I have read that Prius owners can hack into their US version vehicles and install an EV MODE button that comes standard with EU and Japan models.

Is there any such way to do this with a TCH?

 

This is no provision for that on the TCH, and although I'm not certain, I believe that is only possible on early Prius models. Somewhere I saw reference that since the traction battery warranty is longer in North America, the button was done away with because of increased potential to stress the battery unneccessarily.

 

the 09 comes with the ev button. i dont use it though

 

There's no EV button on my '09 TCH (Chicago area). There's an ECO button to have the HVAC system use less energy, but the only way I can run in EV mode is through carefuly throttle control.

 

My o8 TCH has the ECO button that I use 99.9% of the time. I am pleased with my 37.6mpg. My goal is 40mpg!!!
I wish there was a plug-in conversion kit for the TCH.

 

My two cents...
I don't know if it's wise to modify a $30,000 car, probably void the warranty and potentially damage a very sophisticated piece of engineering to save a few dollars in fuel.
If this modification increases your overall mileage by 2 MPG (I don't know if that is the expected savings, or not) and you drive 12000 miles a year, that's a savings of a little over one gallon a month. The actual savings might even be less.
I am not insensitive to the high price of fuel, but since the car was designed to perform in a certain manner, I wouldn't want to damage the car and possibly subject myself to an expensive repair for a trivial savings.

 

Thing is the only way to make this modification is on a car that _was_ designed for it. That's how the mod is possible--the car is built to perform that way (Prius at least, and if I remember right the 08 Highlander Hybrid was also supposed to have the EV button; don't follow their posts so no clue if that's true or if it continues to be true in all years/models since it came out), just the Prius people were modifying happened not to have the button installed. In other markets the same exact car came with the button. No clue why they removed it here but certainly no risk to the car by allowing the driver to make use of features they built into the car.

 

Agreed haroldo - when you're driving a vehicle that is your second largest purchase next to a house, and you have a four year loan note - I wouldn't do anything to risk violating the warranty. If I were interested in a few more MPG savings, I would have purchased the Prius.