So with every other (ICE) car I've owned, the recommendation has been to warm the car up after a cold start to reduce engine wear.. etc.. Is there any good reason to run the engine for a few minutes before driving in the Prius C, or would that be just wasting gas for no good reason? I realize that the temperature will affect efficiency, but I am asking in terms of theoretical wear and tear. Any other winter tips for a new hybrid driver?
It's my understanding that there is no advantage to allowing the car to idle into warmup before driving. As for winter tips... grill blocking, block heater.
The C will not idle and warm up like a normal car. Even if you turn the heat up to HI and hit the defrosters and heated seats, it will turn off when it feels like it. That will likely be before it reaches 170*. Or even 150*. Maybe not even 140*. Whether letting a car warm up for any longer than 30 seconds is of more benefit to the car or the driver would be debateable, I come down on the side of getting in/starting/driving off. I don't warm up a car any longer than it takes to get the windows to let loose of the frost and ice. No ice or frost? No warm up. I start the car, pull out of the driveway, and drive like a granny for the first mile or two. The engine and drivetrain warm up together and everybody is happy. An engine under load will warm more quickly than an engine at idle.
I used to let my car warm up until the ICE shut down... but people like Mr. Incredible up there convinced me to try not warming up and check the effects on MPG. If anything, I saw a slight increase in MPG by not letting the car idle for long before driving off.
Ha! You ought to see it drop as I sit in the car with the hot seat and heater on while I smoke my cigar at work in the morning before I go in. It goes up to 139* and shuts off. Then it drops down to 114* and turns on. Repeat until I get out. Starts out at (example...it varies) 48mpg for the trip, and I get out it says maybe 42 or 40. No everyone could take that without sweating or feeling nauseous.
Hmmm... don't know if it's our climate, but we've always been told not to deliberately warm up a traditional ICE and that this was outdated thinking. Get in and drive without overdoing it is what we are told. Warm up the car by idling › Dr Karl's Great Moments In Science (ABC Science) Warm the Engine First? Debunking More of Dad's Myths - Popular Mechanics
First, the engine & starter in Prius differ significantly, specially designed for wear reduction. Startup is not the spray & pray method. Instead, the engine (using lighter weight component for easier starting) is spun up to idle speed (because it has a much larger motor & battery) and held there until oil pressure is established. That's why the start is so much smoother. Second, when you begin driving, the engine is not burdened with the stress of propelling the vehicle entirely. Power to the wheels is also provided by the motor & battery. That allows the engine to warm-up gracefully instead, at a lower RPM than with traditional vehicles. You'll especially notice this in the winter, when the cold conditions allow greater draw from the battery. Also, note that the fastest and most efficient way to get heat from the heater is to simply drive away immediately.
Well, that would be ideal, wouldn't it? Can't wait for the day we can afford a down payment on a house (and hopefully one with a two-car garage), but for the time being, I personally have no choice but to park out in the open. Really sucks with my short commute. Do any of your recommendations/ideas for warm-up time change if considering a situation like mine, in which the first part of my drive is through our apartment complex's parking lot? It's at least a minute of driving at around 10 mph, which would be entirely in EV if the engine were warm. (I typically get in, plug in my mp3 player, and go). Just curious if this changes anything.
So this morning, and as I left at lunch today, I made quick check of how quickly the C reached temperature when I took off without warming up. Outside temp was 42. After about 3 minutes of driving the coolant temp was at 125* At lunch the outside temp was 60. After 3 minutes at idle the coolant temp was 87*.
