Gas on to heat car - does it defeat the purpose

You don't really have a choice -- if you turn on the heater, the engine will start.

 

He could plug in a 12V electric blanket.

 

That's rather vague. Here's some detail... Yes, it will start. It will also shut off though and remain that way until the coolant temperature drops below 114°F when in ECO mode.

In other words, most definitely stay in EV mode. Take advantage of the big battery. The engine will just briefly fire up when it needs more heat.

The benefit of the engine running is you'll get a little bit of EV replenish, since running at optimal efficiency often produces more power than what's actually needed for propulsion.

 

I am going to look for a 12 volt heater that I can put under the dash on the drivers & passenger sides. The problem so far is finding one that isnt junk. A lot of them are less than 150 watts. I cant imagine that doing much at all.

 

It snowed last night.

The heater was running on a low setting & temperature the entire drive. Just like with the regular Prius, the plug-in kept the engine off until the coolant dropped below 114°F.

Unfortunately, our journey was over 50 miles and the drive through town was really short. The rest was country highway cruising. So, I don't really have much else to report yet. Though, during the brief warm-up period, I did get an opportunity to try out the heated seats. The effect with the new synthetic leather felt nice.

Anywho, it won't be long before I block the lower grille. Fall was way too short this year.

 

yikes! is it winter already?!?

 

I haven't been following this thread but some Leafers use 12V Heater w/ Fan since the heater on the Leaf is apparently very slow to heat.

Some references to it at:
My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Heater/Cabin Temp Management Suggestions and Observations
My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Turning On The Fan (without running the heater)?

You might want to make sure that cigarette lighter outlets in the PiP can handle 15 amps first, before spending any money. I don't know since I don't have one.

 

'Interesting idea, but this Harbor Freight product gets pretty awful reviews. I dug around in some other places (e.g. Amazon) and it seems none of these small 12v heater/defrosters get very good reviews. Either they don't heat/defrost very well, or they are very unreliable. Maybe others have found/seen a better product? For my driving this would be helpful. I don't need cabin heat most days, so being able to keep the front windshield defrosted without needing ICE-driven cabin heat would be good...

 

Simple fact of the matter is yes it partly defeats the purpose. If you're doing a lot of short winter trips and you wanted to go on EV (and would be able to based on range alone) now you can't.

However, as long as you don't try and see the prius as a short-range volt (ICE coming on only when batteries are low) and more as a regular prius with a very large battery, you may be ok with this compromise. In the interests of simplicity the car needs the ICE to heat the cabin, and only if your normal way of life is a lot of short winter trips with a charge at the end of each is this likely to cause many problems. It doesn't take a lot of ICE time normally to heat the cabin so it's not as if it will be running all the time anyway.

But if the question is: Will the ICE come on when the battery has plenty of charge because the car wants to heat the cabin? Answer is yes.

 

I've seen a pic or two of Leafers doing this and I think that is shameful. I've not had my Leaf in ultra cold temps yet, but I have tested the heater (not as hot as an ICE heater, but pretty warm) and it with the seat and steering wheel heaters I will be damned if I'm putting in a space heater in my car like some guy jerry rigging his old hooptie because the heating is bust.

Especially in light of the remote heater that can pre-heat, I just cannot envision this weird approach being necessary.

 

I also would be very sceptical of the space heater idea.
I am guessing you would not be able to find a small accessory heater that is more efficient than the built in system of using waste heat from the ICE. Use the more efficient method. If you really don't want to use gasoline, buy a BEV.
The Toyota engineers built the car this way to make it as efficient as possible. I really can't see comming up with a more efficient solution by jury rigging with a space heater.
I would also bet it won't be as safe.

 

Oh man, I went to Cornell for college and know all about Ithaca winters. One year I remember driving to my last final exam in mid-May and it was snowing!

If you use a 12V heater, would that drain the traction battery or just the 12V in the trunk?

 

Thank you, Yes It Gets Cold Here! I hate being cold so if I cant find a good 12v solution that means I will be running the ICE everytime I drive.

 

The 12V battery is charged off the traction battery, so it will drain the traction battery.

 

Right but thats better than the ICE turning on to run the heater.

 

my last reply disappeared somehow, so i'm going to make the same absurd suggestion again:

You could reverse the polarity on those two traction battery vent fans by the backseats so instead of blowing cold cabin air to cool off the batteries they could blow hot battery compartment fumes to warm up the cabin

 

We had a cold rainy morning today. "Cold" in Northern California means a temperature in the 50's, not snow and ice.

I turned on the seat heater, then turned on the AC to vent to the windshield. And I turned on the rear defroster. The cabin defrosted and I was warm, the gas engine remained shut off. Voila!

This only works if you have the cabin temperature set to "Low." If the cabin temp is set higher than the outside temp, it will start the cabin heater, which will start the engine.

 

I will have to give this strategy a try. We don't generally get COLD (defined as below 32°F or 60°F for us natives) mornings in So Cal even in mid-winter, but the time is soon coming for fogged up windows.

 

I have been reading this thread with interest and some amusement. Here in Northern Virginia it was 39 degrees when I woke up this morning. As I headed off to my morning swim (inside of course - ha ha) I popped on my seat heater - within 15 seconds - yes 15 seconds - I felt the warmth (cloth seats). No heat required - electric all the way - and I cut the seat heater off after 2 mins as it had done it's job (making me warm). But here is the amusement - and I think it is because of my heritage ie coming from a 18 mpg Dodge Caravan. So what if the ICE cuts on and runs for a few minutes to warm the cabin - heck I might have to settle to for 70 mpg!! instead of 999....sorry guys I don't really care. It's all good!!

I have now owned the car for almost two months (Oct 26 will be 2 months) and I absolutely LOVE this vehicle - no buyers remorse at all - Love it! First tank was 157 MPG, 2nd tank 57 mpg (except for initial 12 miles all as hybrid as I did 425 mile trip road trip at 65 to 80 mph and did not recharge) and on this tank (yes still on my 3rd refill) I am getting 111 mpg per the computer. What's not to love. Drive a big ol honkin van / suv for a while and 55 mpg looks terrific.

Rob