I’ve been driving my 2025 Toyota Camry for three days now, and so far, I’m loving it. But I’ve got one question: is the EV mode button actually useful?
It only works under 25 mph and when the battery is charged enough. But at those speeds, the car usually runs on electric power automatically anyway. So what’s the point? Is it just a gimmick, or am I missing something?
It’s mostly for creeping around parking lots or similar situations.
Delilah said:
It’s mostly for creeping around parking lots or similar situations.
Yeah, but the car switches to electric automatically at low speeds, so there’s really no point in using the button.
@Emory
Could it extend the max speed for electric-only driving? That’s the only reason I can think of.
Smith said:
@Emory
Could it extend the max speed for electric-only driving? That’s the only reason I can think of.
Maybe! I’ve been playing around with it for months now, and I’m still not sure.
I’m also on day 3 with my Camry! From what I’ve read, EV mode is for times when you don’t want noise or emissions, like backing out of the driveway or driving slowly in a parking garage. Congrats on your new car!
@Vaughn
Sounds like it could be handy for sneaky situations, lol.
Back when I had a 2007 Prius, I retrofitted an EV button. It was great for moving the car short distances, like pulling it out of the garage or shifting it around in the driveway without starting the engine unnecessarily.
For the most part, the car already knows when to use the battery, so the EV mode button is kind of a gimmick.
It can help you stay in electric mode in slow-moving traffic, which could mean no gas usage at all.
I use it on my 2023 Yaris for small sections of road where I know I’ll be driving slowly. It also helps in traffic to avoid idling. If you drive carefully, you can stretch it to about 50 mph in EV mode. It’s not game-changing, but it’s useful in specific situations.
It’s mostly useful for residential streets or parking lots.
I use it late at night in my neighborhood so I don’t wake the neighbors. Not that the engine is loud, but still. Keep in mind the hybrid battery isn’t very big, so you can’t go far in EV mode.
T.gwendew said:
I use it late at night in my neighborhood so I don’t wake the neighbors. Not that the engine is loud, but still. Keep in mind the hybrid battery isn’t very big, so you can’t go far in EV mode.
Honestly, the fake electric sounds are louder than the engine, lol.
I only use it for parking lots or backing into the garage.
I’ve used it at stoplights to accelerate smoothly up to 25 mph. Without it, the car takes longer to hit that speed.
If you don’t want to keep pressing the button, just leave the car in “D”—it will use electric mode automatically if the battery has enough charge.
I use it when I’m sitting in the car waiting for someone. In warmer weather, it helps save a bit of gas by keeping the engine off.
I work at Toyota, and yeah, the EV mode button is pretty useless. It’ll let you go about a mile under 25 mph, but the car switches to EV mode automatically anyway.
Honestly, just let the car decide when to go EV. The button isn’t worth worrying about.