing ICE-off when you know you'd otherwise be gliding for a while anyway but maybe have a tiny hill in the middle that you know you can make up w/ regen.
     
    #2 Ichabod, Nov 13, 2007
  3. skguh

    skguh Member

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    Okay, then here's a follow up: In the OLDEN DAYS, radio batteries were supposed to be drained completely the first time, and then recharged completely to allow for 'total charge' and therefor make the radio batteries last longer. Yes, I was a mere baby at the time, but I remember hearing about it in the womb... With the newer Lithium (please dispose of properly) batteries, is there any technique that's used to extend the life of the battery? Or is this, too, a myth?
     
    #3 skguh, Nov 13, 2007
  4. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    The prius already makes use of one of the best techniques to increase battery life: Avoid deep-cycling and avoid overcharging.
     
    #4 Bob64, Nov 13, 2007
  5. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    The batteries in your Prius are NiMH (Nickle metal hydride), not Lithium. NiMH batteries work very similarly to NiCd batteries, including having "memory" (I was surprised at this too, but it's in the Sanyo battery manual). The Prius has a computer run battery maintenance system. It was designed with the battery characteristics in mind, to maximize the life of the batteries in the following ways:

    Charge/discharge current is limited so as to not damage the batteries (this is why the ICE (internal combustion engine) will start up to help accelerate at such a low throttle opening).

    The battery is operated between 30 and 80% charge. This is to ensure, in case one (or a few) cells have a lower capacity, they do not get overcharged (loosing electrolyte), or fully drained, thus reverse charged (very bad). The cells were matched at the factory as well, to help with this.

    The battery has temperature sensors inside and a fan for cooling, to ensure it is not operated heavily enough to cause it to overheat. The car will defer from using the battery if it gets too hot. In this case, the ICE provides electric power using one MG (motor generator) to power the other MG, as well as providing propulsion directly itself.
     
    #5 David Beale, Nov 13, 2007
  6. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    DING DING!!
    Somebody give that man a prize.

    The Prius is designed to never get below 40% charge and never above 60% charge. Somewhere in my mountainous pile of electronic files I have a specifications report and an independent review of how ingenious it is to run a battery that way.

    *if you work really hard, you can indeed deep-drain the hybrid battery. Please don't.
     
    #6 TonyPSchaefer, Nov 13, 2007
  7. skguh

    skguh Member

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    Cool--thanks for setting me straight.

    Now... If you could just do something about all the damned STOP signs!
    ;)
     
    #7 skguh, Nov 13, 2007
  8. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    I have an answer for that one too:
    Calculate your momentum and velocity such that you come to a complete stop without hitting your brakes right as you hit the stop sign :)
     
    #8 Bob64, Nov 13, 2007
  9. skguh

    skguh Member

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    Em... Okay... Will this require a sliderule?
    :(
     
    #9 skguh, Nov 13, 2007
  10. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i believe the point is correct...insert "never below 40% or above '80%' " and i would feel much more comfortable with that
     
    #10 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 13, 2007
  11. Ichabod

    Ichabod Artist In Residence

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    At first, yes it will require a sliderule, but eventually it will be second-nature. Part of Stage 4 of Prius driving Zen as outlined by efusco, I believe ;)
     
    #11 Ichabod, Nov 13, 2007
  12. skguh

    skguh Member

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    Yeah, I'm getting there. Don't want to give the Prius drivers a bad name, though. I'm content to smugly say that, "I'm working on a 53 MPG tank," when asked. The language alone is foreign to most of the people I run into now-a-days. The blank stares suggests that I probably have already tripped a circuit breaker.
     
    #12 skguh, Nov 13, 2007
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