How come I can't go into EV mode sometimes?
#21
04-03-2008, 11:01 AM
Re: How come I can't go into EV mode sometimes?
When the gauge FE reads precisely 60 mpg (or precisely 0 L/100 km in the Canadian version) when coasting at speeds above ~40 miles per hour (~64 km/h), you are in "fuel-cut" mode — the ICE is burning absolutely no fuel, but is being spun at ~1000 rpm by MG1 (for various protective reasons discussed in detail in other threads — search on "fuel cut"). In pure-EV mode, the ICE is not spinning at all, and so is also burning no fuel. In fuel-cut mode, however, the work done spinning the ICE wastes energy.
Maximizing pure-EV mode operation sounds desirable at first sight, but does not necessarily improve overall FE. The recharging of the battery takes gasoline, and unless you can beat Toyota's control system, it's likely that you'll actually end up worse off by trying to maximize EV mode. See the thread "An Unpalatable Fact (with apologies to Al Gore!)" for a lot more on this.
Stan
Maximizing pure-EV mode operation sounds desirable at first sight, but does not necessarily improve overall FE. The recharging of the battery takes gasoline, and unless you can beat Toyota's control system, it's likely that you'll actually end up worse off by trying to maximize EV mode. See the thread "An Unpalatable Fact (with apologies to Al Gore!)" for a lot more on this.
Stan
And I will point out that the fuel-cut mode above 40 I'd already mentioned, the remaining question was what state it's in when below 40 and not in EV mode. That I have no information on, and no Scangauge to try to verify if it's just burning small amounts of gas or doing something to truly coast.
#22
04-04-2008, 09:40 AM
Re: How come I can't go into EV mode sometimes?
haroldo — In fuel-cut mode the ICE is turning, but no fuel is being used. In pure-EV mode (pointer in the "blue" at the bottom of the scale) the ICE isn't turning, and no fuel is being used. As long as your 60-mpg indication is precisely 60 mpg, I believe that no fuel is being used. This is definitely the case in the metric TCH when its gauge reads precisely 0 L/100 km.
chestr — I believe that if it reads precisely 60 mpg (0 L/100 km) then no fuel is being used irrespective of your speed. As I said above, this is definitely true in the metric TCH. If it reads higher up the scale than this, even only a pointer's width higher, fuel is being used.
Stan
chestr — I believe that if it reads precisely 60 mpg (0 L/100 km) then no fuel is being used irrespective of your speed. As I said above, this is definitely true in the metric TCH. If it reads higher up the scale than this, even only a pointer's width higher, fuel is being used.
Stan
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