2017 Prius Prime (Plug-in Hybrid) Full Product Information & Technical Docs (PDF)

thanks, i was afraid of that. one of the best features toyota ever came up with imo, i use it all the time. amazing at keeping fumes, smells and dust out of the cabin.

 

You mean the filtration cycle? That's gone? So when I'm stuck behind one of those nasty "clean diesels" spewing smoke and causing cancer I can't filter the cabin air? very disappointing. I use that all the time, like just about every day.

 

What's wrong with just turning it on recirc?

 

completely different. recirc is about 80%, filtration is 100%. you na go through a dust storm, or behind a coal roller, and nothing comes in the cabin. it's a fabulous feature.

 

What top speed do US Prime models have in HV-Mode ?
It seems it's gone down in Europe from 112 to just 100 mph according to Netherlands specifications .

 

EU manual does say (in remarks area) that dust will be collected on the filter even when the temporary pollen mode is not used.

 

yes, that's correct. but you will get smoke, fumes and smells right through the filter into your nose and lungs. that's why 100% recirc is better in some situations. i always use it behind large diesel vehicles and when passing through dusty construction sites, or things like roadside fires.


MERGED USE MULTI QUOTE

can you clarify the last sentence? i don't see how 20% outside air can be doing the same job.

 

thanks, i get it. so eventually, that horrible diesel exhaust i'm breathing will leave the cabin. sometime after the vehicle is no longer in front of me.

 

I'll probably miss that ionizer when I have to drive through Stockton. Cows for miles.

 

So Toyota is telling us that speeding to get in front of the coal roller is acceptable, or even recommended. Then we have to roll down all the windows to get "fresh" air which is still pollen- and pollution-laden. Nice.

Or is this Toyota's way of fixing the mouse house in the air filter: Don't let 'em filter the air, they'll have to open the windows, and won't notice the mouse smell.

 

unfortunately, they're the masterminds of decontenting. the least they could have done is put it on the premium package.

 

I think your simple answer is right. The why perhaps is in emission regulations that assume that when the ice starts, it soon will be powering the car. And this is usually the case. I suppose it is also possible that the ice must be gas powered to use up the extra electricity produced while regenerating with a full battery. I have never read a full explanation of what goes on in that scenario.

I asked Danny if the Prime would turn the ice on when regenerating with a full battery. He replied he thought it would but did't know, and would ask an engineer. I never heard anything more.

 

Pumping losses. If you spin the engine you'll lose energy pumping air through the engine from intake to exhaust because that process is not 100% efficient. The faster you spin the engine, the more the losses. Adding gasoline and igniting it produces power thus reducing the loss so you don't want to do that if you don't have to when you're trying to absorb energy. Just spin the engine.

Does anyone have information on the 12V subsystem? My 2004 was rated at a sustained 100A but I can't find the rating of the 12V power supply in either the Prime or the Gen 4 anywhere. This matters if I have to run my house off of the 12V system through inverters in an emergency.

 

you get a bigger 12v battery, does that help?

 

No, it does not. The actual energy stored in a 12V car battery is quite low - around 300-500Wh at high demand. I have a 2000W inverter and a 300W inverter that can together kill a car battery in 10-20 minutes. In a long-range power outage, people have run inverters off their Prius for days.

 

with the car in ready.

 

Correct.

 

Have you had issues using the inverters with the gen2? With the car on, the battery shouldn't be the weak link. I also doubt Toyota dropped the amperage of the 12-volt system since 2004; cars have more stuff to power today.

@bwilson4web recommends hardwiring the inverter to the car if you are using them to power a whole house.