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Newbie Owner - But Do you have regrets not getting the Volt?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Tony Prius, Sep 28, 2013.

  1. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    not a Chevy fan either but after the price cuts, have to say they have a compelling product. besides after 2+ years, i got tired of trashing the Volt ;)
     
  2. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Today is one of those days that owning a volt would kill a tank of gas. We are driving about 200 miles RT to go to Thanksgiving with family.. 4.5 gals of gas on Volt. 3.4 gals of gas on PiP.
     
  3. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    ahh that's nothing. Almost once a month I do a 900 mile RT (all in one day) ;)
     
  4. Bill Collins

    Bill Collins Junior Member

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    I looked at a Volt before I purchased my PIP But never did any research on the Volt .I had a Prius 2011 before this PIP.. Before that .I had a Toyota T-100 Pick-up which was my first Toyota .. What a great truck that was .. really sold me on Toyota ...I'm kinda happy with my PIP but I wish I had checked out the Leaf by Nissan. That I may have bought instead.
     
  5. giora

    giora Senior Member

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    If your other mode of transportation is your Segway.
    If you very rarely have trips of above 60-70 miles, and are willing to rent in those cases.
    If you always have the time required to charge when needed between trips.
    If you are willing to abandon the brand you are sold on...
     
  6. Smurf1000

    Smurf1000 Junior Member

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    Agreed...

    There about 25 days per year when I drive far enough that I would have used more gas in a Volt than a PIP. Thanksgiving is one of those days.

    I bought the Volt for those other 340 days per year....
     
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  7. Lourun

    Lourun Member

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    So what do you use for those 25 days?
     
  8. Lourun

    Lourun Member

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    I gather a leaf makes cabin heat using batt., I wonder how much that effects range?
     
  9. Smurf1000

    Smurf1000 Junior Member

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    I use the Volt....

    I also have a Chevy Cruze, which gets similar highway mileage, but still take the Volt because is a much better ride, and more luxurious.
     
  10. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    Technically it would only kill half a tank of gas.
    You're taking the Volt to task for an extra 1.1 gallons on a 200 mile round trip?
    With my 38 mile daily commute I've managed to avoid using any gas on a daily basis with the Volt.
    I've put 4,500 miles on it and still have 4 gallons left of the original delivery tank.
     
  11. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Okay so I purposely reset the odometer / mpg to see how many miles per gallon I achieved on the PiP during full hybrid mode, and it is definitely 60 miles per gallon at 70 mph of freeway driving. I so rarely drive pure HV so I really never knew.
     
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  12. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    I never considered the Volt, for me its Toyota, Lexus, Scion or nothing.
     
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  13. Ken Blake

    Ken Blake Active Member

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    It's still relatively new. Give it time. :p
    I never found myself saying: "I wonder what would have happened if I'd bought a Toyota?" for the first 35 months of ownership on my '87 Cavalier Z24. When the engine seized at 36 months/36k miles I was definitely regretting not purchasing the Toyota. I rectified that mistake. My sister now owns my '88 MR2, with around 250k miles on the odometer, and going strong. It's the car I should have bought in the first place.
     
  14. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

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    I drove from FL to NC last week at 70 mph and only got 45 MPG. The temps were in the 60-70 F range but with a 15-20 mph headwind. Left FL with no EV charge. Yuck!!
     
  15. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

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    You did really well, head winds are a real killer! esp. if right or left front head winds. :)
     
  16. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

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    Yep, but just like that AT&T commercial, "we want more, we want more", I really was hoping for more :LOL:
     
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  17. Michael33

    Michael33 Member

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    It depends on which heater is being used. The pre-2013 Leafs have just an electrical resistance heater, and that really sucks juice. The 2013 SV and SL models (I have an SV) also have a heat pump that is no worse than running the A/C. My range only drops by 1-4 miles when I run the heat, usually by two miles. If it gets really cold the resistance heater will have to run, though, and it also runs under conditions like preheating while plugged in...

    EDIT: Now that I'm driving in typical cold Winter weather, the 'heater penalty' is higher, although still worthwhile. It costs me 5-9 miles in estimated range (actual range is harder to determine, especially since I won't do a 20 degree, 43 mile commute with no heat!) to run the heat all the time, set to 76F, in Eco mode. (Eco mode reduces heater and A/C output.)
     
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  18. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    You won't be able to do that on a flat stretch of road with no winds.
     
  19. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Confused look. I did it on the 405 freeway over the course of 30 miles heading north out of Orange County... You would think any deviations would have worked themselves out at that range?

    Note EV range was zero. This was pure HV.

    iPad ? HD
     
  20. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    Unless you have a super-PiP it is fairly widely known (and tested) what the limits of the Prius are on highway stretches. There are whole threads about it. The PiP should do 3-5% better than the regular Prius though.

    As a good rule of thumb...60=60 on the Prius. On the PiP it would be more like 61=61 or possibly even 62=62. 70 mph should be closer to 50 mpg or less.

    As far as the 30 miles you did...you can have very large downhill segments over hundreds of miles...let alone 30. Winds could have also been a factor...as well as drafting.