About to pull the trigger on a Prius.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(80me @ Nov 17 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]541046[/snapback]</div>

Your average mileage will go down in the cold, but not because of the battery. This will happen due to the gas engine taking a little longer to warm up to the optimal operating temperature. Expect to take about a 10 % hit from warm weather. My goal has always been to stay above 55MPG in warmer months and 50 in the coldest months.

Some tips that help especially in the cold to help the ICE run less are
1. Park in the garage at night
2. Blocking the Grill
3. Use an Engine Block heater

 

"About to pull the trigger on a Prius."

NO, Don't shoot!
Sorry... I just couldnst resist.

Someone from colder weather will pipe up soon. In general, though, I've never heard complaints except that the mileage drops a bit in cold weather. I'm in Portland, so can't speak to bitter cold....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(edselpdx @ Nov 17 2007, 07:35 PM) [snapback]541057[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(80me @ Nov 17 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]541046[/snapback]</div>

Our 2006 sat under a carport last winter here in NE Pa. The only difference was when u are in need of heat and the gas motor must run u lose about 3 mpg. We normally get 50 mpg so 47 isn't bad. If u use a block
heater (unless u need it) u defeat ur savings as electricity is very high. Were very happy.

 

I ONLY get 47-49 in the winter (52-56 summer) because I have a VERY VERY short commute to work and go home for lunch every day.

You only need to run the heater for 3 hours prior to the first drive of the day which I do not find very expensive in comparison to other things in my house that use electricity. Just put it on a timer.

My DH has had a '03 Prius for 5 winters now and neither of us have had a problem.

Go ahead and get it but please don't shoot it - the holes will cause too much cold air to enter.

 

The battery will last the life of the car. The computer takes care of that. Mileage will be less, how much depends on your driving and the weather:

Short drives do not give the engine time to warm up enough to initiate what we call full hybrid operation. When I lived in Fargo, North Dakota I had a 10-minute commute. When it was 20 degrees below zero I could not bear to sit in a cold car, so I let it pre-heat for 5 minutes before driving my three miles. I got 29 mpg that first January. A longer commute will allow the car to heat up and the mpg will improve greatly. Check out http://john1701a.com for his mileage logs in Minneapolis, MN. His longer drives give him excellent mpg in weather colder than yours.

But here's the really important thing: EVERY car gets lousy mileage in cold weather. Even my 29 mpg in Fargo in January was probably double what my Civic got under the same conditions.

Because of the small engine, it will take longer to generate heat from the heater, compared to a big gas-guzzler, but the Prius produced heat faster than my old Civic did.

If you need a gas-burning car (which will be obsolete in a few years when gas is $75 a gallon) there is no better choice, in hot climates or cold, than the Prius. (Note, however, that for deep snow, the Prius has considerably less ground clearance than an SUV. The Prius is not a good choice if you have to drive on roads that are not plowed in winter, or dirt roads that are not maintained.)

 

Isn't the cold good for the battery? That's why some people keep regular ones in the fridge.

I know heat is bad for the battery.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JenGwen323 @ Nov 18 2007, 03:34 PM) [snapback]541313[/snapback]</div>

A battery is a chemical energy-storage device. All chemical reactions go faster in hotter temperatures, and slower in colder ones.

Thus for storing a battery, cold is good. But when you want a battery to function, too low a temperature slows it down and reduces its power output. On the other hand, too much heat is bad also, because the chemical process (both charging and discharging) generates heat, and the physical components can break down if they get too hot. And lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if they get too hot.

So that's why you put a battery in the fridge to store it over a long term, but why an EV with lead-acid batteries won't go as far in cold weather.

 

~smirk~
I'd be highly concerned going from 50 MPG to 47MPG! You could probably drop 20% (10MPG) and still double what you HAVE been getting!

I recommend that you try to drive it the way you have been all along--just to realize the immediate benefits. Then, after about two tanks of gasoline, try a couple of fuel saving tips to see what a difference they make. Also, if you don't want a block heater (they're only good if you can plug 'em in), consider a low wattage drop light in the garage under the car. I used to do that when I live in Caribou, Maine, to ward off penguins....