PiP at -40 (F/C)

I am sure the car is designed to protect the battery by turning on the gas engine. You'll probably be using a blend of both gas and electric. Pure EV mode may not be available.

 

This is a question that I'd ask the Prius Team about.

 

Are you going to drive without any cabin heat when temperatures are that low?

Heated seats are nice, but I don't think there's anyway of warming the battery besides heating the cabin. I know it might be warmed some from charging and will heat up with use, but for the most efficient charging and discharging, and maximum range, it will need some extra heat under those extremes.

#3 should work out, but suspect the plug in will be operating like a regular Prius under such conditions. The Volt will fire up the engine to warm the battery in subfreezing temperatures. I wouldn't be surprised if the Prius PHV defaults to HV mode in extreme temps.

 

I'm not so worried about the battery itself, but I'll admit I've been trying to think up some sort of proactive defense against the charger freezing into the plug. Maybe some kind of rubber sheet I can lay over that portion of the body and the outlet.

Chipping ice off an active 240v connection does not sound like a good idea.

 

I like to say "suboptimal."

 

Could one of those foam outside faucet covers be modified to fit?

 

thats not a bad idea to look into, thanks

 

I wouldn't worry about the car itself. Toyota knows that some folks will be driving at those temperatures. And although the PiP has a different battery chemistry, Priuses have been driving in Minnesota and North Dakota for a decade. You will get lower mpg and mpge, and at bitterly cold temperatures the car might not use the battery much at all. But gas cars do poorly in those temperatures also.

Plugging in out of doors is another matter. Make sure the cord insulation is rated for the cold, as the insulation will become stiff, making the cord hard to handle, if it's not rated for the temperatures. The insulation could even crack if it's used well outside its rating.

The plug freezing to the car is another issue. I don't know what to say about that one. People used to plug in bock heaters all the time, and some still do. Making a boot to keep freezing rain and snow off sounds like a good idea.

I'm glad I don't live in the north anymore. Brrrrr! Well, Spokane is north, but our north is a much warmer north than the central prairies.

 

The few block heaters I've seen have the receptacle under the hood, behind the grill, or somewhere else where the connection to the cord is sheltered from the worst of the elements.

Another option for plug in users is to find out if the deicing and pretreatment sprays for windshields are safe to use on the plug. I've heard a 3:1 solution of vinegar:water will work as a pretreatment if the comercial stuff is hard to come by.

 

Just THINKING about weather that cold makes me shiver! Thank goodness for living in So. Cal!

 

I thankfully live in a moderate climate, but I don't recall seeing many complaints from LEAF or Volt owners related to frozen charge connector plugs. A few people have mentioned issues with the charge doors freezing shut and making the plug inaccessible. An actively charging cord may generate enough heat to avoid freezing and melt accumulating snow. Squeezing the J1772 handle will disconnect the current and that probably would not be blocked with ice or snow. Worst case, you can unlock the car and discontinue the charging from the console controls inside.

 

To the best I can tell the 240V charge cord/plug really does not generate any heat at all. Not really sure what to do about the plug possibly freezing to the car... The Volts plug release is underneath the plug, and the exterior of the plug in part fits over the cars connector.. So I do not think you could in theory freeze the plug to the car. Or the surface area is to small that the bond between the ice and SAE connector would not be strong enough to prevent you from removing the plug. That is just my take on it. Now if you were going to be dousing the car in water, and letting it freeze and keep doing that then yes I'd be worried about it freezing to the car. The only complaint I have ever seen like Jeff though is the actual charge door itself freezing closed. I personally have not experienced it though.

 

Sounds like someone that doesn't have to a heavy snow region. :tea:

Well, in snowy areas, it doesn't always "just snow", just rain", just "hail", etc. The outside temperatures vary. Freezing a semi-tractor to the road is trivial, in the right areas in the world.

In New England, every year, we get a number of ice storms where ice forms on the power lines, trees, cars, windows, roads, etc. The issues are how much, when it happens, and the temperatures afterwards.

Plus, in New England, the typical average day time high is over freezing. Add in a clear sky and no wind, and you get a car body well above freezing. Now, start a light ice/drizzle with a lowering temp, and you get a car that's an icicle.

IMHO, I'm amazed that anyone would even think of buying an ~$40K car that sits outside, and can not be be pre-warmed. Maybe their "job" is to go driving around randomly and laugh at the suckers that have to work and drive to work for a living?

Yes, people did get to work before remotes. It's called have a "massively fun time" walking back and forth while dumping warm/hot water on the car. Or, wait until the sun comes out (and be late for work), and hope for melting.

Of course, a lot depends on exactly where the car is parked, how it's parked, the direction of the storm, etc, etc, etc. Some people just have everything going against them.

Got Snow/ice?
From:
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in: A modest route to the electric future - Boston Overdrive - Boston.com





BTW: The winters and storms in Boulder and Colorado Springs often make New England winters look minor.

 

LOL.. That is a PiP in the snow! That is nuts.. Either way I still think the plug would not freeze to the car. I will do some detailed photos to show you guys of why I think it wouldn't do it. I did live in Buffalo, NY for 5 years, and I remember looking for my Fiero's in 02 when we got the 7 foot of snow. That was fun! I got the photos laying around somewhere of me after I got my 84' out, and it had 5 foot of snow on the hood/roof/trunk in the driveway. I miss those cars. Granted they got so hot it would literally melt all the ice on the car, and for about 2-3 feet around the car! I never had problems with my gas door freezing shut or anything like that.. so to me it just does not seem the plug would get frozed. I charge outside now, and I have had ice on the windows before. Never on the plug though. I think the SAE design is pretty solid, and even if you do get formation it will be on the aft portion of the charger plug/handle itself. Maybe you guys should pop on over to the gm-volt forums and ask some of the Canadian folks? For a lot of them this will be their second winter, and I am sure they would have an answer for you. I know at least one of the guys has a Volt up in the very Northern parts where they get a lot of snow.

 

That's exactly what happens in freezing rain: It comes down as water, and turns to ice as soon as it touches anything. There can be several inches of solid ice on everything. It takes down power lines and trees. Sometimes freezing rain is the prelude to a snowstorm or blizzard, and anywhere from a millimeter to an inch or more of solid ice will be covered by snow.

It's best to stay home when that happens.

For twenty years I parked out of doors in North Dakota. It makes be very thankful to have a garage.