Heavy accelerating when ICE is cold

If it's cold and you start the PIP, when you turn on the Heat to Defrost or heat the car, the ICE will start before you leave the driveway.

Even though we want to save Gas, expect the ICE to run more than in the summer.

 

when i know i'm going to need hv, i try to hit it a minute or two before i need it. as temps get colder, i will hit it earlier due to prolonged warm up time until it's so cold, i need heat as ken said.

 

Just drive it... The PIP has more ways to account for a cold engine than any other Prius. There was a highly detailed discussion about this a couple months ago regarding freeway driving with a cold engine. The PIP has some really smart ways of handling the problem... Do a search for the thread if you want more info!

 

Unfortunately the science of internal combustion engines has not changed since the introduction of hybrid vehicles. Avoiding the use of the ICE and also having it ready at full capacity when needed are at cross purposes. It would be nice of the inverter cooling system could be used to heat the ICE, if it is not already.

 

the ice has little power when cold, just like the regular prius. if you can warm it up before needed, you're better off.

 

True... But the Plugin Prius has a much more powerful electric motor that intentionally throttles back the ICE when it's cold... Even at highway speeds...

And more to the point if you're driving a shorter distance than it takes your engine to heat up... you're driving the wrong vehicle... (I don't listen enough when I tell myself that) Why not look into skateboards, scooters bicycles, jogging, etc.

I went nine years without owning a car once. It's an entirely different state of mind! A one worth looking into from time to time!

 

same here. i only use ice one or two days a week for long trips.

 

not sure who you're addressing this to, i drive 15 miles per day on a regular basis.

 

as a side note of oldshcool ICE thinking....these new thin synthetics even in winter will produce good top end oil pressure just about instantly. Nothing like the old days where you truly HAD to let the car idle abit in cold mornings til dyno oil would get to the top end and stop the "ticking".

I would simply push HV button a minute before the hwy power is needed on VERY COLD mornings. But for these fall temps there is no problem waiting IMO.

Dan

 

What's great is that with a plugin you can drive 15 miles a day

Yea... You're right... A PIP doesn't need the ICE for short distances... I was referring to regular Prius, which isn't what this discussion was about! Apologies...

 

I work 3 miles from home. I would love to be able to drive a small electric scooter to work. However, I also have to drop off my two daughters at school. One is 6, the other 9. I don't think scooters or bicycles are going to work well for that.

 

The electric motors of the Plug-in and Liftback are the same. The actual difference is that the larger battery pack of the Plug-in is able to deliver more power.