Hello! Relatively sane newb/wannabe PC w/?

Welcome aboard Susan!

Sure you can do that, but the engine has to run to produce the heat and eventually power for the AC. It just has to run the engine less than a conventional.

 

Yes, in truth any vehicle can do this but the Prius has the advantage of using less fuel to do so. The drawback is that you can hear the engine turn off and on so if you are a very light sleeper then it may wake you.

The GenII and GenIII Prius is large enough to contain a twin-size mattress so it makes camping very comfortable. The Prius v would be even better due to the tall roof instead of the sloping roof of the lift back models.

 

The car will be READY all night and in Park. The engine will run about 1 minute in 9 for A/C. Heat will make it run more as uses waste heat from the radiator.

 

You will go to sleep with the car ON ("Ready") exactly as though you were about to drive it, except it will be shifted to Park and you will have the parking brake set. No worries. Just start with at least half a tank of gas, and do not park near anything flammable (dry grass, pine needles, etc.).

 

The car's 'on', but not running all the time like a conventional car would be. When the battery is depleted to a certain point, the engine runs to recharge it, and then turns off. I've used this useful feature when camping, but only for a few small accessories like a food cooler, not for air conditioning. I've found the engine runs a few minutes every hour, but it would likely run more often for higher loads.

But....it's really not an environmentally friendly thing to do. The mileage of a mobile gas-powered fridge is terrible. Maybe if you parked in the shade, near a stream....or camped further North?

 

Basically, yes... Most cars tend to disable the 12v lighter socket while the car is off, so you will need the car to be 'on'. Although, I would not recommend doing that, cause if I recall correctly, you will need the key to be near the car for it to stay on, I think. (I could be wrong though).

 

The answers above apply to any electrical accessory you want to use, just leave the car in Ready and the computers in the car will take care of it.

 

You only need the 'key' to restart the Prius, it will stay READY so long as you have fuel.

 

I stand corrected then.

 

You can also run standard 110V electric products from a parked Prius, such as a small refrigerator, portable lighting, computers, etc. For small items, like a laptop, you can buy a 12 volt inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter. For larger loads, you can buy an inverter of 900 watts, which you attach directly to the 12V battery. For either to work, the car ignition must be On. This is a great way to supply emergency power, a full tank of gas can last several days to a week.