RV with a Prius

Unfortunately, no, there's no way to flat tow a Prius....

 

generators are not on the wheels, but on transmission, so you have to lift front wheels to tow.

 

It is highly expermental, and not necessarily safe, to let the front wheels rotate. Consult With Bob Wilson for details. You can find him out on 'the edge of the envelope'

 

You can't "dingy tow" a Prius for the same reason that you can't Glide with the engine off above 42 miles per hour - the engine needs to be running or else Motor-Generator #1 (the one not connected to the drive wheels) overspeeds.

 

Not entirely true... at least for the current prius model. it CAN overspeed... especially at highway speeds of 60+. I frequently coast down hills in neutral with the engine off in speeds up to 55mph. Nowhere near the 10,000 rpm limit of mg2... which by the way, is at 65mph.


The other reasons are:
1) lack of oil to the transmission. The oil pump is driven by the engine.
2) the battery could be overcharged if towed.

 

OK, I misunderstood something I'd read.

Where does Neutral do anything? I'm only familiar with the HSD but there's no clutch or variable gears there. I had thought neutral was another electronic mode (such as reverse is). Doesn't it just disengage power to both MGs?

 

Are the MG's actually generators? That is do they have permanant magnets? I would think they would have electromagnets and as such wouldn't generate anything unless they were energized. I would also be surprised if the battery could be charged without the system booted up.
Surely the manual addresses towing and I would be surprised if you could tow with the front wheels on the ground. I don't have thecar or I would look in the manual.

 

MG actually stands for Motor Generator, so yes they are Generators, with permanent magnets.