Anyone use public charging stations for your Prius Prime?

In my case, I only drive each way for ~14 miles but the EV is only consuming ~11 miles. So I actually can just fully charged at work and doing my round trip everyday... but I won't try it yet because li-ion bat doesn't like to be too much discharged to a very low voltage. Anyway, I think it's achievable.


iPhone ?

 

You can't discharge it to a very low voltage. Ev range = 0 is still something like 25% of full charge, and that's how it's going to run in Hv mode all the time.

 

Unless HV is enabled at a higher SOC, according to Giora.

 

Manually enabled...

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Agree


iPhone ?

 

I use PlugShare app to find the charging stations near me. I usually charge my Prime from my company parking lot via ChargePoint charging station. I paid $2.13 max for a full charge. Sometimes, I found available free charging stations from Los Angeles to Bay Area which was great. You will get free $100 ChargePoint credit within 100 days when you buy your Prime.

 

Wow...that's an extreme ripoff for about 80 cents worth of power!

 

But about the same price or less for gasoline in his area. Plus the kWh prices are probably jacked up there too.

 

You think gas is $5.11/gallon in his area? I kind of doubt it.

 

Regular gas is in the high three dollar to over four dollars range per gallon in Los Angeles.
EPA combined at $4/gal would mean it costs $1.85 to go 25 miles.
19 cents per kWh was the average paid by households in L.A. last month.
The Chargepoint fee is high, but reasonable compared to what other rates have been posted in the past, such as $2 and hour.
Besides the Chargepoint cash that comes with the car is use it or lose it.

 

Well,youdid say same or less...

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Gas in LA is about $2.50/gal, according to Gas Buddy. Not where you're getting your info from.


iPhone ? Pro

 

here:
Los Angeles Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in California

Not knowing how the various towns are laid out, I kept my numbers too those prices with Los Angeles listed as the area.

 

You do not need to charge your Prime. Just drive it. If you get a chance to charge the battery at a cost less than 20 or 25 miles worth of gas (less than a half gallon, maybe 1/3rd of a gallon), great. Otherwise, don't charge it. It'll still serve you fine.

 

In the San Diego area I have charged it at a few public stations that happen to be on the Blink network. Only one of those seem to charge on the high side. I know there are free and Chargepoint stations around but I have not run into them in my traveled areas.
I have also charged up at open outlets at my work on the docks with my own cable for some free juice.

 

I have charged it several times at public stations, and all free so far since I can easily get full charge within the free 2-hour charging period.

PRIME charging port has a locking option, so it helps to prevent others from disconnecting the charging cable from my car to charge theirs or just to disconnect for fun.

 

The cable lock might only be on the higher trim/s.

 

I wonder how many of these Primes will be sold for that reason exactly. And I agree, I would rather have the Prime over a Gen-4 Prius even if I couldn't plug it in regularly. As you said, the cost difference is negligible and in many cases cheaper. But the Prime is much better looking, much cooler all around, and at least has the option of plugging in. Maybe you can eventually move or find a way to charge at home. I drive a 2017 Volt, but even if I couldn't charge at home, I think I'd still drive a Volt.

As for public charging. I think that will get old fast unless there is a place nearby your work or some place you are visiting regularly. Not only that, it will wind up costing more than gas in most cases. If you can't charge at home, maybe you can work out something with your employer to at least use the 120V charging at work or something.

 

In South Jersey if you want some quiet time you can get a free charge at the public library.

At the doctor's office the staff occupy the parking spaces at the chargers. If you can pull 6kwh their cost is lower than the residential electricity rate. The lot is deserted on the weekends.

Free public chargers tend to get abused by the public. Many gripes about the damaged and not quickly repaired chargers at the shopping center and the one at the Walmart didn't stay in service long.

Will you go to a gas station fill up, maybe use the air compressor, then hang around for an hour or more to eat, read, or nap?

There is one EV owner who's hobby is to travel the land and post complaints when free charging is not available to him. However, his charger is not available to the general public only to his "church members" that pay a fee.