I have a 2006 Prius and I use B mode alot when going down hills to help slow me down and put it in drive before I take off again. 1.I was wondering if B mode helps recharge battery's faster vs. just braking. 2.Also I am going to Gaitlinburg and am staying up high in the mountains and I was wondering would my prius make it up the steep mountains and going down what would I need to do to prevent the brakes from burning out because someone told me when the battery is fully charged that It goes to brakes pads instead of the regen. brakes. 3. Does B mode run the ICE and waste gas? Thanks for answering these questions!
Please look at the threads found by searching B mode.... http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Search&...highlite=B+mode Bottom line is that there are no practical uses for B-mode except for very long mountain type downhill grades to rest your foot. Esp. be sure to read the links to Darellddl's article and Wayne Brown's article.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Locust43 @ Sep 2 2006, 02:10 PM) [snapback]313111[/snapback]</div> No. Just braking charges the battery just as well, plus you are not wasting power spinning the ICE. Yes, the Prius will go up steep mountains, assuming you are using roads that normal cars can use. As for burning the brakes, this is what B mode is for. It spins the ICE in a high-drag mode to slow down the car, much like downshifting. No. The ICE does not "run" and waste gas, but it does spin all of the time and waste energy. That's what it is for: tossing away excess energy when coasting down long hills. You never need to use B mode unless you go down long or very steep hills. Tom
