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

Why Did I Buy a Prime, Over a Leaf or Bolt?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by ClemsonSteve, May 9, 2018.

  1. ClemsonSteve

    ClemsonSteve Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    270
    246
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    So what happens when I'm driving along in my Leaf, and I want to stop by my favorite ice cream shop....but I miscalculate by 3 miles and end up needing a charge. If we're talking about a gas engine, I just pull into the gas station next to the ice cream store. But I need a battery charge so what do I do....what happens when I run out of juice three miles from home? Call AAA?
     
    HPrimeAdvanced likes this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    ask the ice cream shoppe if you can plug in?
     
  3. ClemsonSteve

    ClemsonSteve Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    270
    246
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I would probably eat a ton of ice cream while waiting for the Leaf to charge LOL!
     
  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    You don't even think with the (24KWh) Leaf. The range is high enough, you're good. Doesn't matter. If you are down to "---%" of SOC remaining and "---" miles until empty, it would be unwise to go to an icecream shoppe 3 miles away. However, 3 miles is perfectly doable on dashes in most circumstances. Then it would turtle. So you'd get your icecream after listening to a "Very Low Battery Charge" warning message twice and make it back home where you'd plug into your L2 charger at 30mi/hr charge rate and in 12 minutes have your 6 miles back.
     
    San_Carlos_Jeff likes this.
  5. ClemsonSteve

    ClemsonSteve Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    270
    246
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    For me, it would be just the opposite. I'd have to think about the range all the time. With an ICE, no worries....
     
    HPrimeAdvanced and bat4255 like this.
  6. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,596
    3,770
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    My favorite ice cream shop isn't 110 miles (107 miles EPA plus 3) from my house. :D

    Probably not the best scenario to use. ;)
     
    San_Carlos_Jeff and fuzzy1 like this.
  7. ClemsonSteve

    ClemsonSteve Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    270
    246
    0
    Location:
    South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I think it's a perfect scenario to use....the bottom line is you don't have the flexibility to add an additional extra trip, when near the end of the range. I do! :)
     
    HPrimeAdvanced and Since2002 like this.
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Now that AAA has some trucks equipped with generators for EV battery charging, this is really not qualitatively different than the gas engine scenario. It is just a quantitative difference, as gas cars generally(*) have greater range.

    (*) I say generally, because it is no longer uniformly true. Today's Teslas can now match the fuel range of my first gasoline car, and well exceed the range of many gasoline motorcycles and scooters.
     
  9. 2015BlizzardPriusFour

    2015BlizzardPriusFour Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2015
    171
    142
    0
    Location:
    Central Valley CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Honestly, range anxiety is overrated.

    I have a smart electric drive that arguably has the shortest range and longest/slowest charge time out of all the main stream electric cars. My usual range is only a little over double what the prime does on ev.

    I’ve taken it down to 3% remaining with a DTE of ~5 miles and made the rest of my 15 mile (downhill and surface street) drive regenerating back up to about 30%. You just have to be conscious of your driving habits and plan ahead.

    I stop in town often to run errands on my way home. I wouldn’t drive all the way home and then turn around to go back to town though.
     
  10. PCPrime

    PCPrime Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2018
    110
    102
    0
    Location:
    Tampa Florida
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    What if you are not in CA but where the snow is falling on a country road at night.
     
    HPrimeAdvanced likes this.
  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Yes, what about it? Please don't stop there, but fill in the rest to the scenario that concerns you, so that I may understand your point.
     
  12. Then the ice cream is free.
     
  13. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2008
    6,154
    4,145
    1
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    Still no worries.
    I live in Minnesota (not exactly country, but how about state parks or farmland?). Lots of snow, lots of cold.
    Over 8 winters I have had no concerns about range that were not intentional.

    How often do you drive your Prime down to under 3 miles of gas range?
    I've had unexpected, spur of the moment side trips, never anything that caused me to run out of range in either a gas or EV

    In addition I no longer have concerns that I used to have with gas cars:

    Stopping to get gas making me late to an appointment/meeting.
    Smelling like gas because I spilled a drop of gas on my tennis shoe.
    Sending money out of the local economy to other regions, nations, and even a few that are killing American troops.
    Contributing to Asthma and other respiratory ailments, especially among those that are poor and can least afford it.
    And of course, contributing to GHG emissions.

    All of those concerns have been lessened, or eliminated for me by NOT driving a gas car.
    But I am glad you can get your ice cream without fear, pardon me while I go enjoy another trip to California in my EV :rolleyes:
     
  14. 2015BlizzardPriusFour

    2015BlizzardPriusFour Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2015
    171
    142
    0
    Location:
    Central Valley CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Then you wouldn’t be stopping for ice cream and hopefully you bought a car suitable for situations like that.

    If I lived in the frozen boonies I wouldn’t be driving a 2000lb rwd car with a limited range. Just like I wouldn’t buy a soft top convertible in climates where I could only drop the top a month out of the year and has heavy snow.
     
    San_Carlos_Jeff likes this.
  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    For daily commute and around town ride, which is now close to 99% of my driving, Leaf or Bolt or any other EV with moderate range would be fine. Of course that is if I could buy any brand new EV below $20K, like I did with PRIME. But for longer out of town trip, I still would much rather be driving hybrid at least until the infrastructure for EV charging get saturated to the point of gas stations. For now EV driving requires pre-planning for where and when to charge along the route of traveling. This takes away much of fun from out of town excursion we use to enjoy a lot.

