Featured Autotrader: Prius Prime Long Term

Seeing how all my connected in some way devices need from me a time zone input at most, I don't see why that couldn't be with a connected car.

 

But from a marketing standpoint, how many want that analytic ability?

Since I don't know where my next car will have its charge port, where do I put the 240 volt electrical cable?

Are most accidents front end? Why put the complex and expensive to repair charge port there?

 

Most of the Level 2 EVSEs available have a 25' or so cord. You might have to back into the parking spot instead of pulling in if the charge port is on an opposite side, but that should be plenty of cord to reach the front or back.

 

proximity makes sense to me too. Who'd think that backing onto a parking space might not be as convenient as pulling in front first, especially with a grid maked rear view camera to look at during the operation..

toyota may put that into gen 5.

After reading another thread over the weekend that had 2 pages disappear, it read like some members have already figured out how to access all the pretty pictures from the cameras.

In our plus if there is a 2nd clock on the MFD, I haven't seen it yet.

 

Someone who enters into their garage from an L-shaped driveway? A narrow garage? Someone trying to enter an angled curbside parking space with traffic behind them?

I like the side charge for the home charger, front for the commercial chargers.

The non-standardization makes it awkward to plan for several generations of EVs potentially of differing brands.

 

Having had cars with front or rear locations for the charging port, the front location worked better for me. My driveway is a bear to back into, so the front port works better, in my situation.

 

All great suggestions, however I am sure the reason all these things are not included (as well as the clock sync this was in response to) is simply COST. All of this requires more development, which adds to the price of the car, and the majority of their target audience (I.e. anyone except those of us reading this thread ) would simply perceive it as added cost for nothing... unfortunately.

I remember when my brother first sat in my ‘spaceship’ 2006 Prius when it was new and was impressed with all the technology, but quickly pointed to the clock and asked why Toyota stuck an “80’s clock” in there.

 

The situation changes when multiple vehicles need to plug in at the same time.

For us, the location on Prime works out great. She pulls in. I back in. That leaves a generous amount of room between the cars for opening doors, yet still allows both to be plugged in with any cords ever getting in the way.

 

Agreed, similar situation, we also have 2 plug-ins, the PiP and Leaf. We just park as we need to. My wife hates reverse parking and I always reverse park at home; since based on where the L2 in installed, the cord will only reach if I reverse in if I am at the bottom of the driveway. We have a townhouse with a fairly long driveway, and I can parallel park (or pull out) with the top spot using the neighbour’s driveway, as he always parks in the garage and doesn’t mind. Hard to explain the logistics, but that my avatar is a profile shot of both cards in the driveway, and the charge cord is just off frame to the right, stored in a white bin, which you can see reflected in my rear door. ;-)

Anyway, a completely off-tangent post to say that I really don’t think charge port location is a concern, you simply park accordingly.

 

Unless you can't.

 

I suppose, however I would assume in most cases I would think putting parking car either way should be possible, though there can always be exceptions whether it would difficult or not practical... fair point. I was speaking from personal experience in parking at home and public chargers I have visited; I always reverse in, and cannot remember a situation where that was not an option for me. Just my experience, of course, YMMV.

 

The designers probably never considered the minority's parking difficulty anyway. Consider moving house, or a different car.

 

But backing into a parking space at the grocery store would make loading groceries harder.

 

Remember, the charge cord is much longer than the hose of a gas pump. Parking with the charge port away from the charger may not be a problem.

 

Not with Tesla Supercharger. Barely even works if not all the way backed in. Same can be said about other branded superchargers too.

 

the last time I backed in some jerk parked behind me with his bumper an inch from mine. Had to pull out a bit to load groceries in the back.

 

No shortage of jerks in this world, unfortunately.