Will a Prius stop when it runs out of gas?

Factual Questions
1

Driving home from the mall today I realized that I was really low on gas and the next gas station was still a couple miles down the road. So I got a bit nervous since I have run out of gas within sight of a filling station before.

If I owned a Prius and I ran down the tank would the car still run on the battery? I concede that it might not go very fast, but in those rare instances when I run out, would the battery provide me with enough to get to the filling station? How far would it theoretically take me?

2

Toyota says NO.

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2005/prius/faq.html

You might be able to get away if it is only 1/4 mile or so.

Brian

3

Well that’s pretty retarded. Are they saying that running out of gas kills the car?

4

[QUOTE=groman]
Well that’s pretty retarded. Are they saying that running out of gas kills the car?
[/QUOTE]

Only if you’re careless enough to force it to go all electric once that state is reached.

5

Now are we talking damage to the battery by over-draining it?
Are we talking overheating the electric motor by demanding too much power for too long?

6

[QUOTE=astro]
Only if you’re careless enough to force it to go all electric once that state is reached.
[/QUOTE]

I’m not sure I know what that entails though. Sounds to me like you run out of gas, the light comes on and you simply keep driving a few more hundred feet to reach the gas station and you damage your car. :dubious: