Prius PHV Plug-In Updates?

For those of you clamoring about how "well obviously we should all park nose-in", perhaps some reading is in order: Reverse parking: A better way to park in parking lots. - By Tom Vanderbilt - Slate Magazine
I have changed my parking habits in about 90% of cases after reading the article. Since the backup camera will be standard in 2012, the decision becomes a no-brainer at that point.
the curbside charging is also a valid point.

 

Because it looks cool and mostly is because is closer to the additional power pack to make it Plug-in.........

 

With the front charger port, it might have been sharing the wiring between the motor and battery, which means the weight/cost savings might be minimal. Perhaps it may increase charging efficiency by having a shorter connection between the charge port and the battery, but I'm not sure how much of an effect that would be.

Also, I don't think the concern is whether the cord will reach. It is more a matter of convenience of charging, since the idea is to charge frequently.

 

That complexity can be avoided by placing the charging inverter/controller near the charging port, not the battery.

 

Yes, well its a "space" issue, as in where do they put the charger? In the PHV demo mules I think it was in the rear seat floor area, certainly not ideal. If you put the charging port up front, then they would want to find space for the charger up front, not too likely to find it. There is much more space where the donut tire and trunk where, and where the batteries go.. probably why they moved the port. The point being, it has to go somewhere...

 

Actually, it was under the front passenger seat. Moving it to the back would reduce cost & weight.
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Come on, don't be so pessimistic. OK, holographic user interface is more Sci-Fi than reality at the moment, but the others should be doable in a couple of years.

Flying car is another story. This is like hydrogen economy, will never see the light using conventional approach. Burning any kind of fuel to power the flying car is a non starter (noisy, polluting, unsafe). Flying cars will be feasible when anti-gravity engines are commonplace. So don't waste too much time waiting for Moller's solution.

 

I do not expect to live to see any of these, I would be amazed to see all of them in my life time. Just pick on the last item, we have wackos trying to ban milli-watt cell phones as transmitters and folks panicked because the fan for the HV Battery emits non ionizing radiation and you expect them to allow kilo-watt wireless charging of the car? Their tinfoil hats will be a foot thick!

 

Thank you for your advice but I've been waiting for more than 10 years now and my patience is running low.
I completely understand Toyota's approach, and I'm pretty sure this is one of the most realistic approaches of all but not good enough for me. I would happily pay more for a little bit more (and less constrainted) AER but there is still no such solution in the market (the inefficient hybrid mode of the Volt is not good enough either). Model S might satisfy my needs.

 

Wireless charging isn't that outrageous...

Plugless Power getting ready for real, wireless Chevy Volt charging

 

You won't hear the buzz while charging and if I recall, the fan can come on as well.

 

Toyota is not sending me anything, and I am a subscriber.
I did get some updates sent to me from Toyota on 9/16/11. They must have seen my post!

 

You're right, but don't give up so easily. Toyota is working with WiTricity, an MIT spinoff on wireless charging.

TMC and WiTricity Form Wireless Battery-charging Alliance | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION GLOBAL WEBSITE
Green Car Congress: Toyota and WiTricity form wireless charging alliance

WiTricity is using magnetic near field for energy transfer which is supposedly safe for people/animals. For more info:

WiTricity Corp. Home ? Wireless Electricity Delivered Over Distance

 

But the electrical transfer efficiency is low compared to a wired service.
Besides is a lot more hardware and technical issues involved than a simpler solution, a proper plug.
I will be unwilling to expend an extra 700 to 1000 only for a magnetic electric transfer device but, MORE than happy to expend similar $$$ for extra battery and "electric range".

 

Last article I read talked about 95%. Sounds good enough for me.

Nissan had even sent out surveys where there were pointed questions about how much more we would pay for wireless charging etc.

I think wireless charging in public places would be nice. I'm not sure I'd want one at home. But who knows - I never imagined I'd be buying a 3D projector for home 2 months back.

 

in my personal situation, it would be difficult because i would be plugging in two cars at different times so would most likely plug Prius in first and its current location would require me to either

1) move cars around after the charge on Prius was complete

2) string charging cable across garage (along with rearranging garage to park Leaf on the opposite side its on now


if the charging port on Prius was in the front, it would be long enough to plug in without being in the way of the Leaf.

have to say, its a bad idea and i have a "bit" of a hard time believing the plug position was due to any cable considerations

 

http://evsolutions.avinc.com/uploads/products/2_AV_EV250-PS_061110_public_high.pdf

that is changing and from GM of all places!!

Early models suffered significant losses in electricity between the wall unit and the pad, and again between the pad and the car’s battery. Not so with the latest iteration, where efficiencies reach the 97 percent mark.

with $2,000 each for adapter and charger, its waaaay too much money, but its a start and i dont think its really needed for the home. i see it more of a commercial application. i am guessing you only need to be stranded once or twice to learn to plug in

 

my roundtrip commute; 11.8 miles


performance differences verses length of trip in Prius under 10 miles; EXTREME (my stats show about 45%)


performance differences verses length of trip in Prius under 5 miles; my stats; 111%

performance differences verses length of trip in Prius under 20 miles; 16%

these are all compared against trips over 20 miles at which the differences rapidly drop off.

i dont have a data point of 14 miles, but all my stats were collected waaay before the plug was an option. i doubt if much has changed since then. also stats were done early winter, temps ranged in 40's. summer performance would be better due to quicker warmups, etc.

each trip done with at least one hour of sit time outside

 

Well the US version photos are out and the plug is still in the wrong place (at least in my opinion) Sure would like to hear the Toyota rationale for the placement.