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I got my Prius in March 2005 and only had it hit 8 bars 1 time.
I typically see 7 bars after a down hill coast but most of the time it hangs right at 6 bars. . .seldom above or below.
There are several sites dedicated to the Prius and the majority of users report the same. . .6 bars maybe 7 on occasion.
Also, my gas mileage for the first 2-3k was 40-42. This was 30 mile trips with few stops.
If you do a lot of stop and go driving it will be less.
After I had over 3k miles on the car the average was 50-52 MPG. This was late spring thru summer and fall.
Now that winter is here it has dropped to 46-48 MPG.
Cold temps and the alcohol/gas winter mix both affect MPG.
BTW around town under 30MPH (stop and go) I never get above 32 MPG.

 

It's a little complicated, because after the "top" of the hill, there's a bit of slight downslope, followed by a stretch of VERY slight upslope, then it drops down rather quickly for a long while, then levels off (but still a slight downslope) to a stop sign. I usually hit the first "top" at as low a speed as I can, if no one is following me it will be about 20. I can try to be a bit slower, but I have to see how that affects the "shallow slope" after that, and how I hit the slight upslope. I will check the elevation as soon as I find my GPS (I have a handheld and it's somewhere among our 4 cars...).

Then I try to hit the top of the steeper part going really slowly (almost a crawl!!) (this all assumes there's no one behind me, which is usually the case). This is kind of fun, trying to gauge how I hit the upslope so I can get all the way up it using EV, dropping the battery level and slowing until the curve where it peaks out. It's a little different every time, but I usually do a pretty good job of it.

The battery's not too low when I pull in for the night, usually in the mid-low blue range.

(I've never seen it go below blue... is there another color down there? pink, I guess, how many bars are left when it changes to pink?)

What I've noticed so far is (1) the Prius seems to pick up speed more slowly on the downhills (duh - it's just a bit lighter! the more aerodynamic shape seems to make less difference than the weight, though pumping the tires up to 44 helped a bit), and (2) it is much more willing to stay in EV at higher speeds (all the way up to 40, regularly) where the FEH wasn't. Also, even over 40, there are times when the arrows are all yellow (my colors don't seem to match anyone else's on here, I have yellow to/from the battery/elec. motor, and from elec. motor to wheels; orange from the ICE (to wheels and elec motor); and pale aqua from wheels, when regenerating), and it's doing "99.9 mpg", even though I know the ICE is on (right?). Also (3) when cruising around at very low speeds (e.g., parking lot), the FEH ICE seems to stay off longer between "charge ups". The Prius' ICE seems to come on more often under those conditions. I don't have the NAV option in the FEH, so I can't really tell where the battery is riding (% full/empty) on that one.

I am wondering if the difference in battery charge levels between my Prius and others (who seem to see 100% full less often, and see things like pink) is that mine is an '06 - maybe Toyota has tweaked the software to keep the battery at a higher range of charge? I haven't seen pink, even though I have run on EV a lot; the ICE always kicks on before it gets that low, even under very low speed/load conditions, and even when the outside temp is as high as 50 (can't speak for warmer than that, we won't see it until April or May).

I'm driving the FEH today (snow/ice/sleet storm) - it's so nice to have the AWD option! - but I am going to pay more attention to the warm up times for the next couple of weeks, and see if there's a difference (which one warms up faster). As I posted earlier, the Prius does seem to take more of a mileage hit in the cold (25% compared to about 10% for the FEH).

There's also another factor - psychological. Having driven the FEH for the past while, trying SO HARD to get/keep the mileage at or above, say, 33 (summer) or 30 (winter), it's really hard to get sufficiently upset about 45-48 mpg to "go the extra mile" to bring it up from there. I have to admit I have spent some time "just driving" the Prius and enjoying all of its creature comforts (quiet! nice climate control!), tech gizmos (energy/consumption screen, smart key) and so on, while still amazed at the mileage I AM getting, without ANY effort. (But I'm sure my obsessive streak will come back soon...)

C.

 

The only time I have seen a completely full battery meter was during a trip over the famous Beartooth Pass. The '02 has a slightly different icon. Looks kind of like a nine-volt battey. "Normal" full is almost to the top. "Completely" full includes the positive/negative posts.