    A case in point. Some times ago when our kids were still quite young, on Christmas Eve with snow in forecast, without any planning ahead, I suggested to my family to take an excursion to Freeport Maine to visit L.L. Bean store, almost 200 miles away from our home. The store is known for being open 24/7 365 days. I just wanted to find out if that was really true or not. We got dressed and packed into our min-van, 2 adults, 4 kids and a dog, and hit the road that night. When we arrived at Freeport, it was after midnight. Sure enough, the store was open even though we were the only customers there. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and visit to snowy Freeport and white christmas that night. Now, question is would I take my family to a similar adventure ride, if all I have is EV? Even with an EV with respectable range, I don't think so. But with PRIME, I certainly would do that again. The problem is that I can take only 3 people with me. LOL :ROFLMAO:
     
    HPrimeAdvanced likes this.
  16. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2007
    429
    52
    0
    Location:
    Central Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Don't forget too that if you want to avoid AAA with a generator and do a little recharge yourself off of 110 at the ice cream shop you better keep your recharge cable in the car with you at all times. If it is left ready to use in your garage at home you won't forget to take it to many times. Do rest areas that have power (do any of them) provide any charge stations? And, say you go off running errands and stop at your favorite shopping center but the charge station or stations are all full... Do you end your errands early to make back home or drive off to another location? And if that other location is full too you better go home while you can. This problem, depending on where you are and what time of day applies even to the Teslas. And once you are plugged-in are you now even within a mile of where you want to go? My guess is that you can't just ask anyone with a 110 outlet if you can plug-in even if you have a heavy-duty extension cord and the charging adapter with you.

    So I found this ice cream store scenario interesting and for me though only reenforces the only practical solution today and that is to drive a hybrid or own a second car/hybrid for any long questionable trips.:)
     
    HPrimeAdvanced and ClemsonSteve like this.
  17. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2008
    6,154
    4,145
    1
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    Really interesting. I’m waiting for the gas infrastructure to catch up with the electric infrastructure.
    But everyone is different I suppose.
     
  18. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I read an article that many independently owned gas stations are closing due to very thin profit margin. Who knows, 10 years from now, I may have to plan ahead when and where to pump gas. But for now where I live, the gas stations are far more prevalent than charging stations. That's all.
     
    #18 Salamander_King, May 10, 2018
    Last edited: May 10, 2018
    HPrimeAdvanced likes this.
  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Because of considerable pricing differences, I've been doing that for quite some time already.
     
    Salamander_King likes this.
  20. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The first time you drive pure electric you will think of range all the time, it's called range anxiety. But like most anxiety, it is completely unfounded and not based in logic or reason. After some period of time driving the car, you will find yourself not caring or even looking at range. The audible indicator of low battery charge doesn't happen until you're down to about 18%. With 18%, you can go a really long distance. The very low battery charge happens in the single digits, and you can still keep going. The screen turning into dashes happens after that. And then the car beeps and turtles and you can still keep going!

    The point is, yes you would have anxiety for the first week, month, 3 months, whatever. But then realize you don't because it actually works just like it needs to be. With an ICE there are worries. When I drive my ICE vehicle there are lots of places that have no gas stations open past a certain time. Or lines that take 20 minutes before it's your turn to fill up. Also my gas tanks don't magically fill up when I leave them parked. So if I park with 30% gas remaining, I don't have 100% gas when I leave later like I do in the Leaf.

    Why country road? Those are flat boring. What about a mountain road at night with tons of snow and ice and a few thousand foot vertical elevation gain/drop? That's what my Leaf does, and Prius does, every wintery day.

    drivewayinhd20160202071840large1___wMQme1D9pP.jpg

    The point is you won't have to recharge at the shop. And if you do, there is always the cable in the back. I also carry a 100ft 12awg extension cord with an LED end so I could plug into a random outlet 120ft away. But I've used it twice just to check that it works with the voltage drop. But like a spare tire, you carry it hoping to never need to use it. The L1 EVSE stays with the car. Just like your cell phone stays with your person. You don't have one for the car and one for the house, it isn't the 1980's.

    Some do, most don't. But every RV park has outlets for L2 charging.

    Again, you're under the false impression that you NEED to charge everywhere you go. The simple fact is you don't. In the 5 years I have had the Leaf, I have only ever needed to publicly charge 3 times. And that was on a single long highway trip way outside the normal range of the Leaf, and only done as a "hey I wonder if" type scenario. And I could, and I did.

    I charge with public L2 when I am parked at a parking garage that offers it for free. Or when I am at a shopping centre that offers it for free. If the spots are full with other BEVs charging, I don't think anything of it and park in the next spot elsewhere that's open and doesn't have a charger. Now if the spot has a ICE vehicle in it I will gladly double park behind them and plug in

    Yes, I seem to be able to find an electrical outlet much more often than a gas pump. In fact I am surrounded by electrical outlets all day everywhere, rarely see a gas pump.
     
    Zythryn likes this.