How To Drive Hybrid Cars Rules Of Thumb Guide

[timberwolf]

Where have you seen that? I'm not aware of the UK market getting this.

Sadly you are correct, the 30A fuses for the PTC HTR1 and 2 are not installed on my Gen 2.

[AMAQ03]

Does it not reduce the amount of power delivered during the first half of the pedal travel compared to normal mode?

NORMAL Mode?

What is NORMAL Mode?

Compared to which? EV? ECO?

Normal mode is when you do not have any of the driving modes selected (Power, Eco, EV) This is called normal mode. which is a sweet spot between Eco and Power Modes

Normal mode is perfect for hilly roads where it gives you very good power going uphill and still gives you great fuel economy and gas pedal response

[johalareewi]

Normal mode is perfect for hilly roads where it gives you very good power going uphill and still gives you great fuel economy and gas pedal response

FWIW the different ECO/normal/PWR modes do not alter the power available to go uphill or anywhere else.

The only difference with respect to "the power available to move the car" is in the accelerator pedal mapping.

Being drive by wire, the pedal is not mechanically connected to the engine and the system can alter the pedal's response to you pressing it.

If you are in in ECO mode instead of normal (or PWR), you just have to move the pedal further to get the same power.

[PeteB]

This may help to explain it:

So, for example, for pressing the accelerator a quarter (25%) of its travel, you get:

• In normal mode, about half available power
  
• in ECO mode, about 10% of available power
  
• in PWR mode, more like 70% of available power

Please note this is not a precise map, just a diagram to explain what's happening.

As others have said, by the time your foot is down to the floor, you get full power no matter what mode you're in.

The only other difference I'm aware of is that in ECO mode, it tries less hard to use the A/C or engine heat for the cabin to maintain the requested temperature.

[PeteB]

In fact, on a long journey yesterday, I tried switching between modes when accelerating away from the numerous roundabouts in the A11 in Norfolk and found at about 50% pedal travel:

• normal mode and ECO mode felt the same
• PWR mode still gave more shove

[Wayne2015]

In fact, on a long journey yesterday, I tried switching between modes when accelerating away from the numerous roundabouts in the A11 in Norfolk and found at about 50% pedal travel:

• normal mode and ECO mode felt the same
• PWR mode still gave more shove

On my Auris, the ECO mode definitely felt heavier/stiffer and less sensitive than my STD mode

Yes PWR mode is MAD - shame it dosen't last long though as u keep foot on gas pedal :(

[MEP's Yaris GS]

• normal mode and ECO mode felt the same

So its not all in my head then :)

[Wayne2015]

• normal mode and ECO mode felt the same

So its not all in my head then :)

yes it is!

[PeteB]

• normal mode and ECO mode felt the same

So its not all in my head then :)

AH! Not making myself clear...

I was being specific - at about 50% travel (as best I could judge) there was no appreciable difference between ECO & Normal modes.

However, earlier in the accelerator travel range, there is a significant difference (perhaps not on the PiP?). I remember the first one I drove a Gen 3 in 2009 my initial feeling was that I'd never be able to live with ECO mode and I'd make too many enemies behind me, but now I'm in ECO 99% of the time.

So the graph as I drew it is less representative than I thought, and I would have suggested (until my experiment yesterday) that there was a lower response in ECO mode for more than half the travel.

BTW: ECO mode also makes gentle starts easier when i's slippery due to mud, snow or ice.

[AMAQ03]

Hi. Let's say. It's minus 5 outside, the car has frozen over. I get in, start, wait for ready mode, turn on all heating full including ac. The engine starts. I then wait for the engine to turn off before driving away. Yes/ no?

A normal day. Same as above, perhaps less heating. Wait or not?

The point I am trying to make is. If it is really cold, would it not take some considerable time for the engine to turn off?

A case study. 7am the other morning. Got in , pressed start, ready mode on, heating on, engine engaged. Drove 1/2 mile to base, got out of car to chat to colleague, the ice as you call it was still running ten minutes after arriving at base, turned off and turned back on 2 minutes later. Heating still on, as I do like to be warm. My speed getting to the base was around 25 mph, flat terrain, ev flashed maybe once.

As you can tell I am still pretty confused.

If you turn the heater on in the prius the engine will stay on for a long time to provide heat to the cabin, but if you just turn on the car without the heater and defogger and wait for the engine to shut down then the car will reach its optimal temperature for driving faster.

[AMAQ03]

This may help to explain it:

So, for example, for pressing the accelerator a quarter (25%) of its travel, you get:

• In normal mode, about half available power

• in ECO mode, about 10% of available power

• in PWR mode, more like 70% of available power

Please note this is not a precise map, just a diagram to explain what's happening.

As others have said, by the time your foot is down to the floor, you get full power no matter what mode you're in.

The only other difference I'm aware of is that in ECO mode, it tries less hard to use the A/C or engine heat for the cabin to maintain the requested temperature.

This was helpful thank you. I like using the normal mode since i like the car to be more responsive

[AMAQ03]

Case in point, for some years when I had my last Mk 1 Prius I had a 40 mile each way cross country commute to work, with some longer journeys thrown in.

Because the warm-up period represented such a small percentage of my driving, my winter/summer mpg showed almost no variation. If the windows were clear, I drove off as soon as READY appeared, if they were fogged or iced, I ran the engine whilst clearing them.

Currently, my Gen 3 gets noticeably worse in colder weather as I do few long journeys and many more short ones.

Short journeys are definitely worse on gas mileage. grouping short trips or even keeping the car on while in a short stop helps a lot in improving gas mileage.

the startup procedure in the video will also help a lot in improving gas mileage for short trips in cold weather.