New Owner Here

1. The battery is kept between 40 and 80 percent. You don't see 0-20 and 80-100 on the MFD. The computers will keep the battery in an optimum State Of Charge (SOC) at all times. Don't worry about it.

2. Each green car indicated 50watthours of regenerated power. More is generally better, because you're getting back some power instead of simply generating heat by using your brakes.

3. The Folder List function is locked out when you're in motion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jun 25 2006, 09:20 PM) [snapback]276750[/snapback]</div>

My understanding is that the green cars are only created by regenerative braking. Any charging done by the ICE will not show on the "history" graph.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Jun 26 2006, 10:42 AM) [snapback]276818[/snapback]</div>

That's correct.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Jun 25 2006, 08:53 PM) [snapback]276747[/snapback]</div>

I disagree with the more is better part.

While regeneration of energy is preferable to wasting it in the form of heat, I get my most efficient driving and highest mileage when I minimize needless acceleration and thus braking and maximize coasting instead. Converting energy into electricity is far from 100% efficient.

Lots of green cars = poor mileage.

Fewer green cars = efficient driving and higher mileage.

 

There is a learning curve when it comes to driving the Prius. You need to drive it wrong before you can tell what is right. By that I mean, at first more cars are good because it shows you how much energy you were wasting in your last car based on the way you drive. Later on you will learn about the conservation of momentum, meaning later you will not over accelerate, and you will not over brake. You will coast a lot more. This will generate fewer cars at the same time you will save a lot of fuel.
When you get settled in your new Prius go for a drive down a road with no traffic on it but you. Speed up to about 40 mph but stay less then 40 mph don’t go over and then take your foot off of the accelerator completely. Coast for a few seconds and notice on your Energy screen that the arrows show you are charging the batteries. Now press on the accelerator ever so slightly until the arrows go away but not so hard that the arrows go the other way from the battery to the motor.
You should feel the car start to coast with no friction. You can coast a long, long way on a flat road. You’re not generating any power for the batteries, you’re not using any power from the batteries, and you’re not using any fuel.
Understand anytime you use the motor to put power into a battery you loose some power due to friction in the wheels, the motor, the wires, and in the battery itself. Again pulling power from the batteries to run the motor you loose power due to frictional forces. So if you could just glide without charging the battery you are better off in the long run.
Don’t go so slow you endanger yourself or others. Press the accelerator firmly to get back to 40 mph fairly quickly and the repeat the process. If you go below 30 you start to use more fuel to get your momentum back, if you are trying to get back to 40 mph. However, if you get to 30 and see that then next light is way ahead and has just turned red then keep gliding. You may be able to cost so no one is in your way when the light turns green again.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Jun 26 2006, 01:42 PM) [snapback]276888[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm... I disagree with both theories.

My understanding is that the leaf car represents 50Wh that is regenerated, whether by regen braking or by coasting (simulated engine braking by running generator).

I don't think it is accurate to say a blanked statement about leaf cars being good or bad, as it would depend on the driving situation. It merely indicates that energy that would have been lost in a conventional car was preserved in this car.

Consider, if you are in bumper to bumper and constantly doing gas/brake/gas/brake, then you will see the cars appear for the braking, but this is less efficient driving than coasting at a moderate speed which will use less energy for both accelerating and decelerating (and in turn generate fewer leaf cars). So these leaf cars are bad with respect to efficient driving.

On the other hand, if you are rolling downhill applying no throttle, the 'engine braking' will run and generate 'free' power to be used later, of course assuming the SOC is not already full. So these leaf cars are good for efficient driving.

I'm not an engineer, so I don't know if that theory is accurate, but that's the way I understand how the system works...

Just my $0.02... B)

- Kevin

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Jun 25 2006, 08:53 PM) [snapback]276747[/snapback]</div>

A number of things on the Nav system get locked out. :angry:

Sometimes it really gets my goat!

On the other hand, it probably keeps me safe.

For several days after getting my 2006 Prius, I thought the Bluetooth phone had a problem because I could not consistently get to the functions. The I realized, they were greyed out during motion. Doh!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lil Mo @ Jun 30 2006, 06:07 PM) [snapback]279425[/snapback]</div>

Of course you can fix this grey-out problem quite easily! Just tell the car you aren't rolling. Presto. Everything works as if you are stopped.

http://www.darelldd.com/ev/prius_speed_wire.htm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Jun 26 2006, 11:05 AM) [snapback]276901[/snapback]</div>

I thought the cars only appeared if you were braking, and thus are not desirable, and provide useful feedback on driving technique.

If they are displayed when coasting then they are merely interesting.

Can anyone definatively answer?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Jun 26 2006, 02:05 PM) [snapback]276901[/snapback]</div>

Simulated engine braking by running generator is regen braking. It works exactly the same way as when you press the brake pedal.

Leaf cars are always bad. They are only good in the sense that they are better than throwing away the braking energy as is done with a conventional car. There are significant losses in the regen-battery-motor cycle. From an energy standpoint, it is always better to coast than regen. In your example of rolling downhill, it would be better from an energy standpoint to apply just enough throttle to turn off the 'engine braking' simulation and coast down the hill. This way all of the 'free' energy is stored in the car as kinetic energy without all of the losses associated with regen, batteries, and motors. In the case of coasting, there is a small extra loss associated with the increase of speed, but that is small compared to regen losses.

Obviously, you can't always coast, and some driving situations require a lot of braking, so you are going to get leaf cars on the display. Don't worry about it, but keep in mind that they are not desirable, just better than driving a regular car.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 30 2006, 07:17 PM) [snapback]279460[/snapback]</div>

Cool. It may be some time before I am brave enough to start these kinds of mods, but it is great to know that it can be done.

Thanks,

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jul 2 2006, 08:45 AM) [snapback]280053[/snapback]</div>

Hi Tom, your explanation makes sense, and I am not doubting that you are right.

The theory behind my logic is more drawn from your last statement - compared to a regular car. I am sure that compared to true coasting with no arrows, regen is inefficient. But compared to a conventional car rolling downhill and either braking or engine braking (both = 100% energy loss), the Prius is able to recapture that energy, symbolized by the leaf cars. Which is good. My example of rolling downhill was probably not a good one as I left out key details such as rate of decline, which can have an effect on whether coasting vs engine braking is practical. If slowing down is necessary anyway, then we may as well collect leaf cars in the process, right?

So perhaps I just didn't explain my reasoning and examples completely...

Thanks for the feedback though... always happy to learn something! B)

- Kevin