[Neil S]

Is there a way to give gas (or hybrid mode) priority over EV mode - or is EV mode automatically used if available

When I charge the car while driving on a highway or long trip I use charge mode to get some electric power back - is there a way to preserve this charge for use when I get back to the city or traffic - is that possible (to save Electric and use gas) of is electric mode always a priority if available.

Other hybrid electric plugins (Mitsubishi in Canada) have a save button so that electricity can be preserved for use at the drivers choice at another time I cannot find anything online or in the complicated confusing manual ns

 

[jmartin325]

No way I know to make HV the default. If you simply push HV after you start the vehicle, it will preserve most all of your EV miles for later (it will use a little bit of the traction battery until the ICE warms, and you'll even see EV miles vary slightly as the R4P does it's thing in HV mode). I've done this many times, depending on my travels. Enjoy!

 

[chuckles70]

Welcome to the forum! As Jmartin said, you'll have to enter HV mode manually. It will stay there until you restart. Mine draws down about 6-8 miles of the EV range over the first 30 minutes. (from my scanner, from 90% (which is "full" on the gauge) to about 80% and settles there). If you don't launch with a full battery, (<80%), it will hold the same charge state while you force HV (subject to minor regeneration / consumption of HV mode).

I think Toyota has programmed that behavior because batteries are happier long term with a less than full charge. High charge state is hard on batteries over time. So don't be surprised if your range drops while in HV mode, it's the car doing its thing.

 

[peakbagger]

Yes, as described just push the right hand button near the shifter to put it in EV mode. If there are a lot of long downhills the electric range may even increase a bit. In colder weather on longer trips I start out in hybrid mode to warm up the car with waste engine heat and use the EV mode on slower sections of my trip. .If I have range left heading home, I switch it back to EV mode to burn up the electric range since my power to recharge is effectively free from my surplus solar capacity. .

 

[8AA]

I just completed a 1500 mile trip and kept the EV charge by driving in HV mode. As noted, if you start out with a full charge the car will use the battery some until it gets down to about 80% and then will try to hold it there. You might gain or lose some during long grades, but for the most part it maintains your current EV charge. It might have to do with the preferred long term storage or it might be making room for excess energy while operating as a hybrid. If you use Charge mode, the car will only charge to 80% an then stop. It seems that is the preferred upper level in the software.

 

[prime hunter]

ya neil like the others have said just select HV mode . id avoid charge mode seems inefficient to me in most cases. about 80% of battery capacity on the prime will still give you very good range compared to most PHEVs .

 

[NoelinColorado]

When I charge the car while driving on a highway or long trip I use charge mode to get some electric power back

That's always a net loss of fuel and $$ so unless you have a special reason to use charge mode (I do, but quite rare and in winter only) it may not be worth it. Plus, hard not to notice the high RPM grind of the ICE when in charge hold mode and climbing a hill or accelerrating. When I do use charge hold mode it's always on the flat or downhill.

 

[EddieJoe]

That's always a net loss of fuel and $$ so unless you have a special reason to use charge mode (I do, but quite rare and in winter only) it may not be worth it. Plus, hard not to notice the high RPM grind of the ICE when in charge hold mode and climbing a hill or accelerrating. When I do use charge hold mode it's always on the flat or downhill.

Never have used it and doubt that I ever will. But understand it’s there. Similar to Auto EV/HV. Tried it once but since I exclusively use EV in town don’t want to create a situation where the vehicle could put me in HV at high throttle with a cold engine. And, that I’m not going to engage HV enough to fully warm up the ICE. Don’t like that optional mode.