Kristin's Hymotion Prius

[Cobb]

:You have snow tires, visible snow on the ground yet you covered the fog lamps.

[bennelson]

Glad you like it!

I'll post a photo tomorrow of the red-painted foam stuffed in the upper grill.

Here's another tip for you. If you are paint-shopping, pop out that little round piece in the front where the tow eye-bolt goes, and take it in the store with you. Use it as a portable body piece you can compare with the colors in the store.

It was pretty handy!


FOG LAMPS:
They don't do anything. This car has the HID headlights they are extremely bright and cut through snow and rain. I've tested them in various light, with and without the foglights on. With the HID headlights the fog-lights really don't so anything. I considered NOT covering the fog-lights because I think they are kinda neat looking, NOT that I ever actually use them!

[bennelson]

PAINTED UPPER GRILL-BLOCK

Here's a couple of photographs with both grill-blocks now painted to match the body color.




This one shows the difference between the plain foam and painted foam. It also shows how some of the foam flaked off when I folded the foam to fit it back in.



I've also tried out the EV Switch a couple of times in the last few days. It's really amazing for those times that I don't want the engine to come on at all. The 34 MPH top speed is a bit limiting. We have few 30 or 35 mph roads in my area, it's all 25, 45, and freeway. EV switch works GREAT in town, where it's all 25.

I did a trip the other day that was 9.5 miles total, with several stops. The engine came on once. (I hit 34 MPH) I pulled over, "rebooted", put it back into EV MODE and finished the trip, using next to no gasoline total.

[Daox]

Glad to hear the EV switch is coming in handy. It definitely has its limitations, but it can be put to good use.

For me, when my PHEV kit was working, I could travel the first ~1 mile of my 7 mile commute on EV mode. Then, when the speed limit kicks up to 45 mph the warm up time is pretty quick and that penalty is somewhat negated.

[Cobb]

Glad to hear they got that right. The newer insight I find fogs are necessary for some situations, however they discontinued them on the later US models, but offer them and a led drl outside the US. Any noticable effects on mpg with fogs on vs off?

Try this Daox, instead of going a steady speed in EV mode, accelerate to 5 over and use EV mode to hold your speed, then once you are down to 40 or so reaccelerate like a pulse n glide situation. With the limited EV mode on the i2 thats more or less how I milk it for mo mpg.

Yes I know the official EV mode has its limits, but as one who has driven a prius it will revert to ev use under light acceleration and turn off the ice at faster speeds.

[Daox]

At speeds that high the Prius really doesn't use electric assist much at all unless the pack is abnormally full. It likes to use more assist around town. I also have a very hilly commute and already coast down the hills.