[smoothchat]

This may have already been covered before.

I just read over at http://greenhybrid.com/ that some people are having problems reversing up steep hills.

Does anyone have any stats on what are the limitations in reverse?

Having just placed my order today, NOW I read that I might not be able to reverse out of my driveway (or at best, I will have to accelerate out of the garage to overcome a fairly steep, but thankfully short grade (basically 1.5 car lengths)

 

[Daniel]

No real stats here, but I believe the Prius uses only electric in reverse, not the ICE. So going backwards you are limited to the 67 hp electric motor. I would imagine it would take an awfully steep hill to defeat that.

 

[smoothchat]

I hope so.


I'm hoping that someone might have some figures eg...

Maximum grade in reverse is 25% (ie 1 foot drop for every 4 feet)

or perhaps an angle eg. 30deg

 

[frenchie]

See here :
http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=953

 

[smoothchat]

according to the figures in the above post, the prius could sustains its speed in reverse up a 38deg slope. But what about from a standing start?

 

[frenchie]

To sustain the speed or to (very slowly) start from a stop, you need the same amount of torque. So it should be the same.

 

[smoothchat]

Frenchie,

Please pardon my confusion...


If "slope = rise / run" then 46% would be a 4.6 foot rise over 10 feet.

Thats a staggering rise !

38%, or 3.8 feet rise over 10 feet run is also very steep (and equally staggering to think that the Prius should be able to reverse up that slope)

Have I screwed up somewhere? or have I absolutely nothing to worry about my prius backing up my 1:5 (20%) or even a 1:4 (25%) slope.

That hill that bothered eak354 must have been more like a ramp up a set of stairs !!

 

[frenchie]

You got it right smoothchat, you've absolutely nothing to worry about a 25 % slope. The hill grade limit is in the range where no standard driver will normally venture into. I was looking for a very steep slope this afternoon and could only find one that was not steep enough to stop my (classic) Prius in reverse. I did not measure it but according to my cyclist experience it was certainly much more than 20%.

I'd like to know too how much steep was the ramp that stopped eak354... :?: