I've been contemplating sticking an EV switch into my 06 because my average keeps dipping below 49MPG due to short trips! but have a couple questions 1) What sort of power does the electric motor have? I notice that if I do electric only from a stop I accelerate VERY slow (and I'm not talking lack of jackrabbiting, I'm geniuning moving like a snail), now I'm thinking this is directly related to me having to barely push on the gas (or else the gas engine kicks in), but if I had the EV switch on will I actually be able to accelerate at a reasonable pace? 2) How does the electric motor deal with hills? I live in San Francisco, on a hill, and while leaving my house has me recharging (which is actually not as good because the engine kicks on to warm fluids so my engine is on while I'm coasting down hills!) but coming back there is almost no way I can "partial gas" for electric only up the hills. Does it basically have the power to do it? Or will the gas engine kick if there's not? Or would I have to manually disengage the EV to have the gas engine help out. 3) Most importantly does it void the warranty? From what I've seen one particular mod has you stripping wires and the like so it seems that might void your warranty, and I'd hate to have something go wrong in my quest for ultimate mileage only to cost me a bankroll because I put a friggin switch in.
1) define reasonable... Personally, i would say it's decent acceleration, assuming you aren't trying to turn from a side street onto a busy street... that'll kick in the gas engine. 2) HIlls are bad. sure, going down them recharges the battery, but going up them you really shouldn't be using EV mode, it puts a lot of strain on the engine. of course, in a hilly area, if you coast down one hill and use gathered momentum to go up the next and just need a little extra to make it, it could be possible... 3) Toyota hasn't given any official indication one way or another. Prius tech's don't care, and since the "mod" is available factory installed elsewhere in the world, it's believ3ed that the warrenty won't be effected.
I would venture to say that the EV mod does not significantly impact MPG either way. It is fun to use though...and can be useful in certain situations. Here is how is use mine: 1. Moving the car on the driveway (for car washing, etc.) 2. Making 2 stops close together (stop at one store...and then drive a block to another...use EV to prevent the ICE from warming up again) 3. On the last 2 blocks before I get home, knowing that in the AM I will recharge the batteries while the ICE warms everything up As far as using it in regular traffic...it is tricky. On flat ground, the car has decent acceleration, but if you push it too hard, the EV automatically shuts off and the ICE instantly kicks on. Going up hills at a slow even pace would be fine, but you will use a lot of energy pretty quickly. There is also some debate about how long/hard you can push the electric motor...as few people have come across a condition where EV mode will either refuse to engage or will disengage. It may that it can only get so hot before it has to rest. MPG increase? Maybe, if used in moderation and under the ideal conditions. However, it can quickly cost you MPG as well. If you leave the batteries too low, and then have to go uphill without sufficient battery power, your ICE has to work harder, causing you to burn much more fuel. It took me a while to figure what helped and what hurt. I know it has saved me a few tenths here and there...but I think of it as more of a cool gadget then a real MPG saver. Now things like increasing tire pressurem, learning how to pulse and glide, and searching for the best routes...those are the big MPG savers. 49mpg is not so bad!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MikeSF @ Apr 30 2006, 11:46 AM) [snapback]247388[/snapback]</div> An EV switch does not solve your unexpected mileage for short trips. An engine block heater does. http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=11176&hl= Ken@Japan
Great thread! I never thought about using a block heater. I guess it's my stuck in the box thinking because I live in a warmer area. I'm going to add this to my list of things to get!
