Lets say we leave the EV mode on and then the battery power runs out without knowing, the hybrid system of gas/electric will operate as usual right? I mean...the gas will come on when needed and charge the battery back up and then on low speeds, the electric will come on and stay as sole method of power is necessary, right? There is no harm in leaving EV mode on all the time then, right?

 

when the battery level drops to 1 bar or even 2 left, the engine automatically kicks in and stays up to power the car as well as charge the battery. I had this happen to me once during a traffic jam.

now with the EV mode, it is impossible to have it on all the time. once you get past 27mph or push the pedal way into the white area, you will get a beep and a notification on the multi information display saying "EV mode deactivated, Excessive speed" or something like that.

So then you have to go back into the menu to activate it again...lol. The car really doesnt want to be in EV mode, but I am surprised how much of the pedal you can push before it deactivates

 

^ I also noticed that EV mode will deactivate if you go 'too far' - something like 1 or 1.5 miles. In stop & go rush hour traffic, I hit a patch of consistent coasting at apprx 20 mph and the EV deactivated itself for no apparent reason - still had plenty of battery charge, did not exceed 20 mph, was not heavy into the throttle and engine was at normal operating temp. I concur that the 450h does not want to be in EV mode for extended periods . . .

 

For some reason i can't use the EV mode, it will stay on for a few seconds and cut off. Also it will say "not available". Can something be wrong here? When I bring it in for an oil change in a few months I'll bring the issue up.
Has anyone had this issue?

 

For some reason i can't use the EV mode, it will stay on for a few seconds and cut off. Also it will say "not available". Can something be wrong here? When I bring it in for an oil change in a few months I'll bring the issue up.
Has anyone had this issue?

 

certain conditions have to be met before it engages:

1) engine temp is warm, meter at the half way mark
2) under 27mph
3) battery has more than 2-3 bars

once engaged, you cannot use a lead foot, only accelerate in the green area of gauge and dont go past 27mph or else it will disengage

 

If your are going up a hill it will not let you put in in EV mode

 

Like BlueSurf, I can rarely get EV mode to work. It refuses to turn on when I believe it meets all the criteria.

When a new owner, I was in an underground parking ramp and the car went pure electric. The manual said that was what EV was for, parking garages. I wondered how did it know? Like did it have a sensor to know about being in a garage, or underground or monitor carbon dioxide levels or what?

 

it lets me select EV mode on a hill

 

Glad it works for you be it might be that all the other things were not right for it to go in it for me. Just not a lot of hill in Mobile so the only one I could try it on is in the wrong place for me.

 

Our RX400h doesn't have the seletable modes like thr 450h. I assume it works automatically depending the the load on the engine, amount of batter power and speed.

I'm able to cruise in our neighborhood on pure electric power alone and If I'm on a flat road I can cruise up to and maintain 40mph on just EV. But I have to be very gentle with the throttle and have nearly full charge of battery or else the ICE would switch on. I have noticed doing this the battery depletes it's charge in just a few short miles.

 

On the 450h model it's pretty much the same as your 400h. I never use the EV mode as I can do the same thing w/o going through the push button thing by just staying under 40 on a flat road (with a full charge). But as soon as the power guide goes into the 2nd green area (or over 40mph) the 'ICE' cuts on. I can go about 4-5 miles when the stars are in sync and my patience is too before the ICE cuts back on.

BTW, It's almost impossible to stay under 40mph in this car unless someone is in front of you. It's that quite and smooth.

 

EV does go up hill for 100 yards in my LS600h then poof it switches to normal driving. I have failed to get 300 yards on EV 2 miles is but a dustant dream. Not good as i thought you could get 2-5 miles from what forums had said.

 

for so e reason, i cant start in EV mode, i have to drive first, the. stop and start ev mode. but icant fet it to work right out of the garage

 

** yes you can. Assuming the engine temp is already warm, it cannot be a cold start.

The trick is that you have to enable EV mode before the gas engine kicks in when starting the car. When you push the start button, you get that "Lexus Hybrid Drive" logo in the center instrument display. If you click on the menu/folder button on the steering wheel, EV mode will already be the first option (it moves from the last to the first for easy access at startup). You have to select it before the gas engine kicks in or else it will say "EV mode is currently unavailable at this time"