Unless Canada is getting a different version of the Plug-In than the U.S., some of their figures for the PiP were inaccurate. Also, some members on this forum have reported being able to sustain full electric operation in the same temperatures, so clearly the author of the article was not conversant with how to avoid activating the ICE.
It is amazing how an author can write something so definitive...and mention it over and over and it is just wrong. Unless there is something different about the Canadian version or it was very cold where he is. Mike
He mentioned 3C as the temperature at one point...That's 37.4F. I've operated my PiPa in full EV without a problem at that temperature. Also, he stated that it would kick on the ICE at speeds above 80 kilometers per hour. That should have been more like 100 kilometers per hour.
My Canadian PiP do NOT start at 3C. It will start below -10C but certainly not above freezing temperatures. I think the Canadian PiP is exactly the same as the US. (Except we do not have HUD display and/or Entune access )
In upstate NY my experience was similar. At home I park my PIP in an unheated garage. In the mornings ICE would start when temperatures were in the upper 30s. As the temperature dropped the frequency of ICE engagement increased. At work I park in a heated garage (~50 degrees). Even when the temperatures was in the 25 to 27 range I could make the return trip home in EV. Initially, I was certain the unwanted ICE startups would kill my overall fuel effciency. It turns out my fuel efficiency (gas only) actually increased from 114.4 mpg (11/10/2012) to 124.7 (2/9/2013).
Certainly unwanted ICE startups can reduce your mpg. But the fact is that when you plug in you are getting extra energy from teh battery compared to getting it from gas. If you are using gas and electric if you go far enough to use all the battery capacity you will be getting a benefit because the HV mode times that the ICE stays off will be more frequent and longer...or your gas usage at >62 mph will be less. On very long trips the addition of the 3 kw-hrs of battery power will be negligible...but then the Prius gets higher gas-only mpg than any other plugin. Mike
