Considering a Prime

Yes, you can drive the Prime without charging it like the regular Prius. People do get better fuel economy that way than seen in the Prius. The Prime loses cargo space; the cargo floor is a few inches higher than the bumper. Compared to the Prius L Eco, which doesn't have a spare tire like the Prime, the lost space is 6 to 7 cubic feet.

For longest battery life, it is best to charge it up sometimes as hybrid only use has the pack below the charge point that is best for lifespan. I wouldn't worry about it too much though if you are likely going to be in a position of daily charging in a year or so. By longest lifespan, I mean getting it to last well past 10 years.

Plenty of people just plug the EVSE(charger) into an outdoor outlet. You just need to make sure that the outlet's circuit isn't also being used for something else to avoid tripping the breaker. I believe you can set the charge rate to a lower amperage if tripping is an issue. Personally, I'd be more comfortable using an outlet that has a weather shield/cover in place; they are probably required with new construction.

The manual says no to extension cords. People do use them. The car can pull 12 amps when charging, so a cord for Christmas lights won't do. You'll need something used for power tools, and the longer the distance, the heavier the gauge needed.

Do you have a driveway or dedicated parking spot. Better to install an outlet closer to the car than using an extension cable. I don't know how long the EVSE with the car is, but the aftermarket ones are mostly 25 feet.

 

Some folks in California buy the Prime for the car pool lane access and never charge it. They do fine.
Discuss with work if they want you charging at work. They may or may not be happy.
I would not use an extension cord but if you do: You want a copper cord 10 gauge cable like

Make sure your outlet is GFCI protected, the plug for the car is very safe, but the normal plugs at each end of the extension cord are no safer than any North American plug.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772#Safety
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#Additional_safety_features

One solution would be to enclose the ends of the extension cord.

 

At freeway speeds its better to use the gas side of this car, then switch to pure electric in the city part of your drive, will have a pretty zippy drive on pure e - it really is a different car on battery power - you can even charge the battery while on the freeway - don't know about that as have never done it and also think trading gas for electric might not be a good trade.

Now, can you find one - that is the real question....

 

I have written about my driving habits. I drive 3 to 20 miles daily, with a 1000 mile trip once or twice a month. The car handles it quite well. It gets great mileage, although the mileage is best when you drive around the speed limit. I make the 500 miles each way with gas to spare.

I leave it in auto select mode virtually all of the time. It selects HV mode when it's appropriate, and EV mode when you have enough charge to use it. I like the feeling of running in stealth mode as I leave the house. It's smooth and predictable. **

To all of the original questions, your understanding is correct.

** In the 1960's it was not uncommon to have cars that stumbled if the engine was cold. This made it an adventure to cross a busy road or intersection.

 

Yes

Yes, the hybrid system is designed to use the engine when the traction battery reserve is depleted.

Yes

You never need to plug in to charge the battery just to ensure that the vehicle can continue to operate. You can plug in when/if you want.

None. I’ve been in situations where I could/did not charge for a month. The car operated like a hybrid.

For reference, the EPA rating is 55 mpg city, 53 mpg highway. This is slightly better than the Gen 4 and nearly as efficient as Gen 4 Eco. My hybrid-only fuel economy overall is just over 60 mpg.

The Prius and the Insight also drive differently. There can be more variables, so, this is hard to tell.

Used Prius or Prius c (which I drove for 4 years) is much cheaper. Prius c fits better in tight spaces. (I personally miss having the moonroof, which my c had.)

To the elements, Yes, and I also do not have a garage and my prime stays outside 24/7. I’ve charged my prime (L1) in it all here in Maine, well, mostly between 7F and 85F, in sun and in snow, in wind and in rain, when it’s nice, and when there is ice. I used the cable that came with the prime, and I can charge in all of these conditions.

Skipping since I do not charge with an extension cord.

 

We routinely get 60+ MPG in ICE mode. On a recent 700 mile (round) trip we averaged 64 MPG at 65-70 mph, not even using EV mode at all (keeping it in reserve in case Gas Buddy APP found a cheap station a tad further than our gas tank would carry us). Didn't need gas until we were almost back home... love it!

 

as much as I enjoy my prime I don’t think your current driving pattern would make it cost-effective unless you could buy one with a tax subsidy. You would probably save a few thousand dollars in gas over the service life of the vehicle but would end up losing some of your cargo capacity. If you could charge at work that might change the calculation a bit. It’s real good for me because I often do some errands or take a little trip then spend some time at home to recharge and then maybe someone else in the family takes the car so I am able to often get over 1000 miles on a 9 gallon tank of fuel but in your case your extended drives will end up being mostly in hybrid mode which will be not much different from a normal Prius

 

John, I don't think you have enough data to make your opening statement with any certainty. The total cost of ownership relies on so much more than just the purchase price and the cost of gas. I don't think that there is a monetary value to be assigned to "losing some cargo capacity" as mentioned in the second sentence. That makes the assumption that the OP currently has a car (which he does not) with greater cargo area and that he carries cargo for a living.

When you calculate the total cost of ownership you have to include the purchase price + operating costs (gas and electric) + foreseeable repairs/maintenance. Then you deduct the sale cost, the incentives, the rebates and the freebies. This last part is often ignored when people are looking at new cars. A car that depreciates a lot is often a lot more expensive to own than one that keeps it's value.

 

my response was based on a straight Prius vs prime comparison based on his usage.