To charge or not to charge?

You are never charging to 100%. The value displayed is "usable" capacity, which is a maximum of 84%. That extra hidden 16% is saved for longevity. You can't ever use it, but you can see it using an aftermarket ODB-II reader with an app.

As for level-2 verses level-1, there's basically no difference when you compare to super-charging. You're comparing 3.6 kW max for Prius Prime to speeds starting at 60 kW minimum with the dream of making the current fast 150 kW look slow in future, striving for 350 kW.

 

If you fully charge it and then don't drive it for a few days, that might not be great in the long run. If you fully charge it everyday and then drive it the next day, that's probably not bad.

The temperature increase is surprisingly low with both L1 and L2 charging. The only time it's likely to be a problem is charging in afternoon sun in hot weather. That's mostly because the cabin gets hot, and the car seems to circulate air through the batteries mostly/only from inside the cabin. It can use the AC to cool the battery, but only once at the start of the charging cycle, and only if the battery is already got (over 95F) when you plug in, and only if you say yes to the message that briefly appears when you turn the car off (you have to select yes every single time).

Personally, I use the timer to schedule it to finish charging every morning by 6am. That lets it cool off in the evening before it charges. It charges at the coolest time of night, and doesn't sit fully charged all night. Electricity is also most abundant at night. I pay the same rate all the time, but it might be slightly less wasteful than charging at peak times when power comes from less efficient peak sources.

Now that I'm not driving everyday, I try not to charge until it gets close to empty or until I know I'm likely to drive the next day.

 

Are you currently charging up with Level 1 or Level 2 ?


Rob43

 

Sounds good, remember that you can use your current Toyota OE 120v EVSE unit at 240 volts. Your new charging time will be about 2:28 minutes from 0% to 100%.



Rob43