1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Just bought 2011 Prius last month

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by PRIUS NUBE, Feb 21, 2011.

  1. PRIUS NUBE

    PRIUS NUBE New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2011
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    SW FLORIDA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    So,my wife and I bought a new 2011 Prius from Fort Myers(FL) Toyota. She loves it. She drives 70 miles back and forth to work, and has cut her gas bills by 2/3rd. Shes getting 58 to 62 MPG.....some city and some travel at 45MPH. She works hard at getting the best MPG. I drove it 200 miles round trip to the east coast of FL with the A/C on at 60MPH and we averaged 52 MPG. I like the car...I'm 5'10" and 260lbs and I fit ok. At 26000 miles a year, she will save a lot of cash....and that stuff is hard to come by............By the way, does any one know just how the AC compressor is powered....there are no belts, so is it a direct drive off the motor or is it 12Volt electric driven? Thanks....great site!
     
    #1 PRIUS NUBE, Feb 21, 2011
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,912
    49,492
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    congrats and:welcome: !!
     
    #2 bisco, Feb 21, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  3. homegameroom

    homegameroom New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    37
    8
    0
    Location:
    Cleveland, OH
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    There are no accessory drive belts in your car for anything, so you can enjoy the A/C even when the ICE is not running (stop lights, etc).
    Enjoy!!!
     
    #3 homegameroom, Feb 21, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  4. PRIUS NUBE

    PRIUS NUBE New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2011
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    SW FLORIDA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I know about the lack of drive belts...my question is what powers the compressor? Is it driven off of the engine with some sort of gear/shaft drive or is it electric driven from the 12v system????
     
    #4 PRIUS NUBE, Feb 21, 2011
  5. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2005
    29,110
    8,589
    201
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five

    Electric from the traction battery.
     
    #5 Paradox, Feb 21, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  6. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    2,287
    460
    0
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    It's electric.

    A thread (http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...atures-use-12v-battery-hv-battery-engine.html) has information on what powers what. That's about the 2nd gen Prius, but it's mostly the same, I believe.

    dogfriend's post in that thread says the main HV battery runs the A/C compressor while the other, low-power parts of the A/C system draw power from the 12V battery. Although of course the energy all comes originally from the engine.
     
    #6 ItsNotAboutTheMoney, Feb 21, 2011
    1 person likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)