William "Chops" Westfield wrote:
> On Feb 23, 2007, at 3:24 AM, Lee Jones wrote:
>
>   
>>  If you ease your foot off of the
>> brake pedel, the computer uses the electric motor to cause the car
>> to creep forward ... since that's what a gasoline engine powered
>> car with an automatic transmission does.
>>
>>     
> I just got a new prius hybrid myself.  I thought this particular
> behavior was due at least partially to this being a particularly
> INEFFICIENT (as per Gerhard) operation point for a gas motor.  It's
> also useful when you're stopped going uphill; people used to automatic
> transmissions are NOT used to having to take special precautions to
> keep from rolling backward...
>
> BillW
>   
So when they get into a manual??
special precautions being... if you want the car not to move. Apply the
brake.
....mmmm tricky.


Using the electric motor to hold the car still when going up hill would
be even more inefficient than using the petrol motor I'd think. An
electric motor at stall uses loads of power and does no work.

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