Suggestion: Improved Charging Timer

As a longtime software author and publisher, I put the user experience first. The Plug-in Prius software should do what the user wants, preferably with the fewest user actions.

The charging timer options do not meet these criteria. But simple additions could help.

1) There should be four charging modes instead of two.

a. Charge immediately.

b. Charge on timer – start at programmed time.

c. Charge on timer – end at programmed time.

d. Do not charge (even if plugged in. This is only for use with Entune.)

2) The user should be able to set any of these as the default mode, which will operate if the charging timer switch is not pressed. Currently the default mode is always “Charge immediately.”

In this scheme, two charging modes are easily available to the user. If the user plugs in without touching the timer switch, then the default mode operates. If the timer switch is pressed once, then the mode last invoked by the switch operates.

How does this make charging convenient to the user? By setting the default mode to “Charge on timer – start at programmed time,” which I usually use at home, I don’t need to press the charging timer switch. On arriving at home, I just plug in.

Suppose I also charge at work. On arriving at work for the first time, I press the charging timer switch to select the “Charge on timer – end at programmed time” mode, and program that time for a bit before the end of the work day. Now I can charge at home by just plugging in, and at work by pressing the switch once and plugging in.

When I occasionally charge at other places, I press the charging timer switch repeatedly to select “Charge immediately.” Then the next time at work I must again select “Charge on timer – end at programmed time.”

Entune should be able to switch the charging status to any of these modes, either immediately or at a selected time (and date). Example 1: I get home at 11 am. My time-of-use electric rate goes up at noon. So I plug in, select “Charge immediately, “, and program Entune to switch to “Do not charge” at noon.

Example 2: I am leaving for vacation. I plug in (with depleted charge), set to “Do not charge,” and program Entune to begin charging three hours before my expected return home, so that I can run errands on arrival.

I wonder if I am typical of PiP owners, or either more or less connected with the car. I like to think of myself as rather more "with it " than most. However, my reaction is that the charging timer as it is does the first three things you want and I don't see the need to change it. If I want a charge right now, I just plug the car in. If I want a timed charge, I set the timer. One press of the charge button before shutting the car down is not a lot of effort.

I just came back from a 9 day vacation, I had to leave the PiP unplugged, otherwise it would have charged, immediately or within 24 hours - there is no option to leave it plugged in, and not charge (until commanded to do so via entune). The only additional option needed is "d", as there is currently no way to do this. As far as operation, I'm not sure they can change any of this mid-cycle, it will probably be the 2013MY before any of these suggestions could be implemented. The vacation "do not charge" even though the PiP is plugged in, is a nice to have, but not absolutely a requirement, you just have to plug it in when you get home, and wait 1.5 hours (240V L2), or 3 hours (120V L1), before you can use EV again, however, the PiP will work immediately in hybrid mode, so it's not a "show stopper", as it would be in a pure BEV

Amazon.com: Sylvania SA110 15 Amp Heavy Duty Appliance Timer: Home Improvement

Won't work Priuskitty, there are 2 issues:

#1 It only works for 120V, some have 240V permanently wired EVSEs

#2 (and the most serious issue), it's only a 24 hour timer, how would that have helped with a 9 day vacation? The built in timer in the PiP has 24 hour capability... So, not needed for less than 24 hours

Amazon.com: Sylvania SA307 40 Amp 240-Volt Double-Pole Zip Set Industrial Timer: Home Improvement

Plug J1772 to Plug 62196-2 5m cable 32amp - eCar Connectors

take the cable, cut in middle, put timer is series

to get up to 14 or more days on the timer, just connect another timer to the first timer.

At the very least, that would be frowned upon at a public charging station.

This is only a 24 hour timer?

What are you doing on weekends? The PiP will be charged at 100% the whole time? Isn't it bad for batteries if you don't expect to use the Prius?

not the charging station cable, this one: Plug J1772 to Plug 62196-2 5m cable 32amp - eCar Connectors

I think you are needlessly reinventing the wheel here. By your own admission, modes A, B & C already exist, with mode A being the default. In all the examples you gave, it seems like mode A being the default makes the most sense. The only time I ever use the timer is when I'm at home, and that's to start at a particular time (1am). If mode B was the default for me, I'd have to hit the timer button at least twice a day to force it to immediately charge since I tend to charge at work as soon as I get here, and then charge again after I've gone out to lunch. Whereas now I just hit the timer button once when I get home.

Mode D is only useful for those who have the advanced package.

For a few days, or even a few weeks, the batteries will be fine. It's only an issue if the car is being stored long term, like for months or a year.

Well, lucky you - the existing default mode is the one you use most. And you seem happy that you don't have to hit the timer button 2 times out of 3.

I use the timer mode 90% of the time and am unhappy I have to hit the timer button 9 times out of 10.

So why shouldn't we both be able to be happy?

I think defaulting to the charge immediately mode make sense. It forestalls the problem of needing an emergency charge, and forgetting to set away from timer mode. Pressing a button 9 out of 10 times is far less inconvenience, than not having a charge and needing it. Or alternatively, connecting to a for-pay public charger and paying for no charge.

I don't see any current need for mode C (end at timer). Either charge immediately is better for the battery, or start at timer is better for fitting into off-peak rates. It might become useful in future with smart grids, acting as storage, and still being ready for the next trip. Hopefully, by that time, we will have a better algorithm than just finish-at-timer.

I am reasonably sure that Toyota's engineers didn't write the charging software in such a way that it might damage the batteries under almost any conceivable conditions.