EV Mode not available?

[Haliotis]

Set off for short journey this morning As I drove up the road, my MFD display said that EV mode was not available.  Only  did about 2 miles. On way back, this info did not recur.  It is the first time I have had this happen (as far as I am aware, anyway), and I did wonder if this had anything to do with low Battery, although the EV green “ready” light in the dash Panel was illuminated.  Anything I should worry about?

[Penfold72]

15 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

Set off for short journey this morning As I drove up the road, my MFD display said that EV mode was not available.  Only  did about 2 miles. On way back, this info did not recur.  It is the first time I have had this happen (as far as I am aware, anyway), and I did wonder if this had anything to do with low battery, although the EV green “ready” light in the dash Panel was illuminated.  Anything I should worry about?

I've seen this a couple of times, but only when I've pressed the EV button. I've never seen it other than that, although when it's cold the ice does like to run for a bit. 

[Cyker]

I'm going to guess something/one pressed the EV button by accident as that's the only time you'd see that message...!

[Derek.w]

Albert, Dont worry about it you just trying to use EV mode and its complaining about it.

Your systems are not all ready up to a working temperature (cold engine), HV Battery is down 3 or 4 bars from full or just the load its working under.

I only use EV mode with aircon off when reparking the car within the street or car park for loading.

Rest of the time I just let the car controll it.

[Haliotis]

I usually press the EV button just before `I reverse off the driveway.  Does this button work as an OFF/ON button?  Could the car have been in EV mode as I pressed the start, and then I switched it off?  Is the EV mode always ON when the car is first switched on?  There are so many additional operations on this car compared with my previous conventional diesel car that I am still on a learning curve for a lot of its features.  My priorities have been familiarisation with all the controls involving normal, safe driving.

[Haliotis]

Thanks, Drexel.  I was typing in last post whilst you were replying.  Perhaps an oldie like me should have bought a mobility scooter!😡

[TonyHSD]

3 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

I usually press the EV button just before `I reverse off the driveway.  Does this button work as an OFF/ON button?  Could the car have been in EV mode as I pressed the start, and then I switched it off?  Is the EV mode always ON when the car is first switched on?  There are so many additional operations on this car compared with my previous conventional diesel car that I am still on a learning curve for a lot of its features.  My priorities have been familiarisation with all the controls involving normal, safe driving.

The ev button to set the car in dedicated ev mode is not usually to be used often. It can be helpful in some situations but generally speaking it’s not like on plug in hybrids that you can drive in ev only for some miles., not at all. 
When you start the car it’s hybrid mode by default. If you have enough Battery power you can select ev mode via the button but you will need to select immediately the hvac off button too otherwise  the engine will kick in. 
You can use ve mode to swap parking spaces  pump up your tyres for example with air compressor, but driving in ev it is not possible, the Battery is too small and the car has not been designed for this. 
 

[Derek.w]

No need to select ev for reversing as reverse is always via a electric motor.

[Penfold72]

@TonyHSD

On one of my journeys I've got quite a downhill section and the Battery gets charged right to the max. When I come off dual carriageway to a roundabout, it's a short trip to my desuand I've sometimes switched on EV mode, and it seemed happy unless I went over 35-40mph. Usually though I let EV mode do its thing. I've seen instances where is says EV mode unavailable, but keeps the primary EV light on and stays in Battery mode, but the full EV mode icon turns off. I assume it's just gone back to automatic EV control 🤷

[Penfold72]

2 hours ago, Haliotis said:

There are so many additional operations on this car compared with my previous conventional diesel car that I am still on a learning curve for a lot of its features.  My priorities have been familiarisation with all the controls involving normal, safe driving.

I'm totally with you..... This is my first hybrid after a normal diesel, I was worried at first when setting off in a morning that engine was running and not in EV at low speeds. It's taken a few posts here, and the very helpful members to point me in the right direction.👍

[Cyker]

The EV mode button is a bit of a gimmick on the normal hybrids; The batteries are too small to propel the car any significant distance; Around 1.3kWh, but as low as 0.7kWh in the Yaris and YarisX! Compared with 20-70kWh in BEVs!

And the hybrids only use maybe 20-50% of their batteries most of the time so 0.6-0.3kWh! That's not a lot of miles!

But somehow it all works; My current tank average mpg is 82.1!  (It was higher too but damnit I just had to overtake that slowpoke... )

[philip42h]

The title says it all really - it's a hybrid and not an EV. I just drive mine as such, and treat the EV button as "just for show" ... 🙂

[Haliotis]

Tony - excuse my ignorance, but what is/where is the hvac button?  Does my C-HR necessarily have one?

Derek - Sorry about one of my posts referring to you as “Drexel”!  Must be that predictive text, which I hate.

[TonyHSD]

Hvac stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. All Toyota hybrids has a control panel with many buttons to control these functions and one of these is marked with OFF . The car to remain in ev mode while has enough Battery you need to do the following: step on brake, push start button, select EV mode, press fan OFF on the hvac panel. Job done. 

[Harters]

14 hours ago, Derek.w said:

No need to select ev for reversing as reverse is always via a electric motor.

The only time I use the EV button is to back the car out of the garage to wash it.  Even though reverse is via the electric motor, the car will start if the ICE if it is cold.  I press start and then immediately press the EV button to stop it.

[Derek.w]

On 8/2/2023 at 9:49 AM, Haliotis said:

Tony - excuse my ignorance, but what is/where is the hvac button?  Does my C-HR necessarily have one?

Derek - Sorry about one of my posts referring to you as “Drexel”!  Must be that predictive text, which I hate.

Dont worry it happens to me all the time!.

[Derek.w]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:53 AM, Harters said:

The only time I use the EV button is to back the car out of the garage to wash it.  Even though reverse is via the electric motor, the car will start if the ICE if it is cold.  I press start and then immediately press the EV button to stop it.

I only turn off the A/C if its a long reverse!.

[Harters]

41 minutes ago, Derek.w said:

I only turn off the A/C if it’s a long reverse!.

Yes, I forgot to mention that probably as I always turn the A/C off as I enter the garage for that reason 😀