(admins if this is not allowed please delete) While the Prius Prime comes with a factory remote start, it's pretty limited in a lot of ways. So some people opt to have a 3rd party unit installed so gain the benefits of longer ranger, longer run time, and 2-way confirmation. Both the factory remote start and the aftermarket remote starts shut-down the HVAC (or whole car) upon opening the door. This is normal and also required for safety reasons. Another major issue for 3rd party remote starts on Prius Primes is that if you try to remote start them while they are plugged in (getting power or not dont matter), they will fail to start, and only run in ACCY mode which does not run your HVAC system in your car. While leaving your car unplugged solves this issues, it still will turn off when the door is open for safety reasons. Wouldn't it be amazing if there was a remote start built specifically to this car for these reasons? This magic remote-start would: * Activate the factory HVAC start mode only when plugged in * Auto switch back to normal 3rd party remote start when not plugged in * Allow both of these modes to be controlled by the 3rd party remote offering long-range and 2-way confirms * Allow both modes to let the driver open the door without a shutdown, at the worst possible time. * Even allow FULL take over without the need to restart the car to drive, or carry both keyfobs. * And do all of this will not only maintaining full car anti-theft security but also adding even more! This has been my goal for a long time, and so far to this day, I can't find any product that will do all of this. So, after countless hours in the lab, in the car, and a couple of boo boo's here and there, I finally did it. I actually made an adapter that fits between a 3rd party remote system, and the Prius itself, which offers everything you just read about. Enjoy this rather crude, long-winded video, and watch to the end to show you that I finally achieved my goal!
Thanks for the update on your project. It sure looks you have worked hard to get the system working to the point you described in your video. Only thing is that as I pointed out in my other thread, your system seems to only allow HVAC to work off from the traction battery while it is plugged in. Does ICE actually start even if it is plugged in and the traction battery is full? If not, for people who need warmth in sub-zero temp will not benefit from this system. The heat pump is just not effective in that temperature range. If your system can circumvent this and allows ICE to come on while it is plugged in, please let me know. I am interested.
i have been following your progress and i have to admit, i was skeptical. congratulations! it should be very popular.
Well, then I guess I better get busy on that eh? In one of my prototypes, you can set a jumper that will activate which mode the car will start in while plugged in. What your talking about would be to trick the car into thinking that the charger spout has been pulled out, and the lid is closed, and thus invoke a normal remote start (along with pressing the EV/HV button a moment later). It is definitely possible and sounds like there might be enough people in that situation where it would be worth it. This would also feature full take over, assuming you pull the plug out for real before trying to put it in gear. Sadly tho, as soon as you remote start the car, the charge would stop, and you would indeed be using gas to heat up your car....but that's kinda what you want right? Def can do.
For my use case, that is fine. In fact, that is exactly what I want to happen when the temp outside is below 14F. For many people who park the car inside of a garage to charge, starting ICE is not a safe thing to happen. But I park my car outside and charge overnight. In a very cold winter morning when I most want to use the remote start, the car is finished charging by then. Usually when the ambient temp is in single digit, if I unplug the cable and start the car it will immediately start the ICE even without hitting HV/EV switch. One another thing I would want is to turn on the front defroster remotely. HVAC can be set and it will remain ar the last setting when the car is turned on but defroster is reset to off each time.
That makes sense. I think by deflught if the temp is below 14 (or is it -14f) that pure EV mode is not possible and will always run the ICE when driving (and in my case, remote starting).
By factory default, at 14F or below, the heat pump does not run. Thus having the HVAC temp set, the car has to utilize heat from ICE. Thus ICE will come one. Similarly, at any temperature, if one pushes the front defroster, the ICE will come on, presumably, it requires maximum heat and dehumidifier to support this function. What I have noticed in past winter is that at a temperature in single-digit (less than 10F), as soon as the car is turn to READY, even with HVAC off and no front defroster, the car starts ICE without switching to HV. EV range is shorter in winter, so I usually drive my morning commute in HV mode and save the battery for my afternoon commute back home with EV. By afternoon, the temperature is usually above 14F and I can use the heat pump. If the ICE can be started remotely in the morning while the car is still plugged but fully charged, then I can preheat my car. And if the defroster can be turned on remotely, then it will shorten scraping ice off the windshield so much easier.
if you left it plugged in all night, I assume the EV battery would be at full. Then if you remote started it while plugged in, using the function my device can offer, it would stop the charging (already stopped if battery full) and run the car as if normally started while unplugged, thus consuming some of that EV charge. But if defrost is on, that forces ICE on, and so EV battery pull should be small.
Defrost switch does not stay on. Thus to be useful for my situation, the remote has to be able to turn on the defrost from the fob, the function that is lacking in my model. I understand that for Advanced model with App, you can turn on the front defrost, but it does not start ICE, only using traction battery power to heat the front window.
