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What Does it Cost to Charge up a Pip?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by kenmce, Aug 1, 2013.

  1. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    I'm trying to understand the economics of the Pip. I think I pay .10 cents per KWH. How much electricity does it take to fully charge the car?
     
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    I believe it takes approximately 3 to 3.4 kWh to charge the battery from depleted. I'm sure those who track usage know a more consistent amount.
     
  3. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

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    I think about about 30 cents or so.
     
  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    In electricity?
    Probably around a quarter, depending on where you live. I actually received a dispensation to charge at work if I ever got one (I haven't and probably will not.) But if you get one?
    Do me a favor and ask before you plug your car in at work.


    Overall cost to charge?
    If you get 1,000 charge/discharge cycles out of the car before the battery goes "Tango-Uniform", and the Pip is $8,000 more expensive than a comparably equipped G3 - then you're looking at eight bucks and change per charge.
    The real numbers are probably closer to 5,000 charge/discharge cycles, and there are state and federal kickbacks to sift through as well, so the price delta moves around a LOT.
    And.... :eek:
    Don't forget that Pips get to flout the HOV lane rules in many locales......but.....that's not purely economics either.
    I can buy a $4,000 motorcycle that's DOT legal and also ignore the little diamond signs AND get over 70 MPG. ;)
    In other words....if you're trying to understand the "economics" of the pip.....you're going to get wildly varying data depending on whether you're talking to a zealot, an agnostic, or an apostate.

    Mainly, if you're down for the hydrocarbon struggle - or you just want people to think that you are then you should probably just get the Pip - or a real EV depending on your driving habits and economic depth band. If you're trying to justify upgrading to a Pip from a garden variety Prius, then you probably really are down for the struggle, because 99.44-percent of the hydrocarbon gluggers out there couldn't differentiate between a G2 and a G3, and the differences between a G3 and a pip are even less obvious.

    Otherwise?
    It's hard to justify purely on economics.
    If you WANT one.....and you can afford one, then you should just get one.
    If you're having to "justify" it to yourself economically, and the cost-per-charge is going to be a tie-breaker?

    Uh.....
    Maybe not. :)
     
  5. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    3 to 3.2 kWh seems to do it for my PIP.
    We pay about 22 cents per kWh here- so it costs me about 66 cents to recharge.
     
  6. Ken Blake

    Ken Blake Active Member

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    We're at .061/kwh so about .18 per charge here.
     
  7. Phausto

    Phausto Junior Member

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    If I were you, I would do this a little differently: consider your typical driving, and see if the PiP is a better fit (e.g., shorter trips/commute or need a HOV sticker) than what you're driving now. In many cases, your MPG (not "MPGe") could be >100. For me, a year of electricity was about $80. I saved about $400 in gas over a regular Prius, and about $1600 over my Subaru.

    I think Mr Etc(ss) above probably meant "10,000 charge/discharge cycles"--this is a Toyota product.
     
    fortytwok likes this.
  8. fortytwok

    fortytwok Active Member

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    agreed - 3 charges a day gets you 1,000
     
  9. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    About 56 cents for a full charge at home. They also let me charge at work.
     
  10. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    That is exactly what I'm building up to. But before I go to them, I want to know exactly what I'm asking for. Accurately. It is starting to look like there is no good way to plug at home.


    I seriously doubt that anyone around here will know what it is. Luckily, I don't care.To the best of my knowledge there is one (1.) Pip here in town and I had to go hunt the guy down to talk to him. There is a second one up at the Toyota dealers but it doesn't seem to sell.


    I have a suspicion that I could go all summer on a tank of gas if I had a Pip. That starts to look economic.


    Well, when you put it like that... :):D


    It's not that.
     
  11. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    That's THE best reason I've heard to date for wondering about the cost-per-charge!
    Offer to pay a buck a day, and advise them that it's good PR.

    I'm sorry that you can't charge @ home but that may change over time.

    GOOD LUCK!
     
  12. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

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    Tell them it is less energy cost than a cup of coffee.

    Mike
     
  13. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    agreed
     
  14. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Are there any Chargepoint stations in your area?
     
  15. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    In the Babylon Town Hall there are 6 (I believe), in the Babylon annex building ( 4 miles away) 2 or 3 and by the West Babylon Public pool 2 more. By the Town of Babylon public beach another 4 more.
    All of these free of charge.
    Seems that Charge Point had a very good awarded contract 2 years ago.
     
  16. g4_power

    g4_power Junior Member

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    Depending on where you go, even the cheap coffee could cost as much as $20/gallon. I may be low on my estimate.


    According to the Toyota web page I visited, the charger consumes about 1 KWH and it takes about 3 hours to get a full charge from a fully depleted battery.
     
  17. fortytwok

    fortytwok Active Member

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    my guess is Toyota is dumbing down expectations on that :
    When I plug into a normal outlet in my garage its been taking me 2 hrs max.
    When I plug in at a free Chargepoint at The99 or GE at Whole Foods it takes 72 minutes
     
  18. g4_power

    g4_power Junior Member

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    Are you referring to 110v or 220v? I was talking about the 110v. Sorry for the confusion.
     
  19. fortytwok

    fortytwok Active Member

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    home is 110v
    latter two are 220v
     
  20. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    The battery SOC (state of charge) runs between 20% and 85%. (85% is fully charged.) That's a 65% change in SOC. The largest recharge I have measured with a Kill-A-Watt meter was from 25% to 85% requiring 2.93 kWh from the power line. So a maximum 65% for a single recharge would be 3.17 kWh if you manage to run the battery to its lowest charge level.

    Using the 25% to 85% values to estimate battery capacity (0% to 100%) shows 4.88 kWh from the power line for the battery capacity. Assuming a 90% charging efficiency you get 4.4 kWh total battery capacity, the rated value.

    At night I pay 4 cents per kWh with the PG&E E-9a summer time of use rate, 5 cents per kWh in the winter.

    Its fun figuring out all these numbers and how to drive efficiently. I'm sure driving my old Highlander for the next 5 years would have been Much cheaper but not as much fun.