Clearing windows and warming up in winter months.

When it is cold outside the ICE engine will start after a few seconds, that really defeats the idea behind a Prius.

 

Maybe you could put a small electric heater on a timer in your car and set it to come on a hr. before you leave? They used to sell these at one time! Hal

 

When you start a Prius and turn on the heat/windshield defogger the ICE (internal combustion engine) will run until it is warmed up, and then will run more often than when you're not calling for heat to keep the cabin warm. That's one reason Priuses get worse mileage in winter, the engine runs much more to generate cabin heat.

 

Living in a temperate climate means you won't have to use the climate control as much or as strongly as other people.* So, you won't have as much of a hit as other people.

Combine that with living in a flat area and you are really onto a winner.

* We're expecting up to 14 inches of snow today. Over 6 have already fallen. No, your winter wasn't cold.

 

When defrosting any car initially, always put it on max defrost, outside air and only a slightly warmer temperature. Later after 5-10 minutes you can raise the temp and go to recirculated inside air, however if you adjust the heat too high and now have it on floor, then the windshield may begin rapidly accumulating moisture to the point of limited or NO windshield (windscreen) visibility. Seriously it can happen! Happened to me twice in Hawaii. So outside temperature is not the criteria, it is the local dew point on your windshield. That is the temperature differential between the outside and the inside of the windshield. In an emergency, open your windows immediately. The Prius also conforms to these rules. Cheers :cheer2:

 

I use rubbing alcohol in a spritz bottle so I don't scrape. I've used 70% & 90%. Buy the highest concentration you can find.