While trying to master or perhaps I should say, learn all of the controls and electronics, I've been unable to turn on and try EV mode. Followed the manual's instructions and made sure I wasn't in the situations when the manual says it won't turn on and yet I still can't turn it on.

My wife stopped by the dealership and service person indicated you don't turn it on, it just happens.

When I try to turn it on using the menu and enter switches on the steering wheel, the display always indicates the mode is not available.

Is it automatic, as service person indicated, or manual and I don't know the secret to turn it on.

Thanks,

Buk

Well my experience with the EV button has been with the 2010 Prius so I think everything will apply the same since it is the same HSD. There are several different requirements that have to be met for the car to drive solely on Electric (through the ev button) As far as I know, they are: Battery charge state, engine temperature, speed, and acceleration. If one of those requirements are not met the EV mode will tell you "no". The "default" ev mode is what many people call stealth mode. The engine will turn off when under 42 mph and while coasting. Using the EV button the car has to be going slower than 25 mph and will only stay on for the most a mile 9no matter how slow you are going). I hope that helps.

I have a 2010 250H and I have been able to turn on EV mode once or twice. I was in stop and go traffic for an hour or so and I guess I was going slow enough and had enough battery charge to go about 1 mile, then it switched back to Eco mode.

Since reading your post yesterday I thought I would try it. Returning home last night once I entered our neighborhood I used the steering wheel controls to activate EV mode and it worked. Previously when trying to engage EV mode in my driveway it would not activate stating it couldn't. Maybe you have to be in motion as well as meeting the conditions (lots of battery, below 25 mph, light acceleration, etc).

When I picked up the car it was not in "Eco" mode. In Eco mode it uses the gas engine a lot less.

Its not in the manual?

Yes, it certainly is, however I've been unsuccessful getting into EV mode. The other morning I drove a couple of miles, stopped, set the parking brake, and it went into EV mode. As soon as I released the parking brake and put it into gear, it came out of EV mode.

I'll have to try the suggestion of putting it in EV mode while moving.

Thanks,

You MAY be turning it on just fine. However, if you STOMP on the gas (or hit it a little to hard), the car will automatically supply power from the ICE ... because you asked for that much power. Similarly, once the ICE is up & running, you can't get into EV mode agin, until ICE temps transition from S1 to S2, at the earliest.

.