Running On Battery Power

[gareth1902]

I am just going to throw a quick question out there which I have only noticed since my wife bought a CT200h last month.

My GS450h nearly always uses engine power and has the Battery just assist it even when I barely touch the accelerator pedal. Occasionally the engine does cut out but very rarely. However my wife's CT I notice almost always pulls away on Battery power alone and then the engine kicks in later on. It seems to use the Battery power far more often than my GS.

Is this true or just a figment of my imagination? Been comparing them for a few weeks now and I am convinced I am right. I am not referring to EV mode as my GS doesn't even have that, it is a pure even comparison of all kinds of driving. My GS seems to run on Battery alone far less than the CT. Is this because it is bigger or more powerful etc so needs more engine use?

[ColinBarber]

The series III GS450h has a second generation Toyota hybrid system, the CT uses a third generation system which makes more use of EV mode. Also the GS hybrid system was designed to supplement the petrol engine, adding extra power when needed, whereas the CT uses the Prius drivetrain which is tuned for economy rather than performance.

[AmbroseJohn]

My 2008 rarely pulls away on Battery only and when it does it never gets above 10mph before the engine cuts in.

[gareth1902]

Ah I see. Thanks Colin that makes sense. Thought it was acting differently seeings as they are both Lexus Hybrid Drive.

[gareth1902]

My 2008 rarely pulls away on battery only and when it does it never gets above 10mph before the engine cuts in.

Yes that was the exact point I was making as mine is the same. I thought that was normal Hybrid until I drove the wife's new CT where it uses far more Battery

[AmbroseJohn]

So it's either normal or we have the same fault. :)

[Carl911]

I have to throw a spanner in the works as apart from cold starting my engine is always off when I stop at lights and initially only on hybrid when I pull off again. If I pull away carefully I can stay in hybrid mode until the batteries are depleted, roughly about 2 bars from the bottom on the Battery level.

Granted, if I pull away quickly then the engine will cut straight in.

I have also driven the ct many times and apart from the ct bring much more economical I thought it drove in a similar fashion, just not as refined and not as quick as the GS.

My daily trip through the town centre sees me on hybrid for much of the journey which I hasten to add is at low stop start speeds.

Carl

[AmbroseJohn]

I have to throw a spanner in the works as apart from cold starting my engine is always off when I stop at lights and initially only on hybrid when I pull off again. If I pull away carefully I can stay in hybrid mode until the batteries are depleted, roughly about 2 bars from the bottom on the battery level.

Granted, if I pull away quickly then the engine will cut straight in.

I have also driven the ct many times and apart from the ct bring much more economical I thought it drove in a similar fashion, just not as refined and not as quick as the GS.

My daily trip through the town centre sees me on hybrid for much of the journey which I hasten to add is at low stop start speeds.

Carl

You don't smoke the tyres away from the lights then. :)

[Carl911]

I have to throw a spanner in the works as apart from cold starting my engine is always off when I stop at lights and initially only on hybrid when I pull off again. If I pull away carefully I can stay in hybrid mode until the batteries are depleted, roughly about 2 bars from the bottom on the battery level.

Granted, if I pull away quickly then the engine will cut straight in.

I have also driven the ct many times and apart from the ct bring much more economical I thought it drove in a similar fashion, just not as refined and not as quick as the GS.

My daily trip through the town centre sees me on hybrid for much of the journey which I hasten to add is at low stop start speeds.

Carl

You don't smoke the tyres away from the lights then. :)

Only when it's a BMW or Audi to dispatch."..lol

[Mike Hartland]

I was on the point of starting a similar topic.

I purchased my GS450h a week ago. On the test drive I immediately noticed that the engine started when starting the car. The sales lady said that because the car had not been driven much in the five months that they had had it, the hybrid batteries were a bit low and it would take some time for them to get enough charge to start the car with.

They are slowly getting better but I guess that there is a chance that they will never get to the point where they start the car every time.

[ColinBarber]

The engine will always start soon after the system is 'Ready' from cold as it needs to warm up, it doesn't really matter what charge state the hybrid Battery is in. Once warm however the engine should shut down when stationary and if you are gentle you can pull away on batteries with the petrol engine cutting in when needed.

[AmbroseJohn]

I was on the point of starting a similar topic.

I purchased my GS450h a week ago. On the test drive I immediately noticed that the engine started when starting the car. The sales lady said that because the car had not been driven much in the five months that they had had it, the hybrid batteries were a bit low and it would take some time for them to get enough charge to start the car with.

They are slowly getting better but I guess that there is a chance that they will never get to the point where they start the car every time.

There is no traditional 12v starter motor. The engine is started with one of the of the traction motors, either when the traction Battery gets low or the power of the petrol engine is required. The 12v Battery only powers the electronics but needs to be charged to enable the engine to start.

When the Battery indicator is down to two bars there is 65% charge left. I've only ever seen my indicator turn green once. It's normally between the two purple bars, at the bottom and the blue bars, two from the top.

[samurai69]

my 06 model can pull up to about 15mph on Battery if i drive careful, but i got a heavy right foot so it seldom does, though it does cut the petrol at lights etc unless i leave it in sport mode