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Update: drive Prime like a Tesla

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by bwilson4web, Jul 18, 2018.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I realized today that when the Prime has EV capacity, drive it like a Tesla. Maximize the acceleration to the speed limit; overtake gassers. When the light changes, floor the accelerator and reach the speed limit as quickly as possible.

    What this does is 'shame' the gassers who are left at the light. It shames them in front of the rest of traffic. As for us, we spend half as much per mile. The bulk of our miles are cruising behind a gasser or pickup or truck . . . saving the electrons.

    In traffic, follow the notorious gassers as closely as dynamic cruise control allows. If they foolishly exceed the speed limit . . . fine.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Jul 18, 2018
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  2. Since2002

    Since2002 Senior Lurker

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    Bob Wilson .... Rebel With a Cause :cool:
     
    #2 Since2002, Jul 18, 2018
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  3. Pris2002gen2R

    Pris2002gen2R New Member

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    bwilson4web.I have notice your very helpful with people with problems,I am a newbie and tried to start a conversation about my problem but do not know how please help me get started,also I wold like to send a sample of my trans fluid car has 225,678?miles probably never been change,will tell you more about my problem if you contac me Thanks RICHARD.
     
    #3 Pris2002gen2R, Jul 19, 2018
  4. Pris2002gen2R

    Pris2002gen2R New Member

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    By the way if you drive your Prius like a Tesla,The kids proably love you?
     
    #4 Pris2002gen2R, Jul 19, 2018
  5. davids45

    davids45 Active Member

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    G'day Bob,

    I hope you drive with your cabin-air on recirculate!

    Best feature/essential accessory in my Prius-c when stuck in traffic behind a German diesel (a small but nasty amount of emission) or a US-based/designed vehicle of any make (just excessive emissions, particularly those that need multiple exhausts :eek: ).

    When I think more about it, make that any diesel. Their behinds all smell.

    David S.
     
    #5 davids45, Jul 19, 2018
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  6. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Another Mad Max hiding inside a Prius. :)
     
    #6 Starship16, Jul 20, 2018
  7. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    From the owners manual:

    Observing the following can help suppress battery capacity decline.
    ...
    ●Avoid accelerating and decelerating frequently and suddenly when EV driving.

    ---

    Accelerator pedal/brake pedal operation
    ● Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and deceleration will make more effective use of the electric motor (traction motor) without having to use gasoline engine power.
     
    #7 Lee Jay, Jul 20, 2018
  8. Sandollars

    Sandollars Prius Maven

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    When my Prime grows up, it wants to be a Tesla.... OH WAIT!!!!! I GAVE my Prime to my daughter and BOUGHT a Tesla! :)
     
    #8 Sandollars, Jul 20, 2018
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  9. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    I'm curious about how this affects mileage. Back in the era of carburetors, there was a pump that squirted extra fuel whenever the gas pedal was depressed. When that pump failed, the car would stall if you pressed the pedal too fast. What this all meant was that stomping on the pedal used more gas to get up to speed than slow acceleration. I don't know if the same effect is present with fuel injection.

    But does it cost any extra energy to use maximum power rather than minimum power to reach a particular speed with an electric motor? Or is this a holdover theory from the age of carburetors?
     
    #9 RobH, Jul 21, 2018
  10. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    I hereby nominate this post by Bob for the PC Thread of the Year Award.

    I have repeatedly told my wife not to drive the Prime in POWER mode, fearing it become a deadly weapon. Of course, I will use POWER mode myself when she isn't in the car.
     
    #10 DavidA, Jul 21, 2018
  11. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The amount of energy, kWh, needed to reach a given speed is given by the change in kinetic energy:
    • KE = .5 * m * ( v**2 )
      • KE - kinetic energy
      • m - mass
      • v - velocity
    I've deliberately left off the units which are typically metric. But there is enough to point out, the change in kinetic energy is driven only by the change in velocity, not the acceleration. For example, going 0-60 in 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds takes the same amount of energy. It is the rate of energy, the power, that determines the acceleration.

    Energy from the battery, Wh, is given by:
    • Wh = I * V * t
      • Wh - Watt hour
      • I - current
      • V - voltage
      • t - time in hours
    Current dictates the power because the battery output voltage decreases only slightly as the current increases. This is due to the internal battery resistance. So as the current increases, the lost energy is given by:
    • W = (I**2) * R
      • W - Watts
      • I - current
      • R - resistance
    So a maximum acceleration is going to increase the battery energy loss by the square of the current. There is also resistance in the inverter and motor stator windings. The energy loss goes up by the square of the current draw. Double the current and the energy loss goes up by four. So what happens in the car?

    A typical battery-to-motor efficiency is in the 92-95% range. So taking the 95% case for a 75 kW (100 hp):
    • 75 kW = 95% * x
      • x - kW draw from battery, ~79 kW
    • 3.95 kW = 5% * 79 kW
    Now we can double the current and find the power loss increases by a factor of four:
    • 15.8 kW = 4 * 3.95 :: double the current, leads to greater loss
    • 80% = (79 - 15.8) / 79 :: efficiency drops from 95% to 80%
    For maximum efficiency, accelerate and decelerate slowly. For fun, stomp it.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #11 bwilson4web, Jul 21, 2018
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  12. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    And when driving in EV mode, don't even think about "pulse and glide", which applies only to hybrids. All of the power in HV mode is ultimately coming from the ICE, so the idea is to operate the ICE in high power mode ("pulse"), where it is more efficient, and "glide" on the battery with the ICE off. As mentioned by Bob, that does not apply to electric motors.
     
    #12 CharlesH, Jul 22, 2018
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  13. Roy2001

    Roy2001 Active Member

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    It's simple, the battery pack could warm up if discharge current is high, which means you press gas paddle to floor.
     
    #13 Roy2001, Jul 22, 2018
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