Stan,

Your last post all sounds good to me; although I'm not sure we need another mode name (i.e. quasi-heretical). It would seem clear to me to simply say that heretical mode is operative whenever MG1 is being spun backwards to produce an overdrive-like drive ratio, regardless of whether the battery were being charged or discharged.

Further to this, however, I had another one of those heretical-charging experiences on I-10 today. This time I could see that over 6 or 8 miles, I could mostly be in that happy range of over 50 (and often over 60) miles per hour and simultaneously over 50 (often over 60) mpg - except when press of following traffic forced me to maintain speed climbing overpasses. On those overpass occasions I not only went into normal mode but needed battery power to the wheels as well. Coming down from the overpasses, I usually slipped into fuel cut mode, but then I was able to nudge it back into my supposed heretical mode pretty quickly. Significantly, the up-and-down-the-overpass activity was all done consuming battery power, but again at the end of the mostly-heretical stretch, my battery SOC had risen from about 2 bars to 7.

Regarding:
Sorry I wasn't as clear as I could have been. I was, in fact referring to the "Energy Monitor" screen on the nav display. This screen shows wheels, "engine" (ICE), "ELEC.MOTOR" (presumably both M/G's, collectively) and "battery" with arrows that can point either direction between wheels & engine, wheels & elec.motor, engine & elec.motor, and elec.motor & battery. The arrows are bright colors against a black screen, and they change color when they reverse direction; so changes are very easy to perceive even when you're not looking directly at the screen.

So, during most of my supposed heretical-charging experiences, I can see arrows going from engine to wheels and from engine to elec.motor and from elec.motor to battery.

Now if they had only put in icons for both M/G's and showed directional energy flow all among both of those and the engine and battery, we'd really have something going.

Too bad I do not have the Scan Gauge, so I can only surmise my mode from other info.

Jack

 

I'm not opposed to the name, but, I think the FAQ should use terminology that is understood both within the friendly confines of the forum, as well outside. If a new owner goes to the Toyota dealer and asks his salesman about 'heretical mode' will they look at him like he has two heads?

 

How about:

Q: Is there any way one can determine if they are in this mode just by reading the the fuel consumption gauge?

A: Without an instrument to read either the ICE RPM or the motor/generator rotation direction, it's not possible to determine for sure whether you are in Heretical mode, but there are some fairly reliable indications:

1. If you are cruising over 42 mph and indicating over 50 mpg......
..............you may very well be in heretical mode.

2. If you are cruising over 42 mph and indicating 60 mpg with an arrow from ICE to wheel and no arrow from battery to wheel on the multifunction display.............
..............you are almost certainly in Heretical mode.

3. If you usually do your highway cruising with a very light foot on the gas.....
..............you will probably achieve Heretical mode often.

4. If, on the other hand, even at today's gas prices, you do all of your highway driving with a heavy foot, more intent on seeing how many cars you can pass rather than how many gas stations you can pass, you may never experience Heretical mode. But, to paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy,...........
..............YOU JUST MIGHT BE A REDNECK !!!!!!!!!!!

 

How about:

Q: Is there any way one can determine if they are in this mode just by reading the the fuel consumption gauge?

A: Without an instrument to read either the ICE RPM or the motor/generator rotation direction, it's not possible to determine for sure whether you are in Heretical mode, but there are some fairly reliable indications:

1. If you are cruising over 42 mph and indicating over 50 mpg......
..............you may very well be in heretical mode.

2. If you are cruising over 42 mph and indicating 60 mpg with an arrow from ICE to wheel and no arrow from battery to wheel on the multifunction display.............
..............you are almost certainly in Heretical mode.

3. If you usually do your highway cruising with a very light foot on the gas.....
..............you will probably achieve Heretical mode often.

4. If, on the other hand, even at today's gas prices, you do all of your highway driving with a heavy foot, more intent on seeing how many cars you can pass rather than how many gas stations you can pass, you may never experience Heretical mode. But, to paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy,...........
..............YOU JUST MIGHT BE A REDNECK !!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think I have finally experienced Heretical Mode with no significant battery charging. Some parameters:

approx 45 miles per hour for 5 mi with a very light foot

60 mpg or near 60 mpg instantaneously as indicated by the fuel consumption gauge.

83.4 mpg average for the 5 mi stretch, as indicated on the nav screen (much higher than I ever experienced in my previous Heretical experiences when battery WAS being charged)

high battery SOC (7 bars) at beginning and end of stretch.