Is there a way to stay in just eletric?

Tracy, you need the EV Mode mod. There are two flavors. There's a factory one and the coastal tech version. Since you have a '06 model you should investigate whether either of these will work with your car. Use the site's (lame) search feature. Search for EV mod. You'll get a lot of hits.

 

The "factory" one is for Japanese or European cars only. It's not an option for US models. A (very) few posters have gotten their dealer to install the switch after they bought from another source. The Japanese or European switch is imported by some aftermarket companies. I've heard the switch sold today does NOT fit the '06, however. This problem is expected to be remedied shortly.

If your motivation for "all electric" mode is to decrease the noise made by the car, the EV switch will be effective. If you are trying to save gas, it probably will not help. EV mode only depletes the battery sooner and causes the gas engine to come on longer to recharge it. It makes the gas engine into more of a generator and less of a prime mover. The engine is actually more efficient when it moves the car directly instead of making electricity for the electric motor. The instructions for the EV switch (in Europe) warn that using it can decrease fuel economy.

 

just use your moped

 

It might help. It really depends on your overall driving patterns and how often your battery has a high state of charge (SOC).

 

what he said...

Yeah, like Tideland I use EV at the end of my commute to work and at the end of my commute back home. I also use it when I drop my daughter off at preschool. There are a TON of 4 way stops, all about 20 meters apart. Using the ICE there is just a waste. Still, I have to be careful to not ding the battery too much. Like they say in Spinal Tap "there's a fine line between clever and stupid."

I still think it's worth it. EV is also great for getting out of large parking lots and the like.

 

I have wanted the EV switch mainly for the maximum cool stealth mode, but fear that it will set some secret bit in the ECU that will alert Toyota that I've been screwing with the car. There have been many postings on this subject of whether warranty will/should be voided.

Anyway, until my 05 Prius is off warranty, here 's my technique I've used to get into/stay in stealth mode

Shut off heat/AC (keep on if windows or your feet are frosty)
Shut off as many accessories as you can tolerate (but keep lights on if it's dark out)
Gentle accel...creep along

I have driven about 3 miles in stealth mode doing this (all below 30 MPH). This was just after going down a long hill, starting with a full green battery.

This won't work if your engine is cold, main battery is low, or you are going uphill.

Here is a technique I read in a post a while back. I haven't tested it yet.

"if you brake to a stop in "B" mode, then move to Neutral then Drive, you can force an engine shutdown immediately without having to wait for the 5-10 second timeout."

One more thing - I keep reading that stealth mode kicks out at 34 MPH. That is not the case in my 2005. I have been in stealth mode at 70 MPH. This happens if you are going downhill, back off the throttle (ICE shuts down) then gently apply the throttle until the battery is supplying the energy needed to maintain 70MPH. This will only work if you are going down a fairly long hill (I live in Washington State, so there are a lot of them here). Cool factor of stealth mode is lost as wind noise makes up for engine noise. Still cool to do 70 on battery/gravometric power.

 

I sure wish we could have worked out an arrangement about the sugarmama issue?

Too bad........ I could have sprung for gas......

 

Yea... I suppose it would make quite a scuffle with my wife......

Anyway... I bet you would like the EV.. its cheap.. and not becuase it saves a few bucks or anything, but just because its fun!.... It would give you some of the effect you wanted with the electric car to get the best of both worlds.

Most of the looks you got in that electric car was not about it being all electric I'm sure, nor the fact that it looked buggy and cute... I estimate it may have had something to do with your miniskirt.... JMO! :lol:

I figured I could put in a sunroof and make a nice redneck deer hunting rig out of it!

 

So, what's Dave's device doing? Did he "discover" the CAN command and protocol that the factory EV switch sends out? It sounds like he uses a timer and after two seconds sends a command to the supervisory controller via the CAN bus. Is that it?

Just curious as to what is going on with his mod to make it work.

 

Cheap is a relative term. The only number I have heard is $12K... which for me seems expensive compared to the amount of gas saved vs. electricity consumed.

/Jim

 

Tracy if you go read about it:
http://calcars.org/priusplusfactsheet-v1.12.pdf
* Under 35-mile trip all-electric propulsion (at under 34 mph), infinite mpg (i.e., no gasoline) plus 200 Watt-hours/mile.
* 70 mile trip, 80% 55 mph freeway, 20% city: 120-180 mpg + 115-150 grid Wh/mi, compared to est. 55 mpg as a normal HEV.
* Beyond 50-60 miles/day, normal HEV mileage -- except better mileage on long descents due to ability to store more recovered energy -- and no further electricity use.

You see that in all instances of this wonderfull all electric mileage, you are limited to 34mph to get NO GAS usage.

I don't see that they are going faster than this?..... maybe I missed it, but I don't think they are saying you can get this mileage at normal hiway speeds?, thus making it unfit for freeway driving.

the only place I could find driving any faster is here:

And even then they explain once the batteries are drained you are back to normal except that long decents can store more for later use.

Toyota still needs to change the MG1 so as there is not that rpm limitation thus allowing faster speeds on electric only.

I could see its good use if you could go up to 70 or even 55 to go to work on a 20 - 40 mile round trip, but If you cruise above 34 mph most of the way.. the ICE will be on and you won't get as good as the numbers say here, although it will still be better since in can just idle or cruise to make up the difference the electric cannot do.