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Recharge Prius at Home on AC power?

68 messages,  Last post on Aug 08, 2011 at 11:41 AM

You are in the Toyota Prius Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Hybrid Cars, Coupe, Hatchback, Sedan, SUV

Messages Page 5 of 7

#39 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [colonel570] by stevegold

Dec 02, 2009 (8:25 am)

Replying to: colonel570 (Dec 02, 2009 7:45 am)
Forget about Plug In Hybrids for a few years unless your driving is limited to 5-10 mile round trips. The present Prius traction battery will get you 1 mile if you're lucky. A $10,000 retrofit will get you maybe 10-15 miles before the ICE takes over or you have to recharge. My 2004 Prius, with EV, goes about 1/2 mile. Jim Woolsey, former CIA Director, has a specially modified Prius that gets him 40 miles to work where he recharges to get home. He would not estimate what the conversion cost. It was done at government expense and takes up the entire trunk and back seat. For very short trips get an golf cart or an electric car. A natural gas/ICE would be a logical replacement for a gasoline/ICE.

#40 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [stevegold] by dmathews3

Dec 02, 2009 (9:13 am)

Replying to: stevegold (Dec 02, 2009 8:25 am)
Just curious, you say you can go about a 1/2 mile on just the electric at what speed? Also Ford says up to 47 on theirs in which I can get about 44 or so for about close to a mile but trying to watch the road and the fancy dash makes it hard to tell for sure also that is using the ice to get to 50 and let it coast down to 44 where the ice shuts off and electric takes over. One thing I have never got it up to 47 from a dead stop as I just haven't had the time to find a lonely flat road nor the time plus we got it for our family car and mpg wasn't our first priority.

#41 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [colonel570] by john1701a

Dec 02, 2009 (6:18 pm)

Replying to: colonel570 (Dec 02, 2009 7:45 am)
>> Does anyone have anything helpful to say?
 
I owned one for 3 years before upgrading, then recently upgrading again.
 
The 2001 was really nice. Not sure what the "poor" judgement was in comparison to. Performance was fine (never any trouble merging) and mileage was too (45.4 MPG average for 59,827 miles).
.

#42 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [dmathews3] by john1701a

Dec 02, 2009 (6:23 pm)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Dec 02, 2009 9:13 am)
>> Just curious, you say you can go about a 1/2 mile on just the electric at what speed?
 
42 MPH is the threshold for the models thru 2009.
 
46 MPH for the 2010.
 
62.1 MPH (100 km/h) for the plug-in.
.

#43 of 68 Re: Recharge Prius at Home on AC power? [acdii] by wwest

Dec 07, 2009 (2:19 pm)

Replying to: acdii (Apr 05, 2007 8:09 am)
"..8000# truck.."
 
When all you really need, seem to need, is a horse trailer and the ability to tow it.
 
Most any 3000# vehicle can do that quite handily.
 
"...If more....were diesels.."
 
Exactly where gasoline engine technology is "taking" us, gasoline engines that run in diesel, compression ignition, mode part of the time.

#44 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [coontie66] by wwest

Dec 07, 2009 (2:26 pm)

Replying to: coontie66 (Dec 02, 2009 5:55 am)
"..is in trouble.."
 
That depends on the level of investment, purchase price, and the miles already driven.
 
Not really much different, "investment wise" from having to refill the gas tank once it has been drained, or overhauling the engine once the need arises, or even needing a new set of tires.

#45 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [dmathews3] by stevegold

Dec 07, 2009 (3:16 pm)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Dec 02, 2009 9:13 am)
The EV circuit is programmed to turn itself off above 32 mph or if you floor the gas pedal. That would of course be modified upward with a Li-on or other better traction battery but it will take while for a really better Plug in System to make sense.

#46 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [stevegold] by wwest

Dec 08, 2009 (9:32 am)

Replying to: stevegold (Dec 07, 2009 3:16 pm)
Actually the thing that makes little sense about home charging is the inability to put more than ~1/2 gallon, 20 miles, in the "tank".

#47 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [john1701a] by dmathews3

Dec 08, 2009 (1:38 pm)

Replying to: john1701a (Dec 02, 2009 6:23 pm)
I am finding out one thing about my Fusion Hybrid now that winter is fast approching and the temps at night are down in the teens is that my factory installed block heater is making a real difference for me. Even though mine is in a garage plugging it in on a timer for about 3 or so hours before I leave for work has made a huge difference. Without it I'd back out and drive the less than 3 miles to work and the electric would never kick in and I'd get about 18 mpg would show on my display. Just by plugging in the block heater the electric would kick in about 2 miles or less and I'd go up to about 29 mpg and accorss town I can get about 48 depending on traffic. I know it isn't as much as the Prius but hey it weighs about 1K more and has more HP on both engines so I expect worse.

#48 of 68 Re: Prius Traction Battery MYSTERY [dmathews3] by wwest

Dec 08, 2009 (3:58 pm)

Replying to: dmathews3 (Dec 08, 2009 1:38 pm)
And in the process you may be slowly destroying your catalytic converter.
 
"...block heater.." "..electric would kick in.."
 
Not so much as the electric kicking in as the ICE more quickly shutting down. Quick ICE shutdown due to the ECU thinking the short ICE operation was sufficient to have raised the calatyst to operational temperature, ~800F.
 
More likely than otherwise, It wasn't.
 
Use of the block heater to preheat the engine, ONLY the engine, FOOLS the control ECU into thinking the catalyst has been raised to operational temperature when in reality it isn't.

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