Sport Mode

[james]

Hi,

Still a newbie - working on my first 1K miles. Recently started using Sport Mode. What a rush!

Is there any reason why I should not be using it most of the time? Doesn't seem to reduce the range much.

What % of time do most of you push that button?

thanks

 

[burningmay]

Almost never.

 

[Michael Bornstein]

I have only tried it once. The acceleration was exhilarating if not frightening. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and the increased power must come from somewhere (think ... the battery). I may be an old fogy, but the standard mode has enough power for me.

 

[tjka4231]

Maybe once every couple of months I have used the Sports mode. Most of the time the standard mode has plenty of power for me. But the few times I did put it into Sports mode was I thought I may need more power to pass vehicles to get over on another lane or two. I probably didn't really need the Sports mode to pass those vehicles.

 

[fromport]

Is there any reason why I should not be using it most of the time?

I am pretty sure your tires will need to be replaced earlier than non-turbo^H^H^H^H^Hsport mode
;-)

 

[fooljoe]

I put it in sport mode almost all the time. I still try to drive as efficiently as possible, but I want all the power that's possible to be available when I need it. If you're going to have to accelerate out of trouble, you're not going to have the time to reach down and push the button first.

You can still drive efficiently in sport mode, but you can't apply full power in normal mode. Why limit yourself?

 

[Dsinned]

Probably as a "safety" feature, the Sport Mode defaults to "off" every time you start up the car. No way to override the default either as far as I know. I hardly use Sport Mode, but when I do it is usually when I am giving someone a ride and want to demo the "tesla pedigree" under the hood. :mrgreen:

 

[dstjohn99]

I put it in sport mode almost all the time. I still try to drive as efficiently as possible, but I want all the power that's possible to be available when I need it. If you're going to have to accelerate out of trouble, you're not going to have the time to reach down and push the button first.

You can still drive efficiently in sport mode, but you can't apply full power in normal mode. Why limit yourself?

+1, I use it all the time, but you better be ready for the torque steer.

 

[jimbo69ny]

I really like showing off with it but I leave it off unless I am passing someone. I've thought about using it more considering my electric is free. I feel like I shouldn't waste the power though, even if it is free. I generally try to drive as efficiently as possible.

 

[Incredulocious]

I put it in sport mode almost all the time. I still try to drive as efficiently as possible, but I want all the power that's possible to be available when I need it. If you're going to have to accelerate out of trouble, you're not going to have the time to reach down and push the button first.

You can still drive efficiently in sport mode, but you can't apply full power in normal mode. Why limit yourself?

+1, I use it all the time, but you better be ready for the torque steer.

You get plenty of torque steer in normal mode too! Have you tried flooring it in normal mode? It's not like you can't "accelerate out of trouble" in normal mode. (Of course that does beg the question as to how one got into trouble to begin with... ;-))

I've only used sport mode a half dozen times in the past year to show a passenger a little "more exuberant acceleration" than you normally get – which of course also spins the tires. Think of it as the RAV4's "launch control"... certainly not needed for everyday use – it's just an amusing button! Plus the red lighted ring, of course. All that's missing is a sound effect!

 

[TeCKis300]

It's really my wife's DD and she never uses it. On the other hand, it's my 'weekend car' with me primarily driving and hauling the family around. I use it 100% of the time. I find normal mode a bit tepid.

The great thing about electric cars is the instant torque and incredibly accessible power band. Without feeling like I'm driving like a ******* and revving out the 'engine'. It's not pedal to the metal, but I do enjoy being able to access and modulate the full torque response zipping around town. Smooth and fleet, without commotion.

Quite the contrast to my DD 650hp metzger motivated oil burner. It's a manual car that likes to make a lot of noise just keeping along with the speed of traffic.

 

[Incredulocious]

I find normal mode a bit tepid.

Interesting..... I suppose that's in comparison to 650hp!

I'm comparing to something a little more down-to-earth, and yet still sporty fun, like my old 2006 Audi A3 3.2L (250 hp) hatchback. (Maybe *someday* Audi will actually build and release the e-tron version of that.... I'm certainly never buying another ICE car again.)

For comparison, A3 3.2 was 236 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm vs. RAV4's 220-270 lb-ft (normal vs. sport), at "0 rpm"!

 

[yblaser]

Why limit yourself?

I find the blue background more soothing

 

[madcow]

I use the sport mode several times a week. Mostly at stop lights of sometimes when I'm getting on the freeway and really want to get moving quickly.

 

[smkettner]

Rarely. Had to keep a BMW and a few wannabes with a loud muffler in their place. :lol:
Silent power is golden.

 

[Larry_in_Seattle]

I use it at some point almost every day I drive the car. Sometimes I keep it there, other times just for merging or passing. I have also renamed it the "**** Eating Grin" mode, because I can't wipe that stupid smile off my face whenever I use sport mode.

I think more about the drive train than the battery when I stomp on it. Any thoughts?

 

[Dsinned]

I think driving agressively in Sport Mode can "potentially" be harder (stressful) on the drivetrain and of course, the battery. All that instantaneously torque translates to putting full load current surge on the battery and inverter. Repeated too frequently just have to diminish the longevity of the battery and major electric propulsion components. For this reason I use Sport Mode sparingly. It's certainly more fun, but just isn't necessary for "every day" driving.

 

[fromport]

I think driving agressively in Sport Mode can "potentially" be harder (stressful) on the drivetrain and of course, the battery. All that instantaneously torque translates to putting full load current surge on the battery and inverter.

I beg to differ.
Since the drivetrain/motor is the same as in standard model S

Model S: 310 kW (416 bhp), 600 N·m (443 ft·lb)
RAV4EV: 115 kW (154 hp), 296 N·m (220 ft·lb)

RAV4EV compared to tesla only has 1/2 battery pack capacity.
but power is cut down to about 40% of the tesla capacity.
Meaning you aren't over loading anything:
motor/inverter: max 37% of tesla model S power (yet same motor/inverter)
battery: 49% of tesla 85S capacity.

So imho, you can floor it as much as you want, will be less load than flooring a tesla 85S.
I think the rav4 chassis isn't really made for the torque the motor can produce in Sport mode.
It get's spooky really fast, not in straight line, but in a curve it wants to break out any way possible.
Even with traction control on.
I never use it, apart from impressing new people to EV's and when they ask "does it have power ?" ;-)

 

[TeCKis300]

Silent power is golden.

Isn't it! I do generally like some fanfare with my power, but boy, the silence is just as great in its own respect. It's like 'don't mind me while I teleport away.'

I think the rav4 chassis isn't really made for the torque the motor can produce in Sport mode.
It get's spooky really fast, not in straight line, but in a curve it wants to break out any way possible.

This I do agree with. The chassis is much more suited to the normal power (limited torque) mode. It's great that Toyota still gave us sport mode for us that don't mind the limitations of the chassis.

I'm still waiting for someone to take my recommendation to fit the car with some slightly sportier/wider tires to make the most of sport mode. 235/60/17's would really fit the bill. 0-60 is already traction limited with the stock tires. With some slight gearing advantage over the stock 225/65/17s, I wouldn't be surprised the car could see 0-60's in the mid to high 6's.

 

[dcxplant]

I asked my son if he wanted to experience the "race car" in the RAV, of course he said yes

I put it into sport mode, and when the light turned green, nailed it…

…the tires spun all the way across the intersection :shock: I wasn't expecting that since every other car I had, including the LEAF, with the slightest amount of wheelspin would cut in the traction control.

It was fun, but it makes me wonder about the stability control/ABS/traction control…. :?