EV Mode

[Dixgas]

Before a service late last month if going one mph over 30 in EV mode it would quickly cancel, now I can do up to 35mph, it would appear there's been a software tweak.

[Herbie]

50 minutes ago, Dixgas said:

Before a service late last month if going one mph over 30 in EV mode it would quickly cancel, now I can do up to 35mph, it would appear there's been a software tweak.

I don't know about that but having owned our 18-plate RX450h Luxury for exactly two weeks today, I can tell you that EV mode holds at 40mph in ours.

[Zotto]

70 kph is max speed in my 2016 RX 450h, provided that to reach that speed without starting engine electric state of charge in Battery is not low and the power meter is kept under half of "eco" range with a very light pressure with right foot  on pedal.

Last ecvt Lexus models can reach over 110 kph in EV mode.

[mikey2001]

Yes, I've noticed I can stay in EV mode at or just over 40mph too. Really makes a difference to the fuel economy on the 40mph dual carriageways near where I live.

[flookyk]

Toyota/Lexus is improving these all the time.

A work colleague is just arranging a test drive of a Yaris hybrid to replace a normal petrol only one. In Toyota info it says the new Yaris can stay in EV mode up to 80mph.

[Zotto]

Even if moving in only electric is nice, usually it is NOT the most fuel efficient way, as Battery has to be charged and the only way it's done is recovering energy elsewhere going to be wasted or directly from thermal engine; so, if you can move using thermal engine directly instead to convert the energy it gives in electricity to charge Battery and then to reconvert energy from Battery to make electric motor rotate, it  avoids conversion losses .

The reason because now car with eCVT may reach higher EV mode speeds it's because electric motors can reach higher rpm compared to older models.

Besides, newer Lithium batteries can (like in new Yaris) can deliver higher currents (= more power) to electric motors (more speed requires more power).

[granadaman]

My 2010 will only do 27mph in ev so is that right

[ColinBarber]

3 hours ago, Herbie said:

I don't know about that but having owned our 18-plate RX450h Luxury for exactly two weeks today, I can tell you that EV mode holds at 40mph in ours.

EV Drive mode (by pressing the EV button), or in a standard drive mode and the system automatically turning off the ICE and illuminating the EV light? The two have very different operating parameters.

[Herbie]

10 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

EV Drive mode (by pressing the EV button), or in a standard drive mode and the system automatically turning off the ICE and illuminating the EV light? The two have very different operating parameters.

Didn't know that Colin, but I was talking about the latter.

[ColinBarber]

5 minutes ago, Herbie said:

Didn't know that Colin, but I was talking about the latter.

I imagine that David was referring to the former, EV mode - rather than the latter which is EV operation. Which is limited to around 40 km/h (or certainly used to be).

 

[Herbie]

42 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

I imagine that David was referring to the former, EV mode - rather than the latter which is EV operation. Which is limited to around 40 km/h (or certainly used to be).

Aha, fair enough. If I accelerate up to 45mph and then just slightly back off, I can stay at 40mph in EV operation for quite a while, barring any hills to climb. It definitely holds higher speed and further distance than the 3RX.

[Dixgas]

4 hours ago, Herbie said:

I don't know about that but having owned our 18-plate RX450h Luxury for exactly two weeks today, I can tell you that EV mode holds at 40mph in ours.

I maybe wasn't quite clear I can do over 40 on Battery in normal mode it's when pressing the EV button for to stay on Battery it was being  cancelled, I've also noticed when in normal mode it will do up to 45.

[Ian M]

1 hour ago, granadaman said:

My 2010 will only do 27mph in ev so is that right

Similarly in my 2013 car.  

[ColinBarber]

28 minutes ago, Herbie said:

It definitely holds higher speed and further distance than the 3RX

Yes, it's something that Toyota improve on with each hybrid generation. The UX for example will cut the ICE at speeds up to 71 mph.