Well, more accurately, can the ICE charge the battery when the car is stopped? Techno question of the day: If the TCH is at a stop, the big traction motor/generator (MG2)is also at a stop. If stopped long enough, the ICE will come on, and MG1 will spin. Does MG1 have generative capabilities? I assume it does (it is called MG, after all), but I've actually never seen a diagram of the engine pointing power at the battery on the (non-nav) display.

Ya think after a year of driving this thing, I'd have figured it out by now.

 

On a the NAV display I have seen the ICE sending power to the MGs which in turn feed power to the battery while at a stop. So, you would see an orange arrow from the ICE to the MG and a yellow arrow from the MG to the battery (on a NAV display of course).

On the MFD I have seen the ICE image with an arrow to the battery icon and not to the wheels. (Apparently my memory is horrible...see SPL's post)

Given that, I assume yes and it makes sense that the ICE should charge the battery while at a stop. After all, if you are running the AC on battery only it will need to recharge sooner or later.

 

Yes, the ICE can charge the NiMH battery while the car is stopped. When the car is stationary, MG2 is stationary, because it's directly coupled to the wheels. MG1 and the ICE are linked by the power-split planetary gear set. So, when the ICE runs with the car stationary, MG1 spins and can be (and is) used to generate power. Indeed, when the car is moving, MG1 and MG2 are both in use most of the time. Power either flows from MG1 to MG2 (possibly supplemented by the NiMH battery) at lower speeds, or from MG2 to MG1 at higher speeds (the so-called "heretical" mode). The MFD of the non-NAV TCH doesn't show either of the MGs, and so can't (and doesn't) show power flows from either MG to and/or from the NiMH battery. The NAV display is more elaborate. I've never seen an arrow from the ICE to the battery on my MFD (I don't have NAV). The only arrows I've seen are from the ICE to the wheels, and either way between the NiMH battery and the wheels.

Stan

 

A fairly decent explanation of the workings of the HSD - in Prius form - at
<www.ecrostech.com/prius/original/Understanding/WhatsGoingOnAsIDrive.htm>

Even more fun viewing at <http://eahart.com/prius/psd/>

And there's Wikepedia's take on HSD ...
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Synergy_Drive#Third_generation>

As another poster described, at a stop, if ICE is running, MG1 is forced to turn and 'generate' by ICE thru the Powersplit device. Normally MG1 functions as a 'generator - whether turning + or - - except when functioning as the ICE's starter.

Differing from the Prius MG1, which can turn at up to 6,500 RPM, + or -, the TCH MG1 can turn at up to 10,000 RPM, + or -.

 

Also, if you don't have the Nav unit (or if you have the Canadian version) and need to rely on the multi-function display, you'll notice that you never see the engine icon when the car is at rest. You can however tell if the ICE is running by looking at the instantaneous consumption meter - it'll be pegged right at max (Because any fuel consumed divided by zero distance travelled is a really really big number). So I'm thinking that seeing this combination (pegged meter and no engine icon in display) means the ICE is charging the battery.