For those who don't know, the Montana side of Beartooth Pass is a drop of around 4000 feet of elevation with a recommended 25 mph speed since the curves are very sharp. I was in "B" gear for the steep part to help eliminate the tendency to accelerate down the straight portions so you don't go off the edge at the next hairpin.

For about the next 10 miles, even at 70 mph (still slightly downhill but more like a normal road), the ICE remained off until the battery meter finally dropped down again. I was amazed to be in "stealth mode" at those speeds since it does not normally happen.

 

The bars turn pink when the level gets down to two bars. In cases such as yours, I take advantage of the EV button. I engage forced EV mode such that the battery level is at three bars at the peak of the hill. Don't let it get down to two bars because EV mode will be overridden and the ICE will run on your way downhill until you are back up to 3 bars. That fuel is wasted because you you would have used regen instead.

For my 2004, in the summer, normal driving will result in 5 or 6 blue bars most of the time. In the winter, the range is skewed higher, to 6 or 7 bars. When my wife drives, be it winter or summer, 7 green is normal. In her case it is caused by accellerating into a stop sign or stoplght and slowing to a stop very quickly. A more focused driving technique for her would result in higher MPG's and lower average battery charge.

Remeber, the Prius battery ECU shoots for somewhere around a 67% SOC because it is the optimal for performance and longevity. Six blue bars is perfectly normal.

Dan

 

if you coast down a hill with out hitting the throttle, the motor will slowly recharge your battery. The only way to actually coast down the hill I've noticed, is to press the throttle slightly so that no arrows flow.

Having said that, when we get off the highway, we get abouit 98-99 mpg for the next 3-4 miles which is awesome.

 

If I coast with no arrows (slight touch on the accelerator), or even with the aqua arrows (no touch on brake or "gas"), I pick up too much speed for the windy road!

Dan - Do I have an "EV Button"? Or is that a mod that you've added? (Boy does this sound like a stupid question... if I have one of those and don't know it I don't think I'll ever show my face on here again! )

C.

 

I'm going to have to agree with Sweetbeet on this one. My wife and I are actually able to control the manner in which the battery is charged to "green" and then best utilitze that energy when it is needed. This, to us, is the best and efficient manner in which to drive.

For example, that first 2 minutes after leaving the house is used to charge up the battery/warm the engine, because the last 2 minutes have discharged in the form of stealth down our back road. Our regeneration to the full green comes mainly in the form of deceleration at anticipation of stops. Very little actually comes from braking in our case. At this exact minute, the 2005 that gets driven in this fashion is at 54.3 mpg. This car has never seen below 51 mpg after the first 5 miles of normal driving.

Our Prius Classic is also being driven in this fashion and I've been able to master the regeneration fairly well. Current average is 51.3. This vehicle, in the first 2 weeks of ownership, has never seen below 48 mpg.

Having the full green is a good sign....a sign that you'll have the battery to use when needed!

 

Probably not. Only the European and Japanese? versions come with an EV button. The functionality is in the US version but no button is provided. If you are willing to potentially void your warranty, you could either pick up a $2 normally open momentary switch at Radio Shack or you could buy the OEM button from Japan. They still have to be wired to the hybrid ECU however. Another option is Coastal Dave who provides a switch that is activiated by your cruise control. Most will not benefit from the EV button. I have only because of the hills in my area.

Dan

 

When I first started driving Priuses I was annoyed as well that I could never fill that danged battery, but I've since learned the Prius computer is doing its ****edest to make sure that never happens - because if it does, every time you brake, or roll downhill without the accellerator, etc, you're getting nothing out of it.

So one answer is, it's a huge frickin battery. The other is that when you get close to full the computer's going to take every opportunity to save gas and expend the battery instead until it gets near normal. So basically, in your efforts to fill that battery - the computer was working harder and harder against you the closer you got!

Of course sometimes it just can't win - like one poster mentioned, a lot of long (LONG) downhills are just going to fill it up, no matter what. It can be done - but it's not in your best-interest. Be happy with the constant 70%.