Anyone got bored of plugging in everyday?

The EV mode is not "disabled" as stated above. The Owner's Manual states on page 39, "If the hybrid battery (traction battery) is regenerated by driving continuously down a long slope, the EV driving range will be displayed on the multi-information display and EV mode will be automatically switched to. If EV mode is not switched to even though EV driving range is being displayed, EV mode can be switched to by pressing the EV/HV mode selection switch".
I have had this happen often, as I have a long downhill run after exiting the freeway near my home. It seems to me to act like a regular Prius at times, allowing short runs on the accumulated regen without the ICE running.
As to Shirjeel Agha's question regarding the charging of the batteries, the system will take care of itself without plugging in to a wall outlet, just as the regular Prius does. In other threads owners have posted about not plugging in at all, due to long commutes where they felt there was no advantage to charging, just to get a few miles of EV only range.

 

Imagine this. You buy a PIP, charge twice a day for 10+ years. Then the car gets sold or totaled and you buy a new brand X EV. Of course, you kept your EVSE from the PIP. (If you sold the PIP it was after the battery warranty expired and the buyer just wanted a Prius). The brand X EV (10 years from now) does not come with an EVSE (it is optional) since so many people now have chargers at work and L2 chargers at home. Or the brand X does come with an EVSE and you keep it in your car to have handy when you are at work or traveling.

How long should that 10+ year old, well-used Toyota 120v EVSE last? For the life of one car? For the life of two cars, three cars? After 25 years it causes a fire, who gets sued?

Mike

 

I'm well aware that EV mode can become enabled again when you descend a long/steep hill, but it's still stands that EV mode is disabled once you've used up your EV range. It won't go back into EV mode unless you have either plugged in, or regenerated a surplus of power from braking or coasting.

 

Funny definition of disabled. Following that logic, the ICE is disabled when you are in EV mode, I suppose?

 

Nothing funny about it. When I bought the car, it wouldn't go into EV mode because it hadn't been charged.

If the ICE were disabled, it couldn't start up. EV mode is disabled when charge is not sufficient, therefore you push the button, and nothing happens.

Because it's Disabled.

 

The question is proactive failure, not product life that ends with a failure.

What are the odds that 110V EVSE would suffice for a new EV 10 years hence? What are the odds that the same cabling schema will remain the standard for far in the future EVs?

 

Ok, so mine AUTOMATICALLY becomes ENABLED, I guess. Again, see page 39 in the manual.

 

presuming 'cabling' (?) references J plugs - the odds are excellent it'll be around for WAY longer than 10 years - just as other UL plugs have remained for decades. J plugs can (be designed to) handle up to 80amps - appx 19kw's ... compared to the PiP's paltry 3.5kW's.
But . . . a J plug for the X is only Tesla's medium charge mode/speed. The X will use Tesla's supercharger network, which continues to grow by leaps & bounds. The X is another plugin that I would never get board of plugging in.
.

 

So given that, who in their right mind would use a 10-year old 110V EVSE for a new, long-range BEV?

 

It takes me maybe - maybe - 30 seconds to plug-in and walk away. I listen for the familiar "double-click" from the charger as I walk away and all is good in the world. In fact what I don't like is when I forget tp plug-in. It has happened a few times in 20 months and that frustrates me. A couple times I have found myself getting out of bed, walking downstairs and plugging in when I remembered that I forgot…..

Rob

 

Does the PiP not remind you a couple minutes afterwards? I don't have a PiP, just a normal Prius but my BEV (Leaf) text messages me if I am not plugged in at a charging location 5minutes after I park there.

 

By that time, I expect to be on my third or fourth Prius.

 

Well, if it is suppose to remind me I have not figured it out. But, no - it does not. Would be a nice feature for the future. Guess plugging in is not as critical as it is for the Leaf (I love the Leaf) as we can still go even if we don't plug in. A bigger frustration for me is when I remember to plug it into the car and forget to plug the other end into the wall. That is why I always listen for the "double click"…...

Rob

 

Thanks a lot GregP507 and Rogerv. I do not see a major difference in what you both are saying. Important for me is that my worry is over now. In fact Prius Plug-in is not officially sold by Toyota in Pakistan and hence non-availability of commercial charging stations when away from home would have been a problem for me. I am waiting for my Prius Plug-in to arrive from Japan and this particular aspect (non-charging of EV batteries through power outlet) was giving me 'Buyer's Remorse' if I may call it this way. So just to sum up, plugging in won't matter since Prius as a conventional hybrid would take care of the charging of traction, EV (when traction battery is charged up) and 12 v aux battery.

 

Sorry to hear you bought a Prius Plug-in, when you could have bought a regular Prius. It's a shame you won't be able to use the plug-in feature.

 

He can use it at home, but said there are no public charging stations.

 

This is true. We do not have public charging stations here. At home I can but I usually go out on long trips remaining away from home for a couple of days.

 

Exactly. When the button starts working again, EV mode is enabled.

 

Sigh....... I give up.

 

about time