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Featured Off-roading in a Prius (article)

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by mountaineer, Jan 16, 2023.

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  1. mountaineer

    mountaineer Active Member

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    Somehow missed this article in the Toronto Star when it was published in June 2022, profiling two Prius drivers, one from Calgary and one from LA, who modded their Prii with lift kits, big wheels and other gear, for off-road adventure:

    Off-roading in a Prius? Meet the drivers challenging how far electric and hybrid vehicles can go

    The people interested in electric vehicles are a wider cross section of people than you might expect, he says. Some are drawn by the technology, while others would just rather spend less money at the pumps. But in a world where cars can be an “emotional” purchase and many people associate themselves with what they drive, the basic, dependable Prius can be adapted to meet your needs a little easier, he says.

    “I still see the value for what it is. It's a very solid car. It really is.”​
     
    #1 mountaineer, Jan 16, 2023
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    The people in electric vehicles are wider cross section of people than you might expect?

    Bet you'd have a hard time finding anyone who's proud to forever get robbed filling their car up with massive amounts of air pollution (~20 pounds of C02 in every gallon) every 400 miles. I mean other than insecure big Truck and big engine homers that fear the many threats to their "way of life" how would anyone NOT want to never ever again have to put fossil fuels in their car?
     
    #2 PriusCamper, Jan 16, 2023
  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    There was an article once posted here on owners in Mongolia regularly lifting their Prii for the rougher 'roads' there. Going back to the gen1.
     
    #3 Trollbait, Jan 16, 2023
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    ... and buying Prii because of their more reliable engine starts in extremely cold weather, thanks to the cranking power of the traction battery and MG1.
     
    #4 fuzzy1, Jan 16, 2023
  5. mountaineer

    mountaineer Active Member

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    Wonder what these lift kits do to vehicle warranties...
     
    #5 mountaineer, Jan 17, 2023
  6. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    heh... where I plan to go and do with my Prius... I don't care about the warranty... with 100mile ev range in my plug-in charging in 45mins should have my Prius faster than a model 3...

     
    #6 black_jmyntrn, Jan 17, 2023
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  7. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    I see some funky lifted Priuses on Japanese auction sites from time to time, although I wonder what a lift kit and big tyres do to the fuel economy.

    Each to their own I guess...I appreciate that not everyone drives a Prius for fuel economy alone. :LOL:

    upload_2023-1-17_12-13-53.png

    upload_2023-1-17_12-21-8.png
     
    #7 Todd Bonzalez, Jan 17, 2023
    NOLA_Akita and douglasjre like this.
  8. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    lift with all-season tires, mpg improved... where I go, with my mpg above 35mpg... I'm happy. Any both


    er vehicle that makes it where we go barely gets 19mpg. at a certain point, you realize you started with a high mpg and barely went down... whereas others start low(like a jeep) and then go even lower


    20221205_133710-01.jpeg


    this Prime on 2"inch lift gets 43mpg.
    delprimo-gen4 prius-002-01.jpeg
     
    #8 black_jmyntrn, Jan 17, 2023
  9. mountaineer

    mountaineer Active Member

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    Wait, what? Can we have some details? Where is the battery, what size, capacity of the charger, etc.

    I just watched this video:

     
    #9 mountaineer, Jan 30, 2023
    black_jmyntrn likes this.
  10. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    the goal was a 50kWh battery and its looking like it'll be a 100kWh battery as of today. Getting my hands on the CHAdemO components from the Japan spec PHEV is one of the trains running, the other a completely different unit(which I am opposed to, trying to stay using OEM parts) which they tell me will support the power output of the level 3. Made good progress today just not until I have parts in hand ready to install or even in transit to me would I say its more than POC.

    every day that goes by I gets closer and closer to having an AWD Gen 3 powered by a larger kWh battery. I am still also keeping an eye out for a crashed toyota bz4x as that ~70kWh battery based on my research will work in the prius. The Rav4 EV battery will work as well... and before someone says "it wont fit", I plan on removing the cells and filling my OEM battery pack with as many as I can then lining the rear and maybe mimicking the volt and placing them under the center console area.

    Also, the 18.1kWh in the new NX450h+ will work as well. The 18.1kWh in the Rav4 Prime will not work I'm still shocked I am the only one who is pursuing all of this, kinda odd no one else has made mention or even attempted to go down this route.
     
    #10 black_jmyntrn, Jan 30, 2023
    mountaineer likes this.
  11. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    Where can I get those cool wheel well guards and the awesome roof rack
     
    #11 douglasjre, Jan 31, 2023
  12. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    #12 Todd Bonzalez, Jan 31, 2023
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  13. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    #13 douglasjre, Feb 1, 2023
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