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

How big a deal is this to you ?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Chris Wolfgram, Nov 24, 2021.

  1. Chris Wolfgram

    Chris Wolfgram Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2019
    411
    167
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento CA
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    I'm not sure how many folks this feature is as important to, as it is to me...
    But being able to leave your car powered up for your AC, your stereo, charging phones, whatever, "ALL off of your big traction battery" while the ICE only needs to fire up for a minute or two, every 10 or 20 minutes....
    This is freaking HUGE for me !

    So I was talking to a neighbor, and I told him I was going to be doing a 7 hrs, overnight round trip up in Northern California. He immediately says, make sure you bring something warm to sleep in, it gets really cold up there ! I told him, "No, I'm taking the Prius. My car will be 73 degrees all night ;) So then he says, "Your going to leave your car 'running' all night" ? So then I had to go through the explanation about how these Hybrids can be left "powered up, but the ICE only needs to run once every 10 or 20 minutes, and then only for a minute or two, and its fully automatic. He paused with an almost skeptical look on his face, and after a second or two said, "Huh. That's cool..." And I'm thinking, You can't even imagine how cool this is ! For me, its darn near as cool as 50+ mpg's :)
    I LOVE it on hot days in the Summer with the AC blasting in between rides for my ridesharing too ;)

    How big a deal is this feature for you guys ?
     
    bisco likes this.
  2. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,483
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I don't generally sleep in my car.
    Bad habit to get into if you drive long distances at night.

    OEM remote start and the ability to lock my car while idling satisfies my environmental concerns....
     
  3. Chris Wolfgram

    Chris Wolfgram Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2019
    411
    167
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento CA
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    I do it fairly often. I don't think its a bad habit. I just don't drive if I'm super tired. I can pull over, and take a 30 minute nap, and be good to go.

    But I sit with the car powered up, and the AC and stereo running, while not actually driving, ALL the time. And my stereo uses a lot more power than the stock system as well.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,072
    14,976
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I guess another way to look at it is, without a car you can comfortably sleep in, there's that temptation to drive "just one more hour or two" and get where you're going and sleep there. Maybe it's safer to just find a nearby place to get off the highway and ... sleep.

    When I sleep in mine, I'm in the back lying flat, not in the driver's seat sitting upright, so I don't think I'm at much risk of, um, blending the two situations.
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,690
    6,378
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    We like quietly not-idling in ours when we pick each other up at airports. We've never slept in it though, so our appreciation for the system is limited to shorter sessions. Still nice though.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i only sleep when i'm driving, but i think it's a great feature!

    73? i can't sleep in anything above 62 :p
     
  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2016
    7,041
    7,580
    0
    Location:
    near Brisbane, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I have my A/C set so it sits between 24-25°.
     
  8. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,475
    4,373
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    How much does the gen4 recharge the hv battery in these Ready "idling" situations? I find the gen3 will minimally recharge requiring more frequent engine operation.
     
  9. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2016
    7,041
    7,580
    0
    Location:
    near Brisbane, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Depends on the outside temperature. If it's close to what you want the cabin temp, not much - but if the outside is 37° and you have it set at 25° - it'll kick the ICE on regularly as the A/C will be running full-time.
     
  10. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,475
    4,373
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Yes I see that happen as well but its probably a function of the ac compressor's power consumption draining the hv battery quickly.
     
    alanclarkeau likes this.
  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,038
    10,012
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Winter mountain travel safety still demands having enough warm clothing to survive even when the car is bricked. Hypothermia is often a killer, though two days ago we did have a woman saved after four days trapped in a rollover near a mountain pass.
     
    Ramo_958 and jerrymildred like this.
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandpa, not screaming in terror like his passengers."

    Seriously, though, the ability to pull over and nap with climate control is one of the really nice things about a hybrid. Like @Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, I haven't needed it since entering the hybrid world, but I could have for sure used in in my younger years.

    And, don't forget that, as @fuzzy1 cautions, you don't want to bet your life that the car won't break down and stop providing heat in a remote and cold place. So make you you have warm gear when venturing into places where you might need it.
     
    Rmay635703 and alanclarkeau like this.
  13. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    2,516
    1,789
    0
    Location:
    NEPA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    Not sure about this, but didn't the Prius add an automatic engine shutoff after ~1 hour? Not sure what model year either...
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,072
    14,976
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I've seen posts about that on PriusChat, and also about a way to disable it when you don't want the car to shut off.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yes and yes. As I recall, it had to do with locking the doors. I think you had to use the inside locks, iirc.
     
  16. Chris Wolfgram

    Chris Wolfgram Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2019
    411
    167
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento CA
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    I certainly carry a jacket, and a few extra cloths.... But rarely need it. Here in NorCal, we have to drive 90 minutes, to even be in an area that might drop below 30F. (Tahoe / Sierras) otherwise, what we call cold, is like 40-45F ;) I wouldn't live in a place that gets deadly cold. Nor a place that has 90-100% humidity. 85-105F with 10 or 15% humidity is what I prefer :)
     
  17. Chris Wolfgram

    Chris Wolfgram Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2019
    411
    167
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento CA
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Are you guys talking about the ICE ? Why not just let it cycle on and off as often as it wants to ?
     
  18. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,072
    14,976
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    No, about the car deciding it's been parked in READY long enough, and turning clean off. Tends to diminish one's enjoyment of the cool feature discussed in this thread.
     
  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,038
    10,012
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Most hypothermia deaths occur in above freezing conditions. When caught away from shelter, and inadequate clothing gets wet (cold rain or otherwise), 40-45F is very deadly.
     
  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Anyone remember the Donner party?