I hit 8 bars

As discussed above, the electricity can't go into the battery, it is full. Motor/Generator2 generates electricity and M/G1 uses it to turn the gas engine with no gas, using it as an air pump. The harder you press the brake pedal, the more electricity M/G2 makes and the faster M/G1 turns the engine, all by design so that the disc brakes do not overheat. While I found it counter intuitive at first, you will not hurt the car any with this system.

Let it roar.

 

Will do

 

I'm late to the party, but this was a good point:

I can't believe I didn't think about that - I've noticed that I've been at seven bars more often lately and wondered why. Comparing the SoC frequency to last spring (when temperatures were also lower), I see that I was also at 7 bars about 25% of the time back then (but only about 15% of the time in summer/fall).


(more detail here)

 

The only time I got the 8 full bars when going downhill through Chattanooga hill.

 

When your battery hits max, the compression braking kicks in automatically in cruise control, but only so far as it is needed. The more "roll" you have going (e.g., steeper hill), the more compression braking is employed. As a cruise control at a low speed has less energy to reabsorb into the engine, the noise is much less than if it was happening at a higher speed.

 

By compression braking do you mean what hitting the brakes does in B mode?

 

No. Compression braking is when you use the compression of the motor's pistons to absorb energy from the drivetrain and wheels.

It's not something you tend to see in vehicles with automatic transmissions as there's no actual "hard" connection between the driving plate and the driven plate in the transmission. Manual transmissions have this. Downshift a gear or two, let out the clutch, and get off the gas. Depending on what the compression factor is in your motor, you either get a mild or strong braking effect WITHOUT touching the brakes. It's commonly employed on motorcycles as well. Roll off the throttle and you instantly slow down (if you don't pull in the clutch lever).

I've never tried using the brakes in B mode. I've never gone that fast downhill (lol).

 

I was driving around Wicklow mountains (south of Dublin) a few weeks ago, and got a chance to try B mode besides getting incredible MPGs (and enjoying the scenery). Once the battery got to 8 bars, revs increased when I was hitting the brakes. Maybe my misconception as I've only got to 8 bars twice during that one drive

Must admit though, speed decreasing and revs increasing is the opposite of what we're used to and it tricked me into getting worried for a second. Then I remembered I trust my Prius.

 

Do you accelerate and brake aggressively? If so, yes.

I am from New England too. I don't see 8 bars often. Like 5-6 times a year.

 

I have only hit 8 bars once and that's when I was in Georgia where it's cold. In Florida it's hot and no hills. My plugin hits 8 bars everyday that battery must be different then the one in my regular Gen 3 Prius

 

Good question. Believe it or not, the HSD will endeavour to bleed off excess energy from the HV traction battery as it sees fit.

A good example is me starting my journey home from work recently - the temperature was 6c. The HV battery was green, from my uninterrupted early morning commute. Engine started, warm up sequence in progress, then I came to a junction and had to wait.

The engine continued spinning - but used no fuel. Instead, it utilised the excess HV Battery power to turn the engine, continuing the warm up sequence, until I started moving again, at which point it switched to using fuel for propulsion.

I have also observed the vehicle running on battery only, at 50mph speeds or slightly more on occasion, albeit usually on a relatively downward slope.

When utilising cruise control, my G2 will often switch to HV traction propulsion only, at speeds up to 42mph if I have a relatively full battery - sometimes for almost half a mile, before switching back to ICE support....usually when there's an upward incline. Of course, the engine is usually warmed up at this time.

I see the green bars at least once during my commute - more often in winter as the cold induced the ICE to run for longer at first start. I'm happy to report my battery takes its time charging up - it doesn't swing wildly between the green and purple bars.

My last Hybrid Check by Toyota on Thursday indicates all is well on my 2008 Spaceship

I now trust the HSD to choose how it administers propulsion power via the power split device. I also implicitly trust it to control the charge/ discharge operations of the HV Battery.


iPhone ?

 

No I drive very slow and now I see 9 bar when I start my car.


Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

9 bars? In the HSI the battery is full when it has 8 bars. Do you mean the fuel indicator?

 

Sorry I count it wrong its 8 bar.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Oh ok. That is a little unusual. Even under cold weather, the ICE will only charge the battery to 67~%, which is under the 74% line for 8 bars.

 

H

In winter every battery "loses" capacity, that's why it's easier to charge it "fully". If you don't carry your phone for example close to your body then observe how long it will hold charge. I'm sure you will notice that in winter your battery dies faster but in summer it goes back.
I think the optimum ambient temperature for battery is 20 degrees Celsius. This goes without saying but the battery in Prius has the same behaviour as in your phone in winter.