I've been using the EV mode - the EV portion of the curve without pushing the EV button - to run around town and to maintain speed once I've accelerated to traffic speed. It really boosts thte mpg numbers and I'm able to get 55-60mpg on my 47mi. roundtrip mostly highway commutes (hills included). Without the running in EV it's probably 42-48mpg. A couple people in another thread said that you should not (purposely) drive in EV mode as it puts more wear on the battery and that you should let the computer decide what to do. True or not? Comments? I've been doing this routine for about a month now - car has 3200 mi. on it. Would hate to think I'm putting a lot of wear/shortening the life of the battery.
I have this question too - I'm hoping people are referring to EV Mode as pressing the EV button on the car VS driving the car using the EV portion to maintain speeds and scout around town/parking lots using the electric motor only instead of the gas motor My MPG increases dramatically the more I use the EV portion of the curve too!
you're doing exactly what the car was designed for. it has plenty of self protection mechanisms to keep you from doing any long or short term harm.
I don't know the answer for sure, but on the other hand if the car allows you to drive in EV mode (not EV button) up to certain mph I guess that what the car was designed for.
I've been driving like that since I got the car. I try to get the car into EV whenever I can. My mpg numbers are awesome.
They don't know anything you don't know. The car comes with an EV Mode button and Toyota has engineered in its use so use it as much as you like and don't worry about it. I use it also and, like you, see a nice rise in mpg when I remember to use it as much as the car allows.
The Battery Management System [BMS] is designed to operate the HV battery pack between 20% & 80% capacity. The battery is never fully discharged or fully charged. It's also never charged or discharged near the cells maximum ampere rating. As such, its chemistry is never significantly stressed. With stock BMS software, there's nothing you can do to noticeably advance the wear-rate of the battery.
At what speed can you go up to in EV? Also what is the highest speed where the ICE will still shut off?
Depends on the state of charge. After going down a huge, sustained hill I've been in EV mode with the Eco green bar 3/4 to the red and doing 50+mph.
