In Quest for Better Battery, Keep an Ion Nationalism

[Wolfman01]

Originally Posted by plane

Breathtakingly incorrect.
I have driven a Prius.
Anything over 30 in urban traffic, the motor kicked in.
Any time we went uphill the motor kicked in.
Hell, just getting out of the parking lot, the motor kicked in.
Going downhill? A different matter altogether.

"Yeah, I drive to work and it's downhill both ways."

My post stands as written.

Then you sir, have a very heavy foot. I used to be able to reliably get the gas engine to shut down pretty much whenever I wanted it to, so long as I had the battery power to back it up.

When I would drive up to my folks place to visit, I would always make it a "game" to run the final leg soley on electric power alone. Now, the Prius is only capable of running approximately one mile under electric power. I would get the car to shut off at the I-225 and Parker exit ramp. From there, I would keep the pedal light and use the MFD to track battery level, how the system was using it's electric power, and to try my best to keep the system either coasing, or in regen. Speeds on these final sections of roads would vary from 30 to 40 mph. I would usually be capable of pulling up to their house right about the time that the car's computer would completey insist that it run the engine - 3.6 miles from that highway exit, to my folks door. The only traffic that I would be "in the way of," were those who insisted that the limits posted on the roads didn't apply to them, and I was able to run it without dipping into the engine at all on the roads. Mine was a 2003 model, that used the "older" system from the one that John has. Unfortunately, I didn't keep the Escape long enough to have multiple attempts at the same goals, and the only time I was able to try, it was below zero when I drove up. If the car was warmed up, I could easily keep the engine off on the entire distance between my folk's house, and my Brother's apartment.

Hybrid cars do behave differently, and they do require that the driver adjust their driving style. When 2 mode comes out, GM's system will require similar adjustments from their owners.