PriusChat Earth Day Chat

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This question was ask before by many participants of the PCD and the answer is...
All the installed goodies will exceed the MGW of the vehicle to comply with the top MPG ratings.
But it will be a way the get all the technological gadgets, get rid of the passenger and rear seats in order to offset and balance the vehicles weight.

 

The SAE ratings work like this:

The nW number is the low-temperature viscosity. It indicates how the oil pours at 0ºF (-18ºC). It's the number of seconds taken for a given amount of oil to flow through the measuring device.

The part after the dash is the high-temperature viscosity. It indicates how the oil pours at 100ºC (212ºF). Again, number of seconds to flow, but the quantity of oil is different which is why it's so much higher than the W number.

0W is a little confusing because it isn't possible for that quantity of oil to run through the device in no time at all. It's a special marker that means that the oil performs the same as 5W at 0ºF, but that it starts to pour at a lower temperature - colder than the -40º (C and F) that 5W is specified for. Below this temperature the oil is a gel.

I wouldn't be concerned about how the oil performs above 100ºC as that is above normal service conditions. We know that the 2G car starts performing closed loop fuel control at 73ºC (Stage 3 entry temperature), that the thermostat for cooling operation opens at a nominal 82ºC (the manual says a range of 80 to 84ºC is acceptable), and that it should be fully open at 95ºC. The radiator fan appears to be activated at 94.5ºC.

 

Here's question that didn't get addressed in yesterday's live chat:

Please provide some detail on the car's alarm system and glass break sensor (standard, and optional equipment).

In the 2010 brochure I got at the dealer, it lists 2 alarm systems as accessories (doesn't say what the difference between them is), but I don't see any mention of an anti-theft system in the standard features (the '09 Prius had one standard).

 

I had 2 questions. There has been a lot of talk about the weight of various feature combinations. I would like to know the actual weight added if you get the solar sun roof, the 17" wheels or the advanced tech package.

My second question: is ther a link somewhere to get technical info on how the water repellent glass is made and how it works. I am curious why it is used in side glass only.

Roy

 

i also missed the chat (west coast working hours simply did not work!!) so THANK YOU VERY MUCH for posting the transcript Danny!!

Doug asked what config would 75% of the potential Pri owners accept? that is a tough question because Pri owners dynamics have changed since the spike in oil prices.

a much larger percentage now only drive it for the mileage. previously it was techies and greenies.

otherwise i would have to say an unencumbered solar sun roof option would be probably near the top of the list.

i have talked EXTENSIVELY with co-workers and such about the new features of the 2010 and 95% of them acknowledge that the sun roof moves the car from geeky to cool. so to have it only available with that many strings seems extreme (granted the primary age of the work crowd is under 25 and most only had a passing interest in the solar panel thing)

the aversion to NAV, well i wont comment on that, its been discussed enough
another sticking point is leather...raising grassers in any form is the 2nd largest contributor to greenhouse emissions after fossil fuels. hard to be green and promote leather...

now if we could do adaptive cruise, sun roof, heated and adjustable seats with BT for phones that would be a package i would buy (CC can be removed i guess if it absolutely cant be done

 

My question is why does the US car have these "weight and structural" issues when the Canadian car does not?

http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...s-iii-standard-optional-equipment-can-us.html

Unless the above info is incorrect, the Canadian car with the Technology Package includes the Solar Moonroof. So clearly it is technologically feasible to have both. What's the technological "challenge" for the US car? It seems this "challenge" has already been solved for people who live in Canada.

 

Yes, unless we're talking the US car, in which case the 17" rims have been inextricably tied to the advanced tech package.

In that case what we're talking about here isn't an "engineering challenge" (rims are about the single easiest thing to change on a car), it's a "marketing challenge".

Clearly whoever at Toyota came up with the feature groupings for the Canadian car deserves an award. If the US car had those same groupings, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now.

Honestly, if you were to tell Americans that they could choose between a really awesome solar moonroof that keeps the interior cool by evacuating hot air from the cabin when the car is parked in the sun, or a set of 17" rims that probably do nothing other than worsen the ride quality (and which you can add later anyway in the aftermarket), who would choose the rims? Care to start a poll?

 

If Toyota MS is listening to this thread, I will suggest them to convince (for Marketing strategies ) the Engineering/Manufacturing departments to ditch the 17" rims (being that are heavier items and do not help to MPG economy) as a full "accessory" with out being part of any combined package and provide an ECO/SAFETY combination with advance electronics like LED illumination, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control & Pre-Collision System . IPA and leather finish as dealer install accessories for the extra buck. We do not have to forget the Dealers end of the sales to, with out them, we will not have our cars in tip top conditions by their services.
If Toyota would like to break the manufacturer's barrier of "Off the shelve" standard installed equipment combination and be a little more "custom" for this High Technology unique vehicle, please, listen to your " actual customers" as you already had in the past, for a more accessible combination packages for your end users. Besides, "WE" had purchase your products for a while now and know what we want in the newer ones.
The "Scion line" works in that way also, why not the "Prius line" too.
Please, give the "end users", the ones that actually expend the money in your products, more or better choices for the final product.
From now on, the Toyota Prius will not be the only Hybrid equipment on the market, the "others" competition is rolling on the roads with a very competitive price and options that will steer away of Toyota hybrid's sales.
My "Selective Price vehicle combination" doesn't meet my needs neither "my want to have" for the offered MSRP and my voice is the same of many others of the 50 invited to PCD, and we are only 50 no very happy selected people.

 

So the 17" rims are the central issue for ALL parties, then. They need to go.

 

Well...not for ALL parties... I'm glad they added them.

 

OK, but let's just be clear... are you saying that given the choice between the 17" rims and the solar roof, you'd choose the rims?

 

What do you mean by a "hybrid" rim? Please explain.

 

So just to be clear , I did choose 17" wheels and LED headlights, and not the sunroof & a ventilation system, for the following reasons:

1. I like the way the 17"wheel/tire combination looks much better than the 15" package, and it should improve handling--even if only marginally.

2. After driving with HID headlights for many years, I can't see (pardon the pun ) going backwards to halogen. Presumably the LED headlights won't dissapoint.

3. I can't remember the last time I used the sunroof in my car--in fact, I keep the sun shade closed all the time.

4. I had the solar panel w/ ventilation system on a Mercedes several years ago, and in this climate it just didn't seem to be that valuable.

So to me it was a clear choice. I wanted 17" wheels and LED headlights (would have settled for HID if they were still available), and would not think of paying extra for a sunroof or ventilation system.

Sure, there will be a MPG hit for the extra unsprung weight of the wheels (2 - 3 MPG if I remember correctly--a rounding error), but there also is a MPG hit with the extra weight of the sunroof & solar panels--and a handling hit with the extra weight above the center of gravity. Probably a push with either.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

Absolutely. They should just make the 17" wheels an ala carte option instead of part of a package. They could simply specify that the 17" rims are incompatible with the solar moonroof. Order the rims... moonroof gets deleted. Plain and simple. Nothing should be tied to those rims. Not LED headlights, not adaptive cruise. Nothing.

I'm sure the bottom line here is money; that's what it all comes down to. They should offer a fully loaded car minus the 17" rims. They could bring the price in line with that level of equipment and I'm sure people who want all the goodies are willing to pay for it. If someone wants to add the 17" rims, fine. But they understand that means the moonroof gets deleted, and the price is adjusted accordingly.

They can't possibly afford to make every single option ala carte. That would create way too many possible build configurations. But because of the issues caused by the 17" rims with this particular vehicle, they should be decoupled from any package.