Extensive Spreadsheet shows PIP / Volt not for us

I can't argue with OP in the zero tax credit case: Prius Hybrid hard to beat.
Also I feel many are motivated to PHEV by interest or commitment to plugging in to get off gasoline.
For someone who isn't committed, I have no interest in making the pitch, since I am wishy washy on the merits myself.

But in CA normally I would expect if you got a good PiP deal (waiting for Toyota sales incentives period) and you got $2500 off + $1500 CVRP off and you got HOV decal, which adds value to your car until 2019, PiP can be a no-brainer for many.

 

That's a really good point about frequent short trips. I also have solar in your area and find that there is almost no advantage to PG&E E-6 vs E-1 with the modest electricity usage of the PiP.

 

I am seeing volts advertised around me for as low as $18K, after all incentives, etc.

 

I measured my wall socket where I plug in and got 119 Volt reading. Charging takes 2 hours 20 minutes to charge and not the 3 hours as assumed.

Nice calculations. It would be good to wait till late next year as it seems there will be a lot of 3 year leases up on PiPs and Volts. I believe the 2016 PiP's will probably drop in price if the improvement on 2017 PiPs is quite a bit better.

 

Anyone with a PiP and a roof-top box for those special trips with lots of gear?

That's all I do, of course MPG takes a hit for period with the box up there.
Mine is so easy to put up, but unfort they don't make the Saris roof rack anymore...those are a dream.

PiP buyers should know (1) no spare tire due to lithium battery; (2) little smaller extra space under the false "floor" in the rear; and (3) slightly smaller gas tank.

 

We have a Yakima rack and rooftop box we use on occasion with our Gen 2 to roughly double cargo capacity. Good solution for those rare times when we couldn't fit it all in the Prius. Mileage dropped from ~48mpg to about ~42mpg as I recall, still way better than taking a bigger vehicle. Now that we have a v to fit three cars seats not sure we'll ever need it again, but it was a good solution.

 

jdonalds, this should influence your calculations of total cost significantly. I agree with others that total cost of the PiP is at or less than the regular trim 3 model for most.

If you don't have to buy new, a used PiP could be a good way to save some $$$ and still have a very reliable car with the seating and cargo you need. With the money saved, and higher resale value, you could move into a next generation plug-in sooner. If half the rumors are true, the next generation of plug-ins will be a pretty impressive evolution. They may also be less reliant on the federal tax credit that may no longer exist and you don't qualify for.

Yeah, probably a wash with the little electricity the PiP uses.

In my case, E-6 works out very well as half our electricity goes to the pool pump, so easy to move this to off-peak hours. Also, we try to run the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, and whole house fan during off-peak and partial-peak hours. Of course, the AC usually has to be run on peak hours.

 

Its the A/C. Without that PG&E would probably be paying us, at a very low rate of course. And this was one of the hottest summers on record.

 

The OP has a 4-year-old too. The heated seats won't help the child, as the child will be sitting in the back and probably in a child seat too.
Just scrap the idea of EV-only driving with PiP when it's lower than 50 degrees outside. Fortunately, the larger battery charge helps increase HV driving milage significantly over a regular Prius. Regardless the temperature outside.

OP is 65. I hope he's still lusty enough to mount and dismount the roof-top box himself. I mean no disrespect, please.

 

Agree with Rozi, the front seat heaters aren't going to be the answer with a 4 year old in the back, though once he's old enough to sit in the front they obviously will. But at the moment, bank on having the engine turn on enough to heat the coolant up. If there is enough EV left it often only comes on at 'idle' though, and if you were working on 9 miles the other 4 would be quite enough to warm the car. In fact anything more than a mile or so is probably enough if you keep the heat low enough, so you are comfortable with outdoor clothes on.

Like others, I really question 9. Hills do kill you on the ascent, but on a regular route you'll plan ahead and be able to pick up some speed on the flat that you can lose on the uphill, and then you regen on the same hill coming back.

And finally, without wanting to pry and not expecting an answer, I just want to say that your now son was clearly very lucky when he was your grandson that you loved and cared for him so much that you were prepared to take on this responsibility at your time of life (which I'm only a few years short of) on a fixed income, and to devote your time and effort to getting it right. Hope it all goes well, and God bless.

 

Clearly, you aren't from Minnesota!

With a comfortable jacket, it never even crosses my mind to fire up the heater until there's snow on the ground.

 

Rozi- are you less than 60? Not me.

 

JDonalds, I didn't see a response to your question about the AC.
AC is pretty fission and takes up very little power, so it should not shorten your range by much unless it gets extremely hot.
In any of the plugin vehicles I have driven, AC use has had no detrimental effect. I do live in Minnesota though. High temperatures rarely don't get much above 100, most of the time they're only in the 90s in the peak of summer.

 

That's the point to stress. The electricity is taken advantage of even when the engine runs. For that matter, when the heater runs, since it uses heated coolant... allowing it to provide warmth even with the engine off.

That's what makes the spreadsheet so difficult to be accurate, even for an individual with detailed notes.

2 days ago my twice charge routine (home & work) resulted in 30 miles of EV. Yesterday, it was just 12 miles. The difference was speed of travel. I didn't care though. The average for the much faster trip came to 109 MPG... which is far higher than a regular Prius.