Toyota Prius B Mode

Prius gear selection

A lot of people ask us about the purpose of the “B” mode in the Toyota Prius transmission and its intended use.

What is the meaning of B on the Gear selector lever?

We have written a small article for the understanding of this mode and its right use can save the costly transmission from breaking down.

In the Toyota Prius, the “B” on the gear selector lever stands for “engine braking” mode. This mode engages a stronger regenerative braking system which helps to slow down the car and recharge the hybrid battery. When the driver shifts into “B” mode, the car’s electric motor acts as a generator, converting the car’s kinetic energy into electrical energy which is stored in the battery. This can help improve the car’s fuel efficiency and reduce wear on the brakes. However, it’s important to note that “B” mode should only be used in appropriate driving conditions, as it can cause the car to slow down more quickly than expected if the driver is not careful.

A driver can use B mode on the Toyota Prius all the way he wants, but the intended purpose of B mode is when coasting down long gradients (downhill), just like using lower gears in traditional vehicles. During long descents, the traction battery can become “full” and regenerative braking will be stopped in order to protect the battery from over-charging. A classic case is while coasting down from Salt range on the Motorway M-2, Murree Expressway, Babusar Top, and Khunjerab Top.

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All subsequent braking is then via the friction brakes/brake pads. To help keep the friction brakes from overheating, B mode uses the resistance of spinning the ICE (Internal Combustion engine) to help with additional braking. The engine will kick in and the driver may get confused why it’s kicking in because the batteries are at full but it is actually providing resistance to the gearbox to keep brakes wear and tear at a minimum by putting a fake load on the gearbox.

In any Prius: use “B” only for downhill, otherwise fuel economy will suffer.

Call at 0331-2227989 to make your appointment for service of any hybrid vehicle, we offer on-site service of any Hybrid vehicle by our highly equipped and trained staff at customer’s premises.

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