Owners Manual for PIP is out

Interesting.

Do you think that means it will deplete more charge even after you switch to HV (like blending), or do you think they mean the charge will hold steady but the indicated range may change switching back and forth (more a function of the range algorithm than the mechanics of the car)?

I think it reserves the right to meet power demand from the pack, but tries to hold SoC so that it would not generally blend. EV range can always go down based on the range algorithm as you suggest.

I wonder how long the hybrid system has to be above 32F before it will become operational again (assuming it was below 32F for an extended period of time).

For example, if I park outside at work and the temperature is 28F, could I expect to do any EV driving on my 22mile ride home if the cabin warms up when I initially use the ICE?

I don't think it'll blend in HV mode. Because SOC in HV mode has a range so there is no guarantee you'll get the exact EV miles when you switch back. The highest to lowest SOC in HV mode can go a few EV miles in the liftback Prius.

Changing between EV and HV mode is like manual gear with 2 speeds. EV mode is the first gear for low speed (city) and HV mode is for higher speed (highway). Use both of them wisely and you'll optimize both fuels. It also add that fun factor unavailable in EREV-like plugin hybrid and BEV.

I wish they move the HV<->EV button on the steering wheel.

So I park at home in a garage that stays above freezing and doesn't get too hot in summer.

Winter:
Should be able to EV to work. Then on days with late afternoon under 32F, I will suffer a warmup cycle on the way home.

Summer:
Should be able to EV to work. If unable to keep cool enough there, will suffer a warmup cycle on the way home.

Spring & fall:
Generally EV to and from work.

Really look forward to nailing down the summer parameters...

I forgot, you also have to worry about being too hot (sitting in the sun) in the summer. I wonder if pre-cooling using the air-conditioner could overcome th heat problem.

Another option could be is to buy a cheap kit to plug a leak in a tire. I would rather fix a flat tire that way than to use the sealant and ruin the TPMS sensor and also probably have the tire out of balance due to the sealant. I would also buy a portable air compressor to inflate the tire if needed due to a flat. I would really rather have a spare tire. JMO

But the a/c is powered by the battery and if the battery is above operating parameters....... Hmm. So, would the ICE come on instead to spin the MG to provide electricity to the a/c?

It actually comes with an air compressor. Its stored in the hatch area with the tire goop. The jack is under the driver seat.

iRun26.2 said "pre-cooling", which means running the A/C off the plug, not the battery.

Actually, I believe available EV miles can also increase a lot in HV mode due to regeneration on long descents.

Oh yea! It'll greatly depend on how you drive it. Can't wait to find out clever and creative ways Prius PHV owners come up in their unique routes to optimize both fuels.

I was imagining that the car was plugged in, getting the power for the AC from the cord.

I can't imagine that the car would not let you use the AC if it is really hot (even if you aren't plugged in). Nobody would buy a car that couldn't use the air conditioning if the cabin was too hot. I suspect that the higher power demands of EV driving are what would not be good for an overly warm battery (the AC drain is probably much less demanding from the battery and possibly could be powered by the ICE and generator).

You would make a dangerous criminal, thinking up such a clever prank (very original thinking)!

Vehicle proximity notification system:
When driving with the gasoline engine stopped, a sound, which
changes in accordance with the driving speed, will be played in order
to warn people nearby of the vehicle’s approach. The sound will stop

when the vehicle speed exceeds approximately 15 mph.

Hey. Turn off the sound and get out of my way !!!

I used Tire Sealant in a tire and like the manual states, it can destroy the Tire Pressure Sensor. Then you have to scrape the sealant out of the tire & rim and replace the Sensor, which is around $50.

I DON'T plan to use the sealant. I'll call Toyota Roadside Assistance or my wife's AAA. So I'll remove the air compressor and save some weight.

In the manual, why do they add together "hybrid battery (traction battery)" and "electric motor (traction motor)", instead of just using "hybrid battery" and "electric motor"?

Yeah, except those J-1772 handles cost $170 (without the attached wiring), I can't really see "pranksters" being an issue here

http://www.tucsonev.com/

- UL approval in process
- Proximity Switch Incorporated
- Line and Ground Pins will accept a 6 gauge wire
- Rated at 70 Amps
- 2 Sense wire pins for 22 gauge wire
- Triangle Security Bit provided to open Plug

The price is $170, plus shipping

Not true (or if it has changed, no longer true). You can access them here:
Toyota Owner's Manual
Then in the pop-up in the upper right hand corner, select "Prius PHV" and "2012".

You aren't thinking like a dedicated griefer. A griefer is not going give up on something as trivial as $170 for a real plug.

First, you don't need a real plug to trick the system into thinking it's attached to a plug, hence the term "dummy plug". All you need to do is do the appropriate signalling on the connectors that contain data. It could be done with wires and cheap microcontroller.

If you want a real plug route, there's always salvage/junk or cutting a plug off of someone else's EVSE.

Actually, it's only 2 pins, the "proximity" pin and ground, however, it's still not going to happen... There are over 10,000 Leafs and Volts, the majority of them in California, and there hasn't been an issue yet.