Toyota Video of my PHV Prius Test Drive

[efusco]

That information was incorrect, all 3 packs can charge via regen. The chart below shows the up and down of charge/discharge during driving.

I guess once a battery gets to 20% and "disconnects" it can't be used during regen ?

In anyway, I don't really understand the need to for packs, instead of one. Also 13-15 miles out of a 5 kwh battery sounds less.

I believe that's accurate..once the sub pack disconnects it no longer regens...not that it's likely you'd need much more than the Main would be capable of absorbing in all but the most rare circumstances. Even with my NiMH pack in the Prius and it's strict SOC limits I exceed the regen capabilities maybe 5 times a year...and then, not by much.

 

[scottsim]

nice Evan, I just wish it was being released before 2012.
I might be inclinded to get it if it was sooner, or had a little more EV range (like 20 miles highway).

I, too, wish it was coming out a bit sooner and would prefer a 20 mile EV range. The 13 mile pack is a prototype and Toyota has not said that it will be the final design. While I had their ears to bend I made my push for a longer range pack for those of us who want it even if the price is a bit higher.

I could not wait for Toyota, so I took a risk with the http://www.3prongpower.com 10KWh conversion. What I have is a very pleasing, very tech '09 touring Prius, that can do 20-40mi in pure EV (so much depends on slope, speed).

More here: http://www.smilingdogsranch.com/priusblog

Scott

 

[sjfotos]

Scottsim,
Great post and blog! I really enjoyed reading through it.

 

[garygid]

It appears to me that Toyota is trying to learn to use the Lithium-chemistry batteries. Smaller-capacity Li batteries were probably selected on purpose for these tests so that many more "full" use/charge cycles could be studied. It seems unlikely to me that this would be their "final" PHEV configuration, although it might be their "Gen0" version, if they are in a hurry to get it "out the door". I think it just uses the reliable Prius platform to carry around the battery experiment.