Prius vs Prius PiP GO!!

It seems like your comments are predicated on doing only only one charge per tankful. That would certainly argue against the PiP. But I am getting about 900 miles per tank since most (not all) of my driving is short and so uses almost no gas. On my 2005 Prius I'd get about 43 mpg, so 520 miles per tank. Of course, a newer Prius might get 50, so about 600 per tank. That extra 300 mi per tank (which is costing me very little because of solar panels) is the reason the PiP is my choice. Aside: I did not get any incentive from the dealer. But there is a huge state rebate here in Colorado, so it is about the same.

And of course many people are getting much more than 900 miles on a tank.

 

Each model fits a different use model. The PiP is for people who drive short distances, can recharge conveniently (and in an environmentally friendly way ), and need occasional long-range trips. The Prius is for people who drive longer distances or cannot recharge conveniently.

I drive mostly to work, exercise, kids' activities, and errands. I picked up my PiP last August 7th (almost a year) and have only refueled twice. I definitely fit the PiP use model and am very satisfied.

One has to start with objectives in choosing a vehicle first and then compare the alternatives against those objectives. Your comparison is interesting, though.

 

We do mostly short trips, and have averaged > 1000 miles per tank. But what has surprised me somewhat is how nice it is to have a bigger battery "tank". (I do live in a hilly/mountainous area where goodly amounts of regen are common.) I simply want more battery--we have cheap and clean electricity--and the next time we buy a car I won't let my wife talk me out of a EV.

 

I have frequent 2 miles trip that gets 46 MPG in nice weather. PiP is able to cover those trips in electricity, leaving the gas miles to more efficient long, near constant speed highway driving. It resulted in boosting the efficiency of both gas and electric propulsion.

Since I put about half of my miles with electricity, I cut my gas usage by half.

One disadvantage of PiP you did not mention.... It weighs about 150 lbs more so the acceleration is not as fast but still feel more powerful than the Gen2 Prius I upgraded from and drives better too!

PiP has better weight distribution due to the bigger battery in the back. It feels less front heavy.

 

Lets go with monthly mpg...
On my 2012 Prius Five I was averaging 50.3 mpg over the six months I owned the car.
On my 2012 PIP my monthly mpg has been between 88mpg (Feb) and 101mpg (June).

My commute has not changed- and I'm comparing the same months (Feb-June) for both cars.
I drive about 1,400 mi/per month and recharge at both ends of my 56mi (round trip) daily commute.
With the std Prius I would go to the gas station on a Monday- then by Wed the latest the following week.
With the PIP I can more than 2 weeks without the pleasure of visiting the local gas station.

 

Don't forget that the PiP does a little better on the highway in MPG than a regular Prius. That brings the miles possible per tank on HV alone a little closer.
Also, you do realize you don't lose that much storage capacity in the back?

 

PiP highway is rated at 49 MPG while a regular Prius is rated at 48 MPG.

Both models have the same 21.6 cu.ft cargo space. The difference is the space under the cargo floor.

PiP can shut down the gas engine at or below 62 mph. A regular Prius limit is 46 mph.

B gear - If you shift to B gear in PiP EV mode, the gas engine never starts. A regular Prius gas engine will start above ~25 mph.

Regen Brake - PiP has more powerful battery pack so it can absorb 38 kW (51hp). A regular Prius can take only 27 kW (36hp).

Regen Storage - PiP battery can store more energy so it can recapture more energy from a long downhill regen braking, where a regular Prius battery would get full and forces the gas engine to run (as an air pump to rid of the extra charge).

 

If you had a PIP back then- and charged at both ends of commute... replace "weeks" with "months"!

 

In CA, PiP = Car Pool Lane Advantage = Winner!

 

I fill up mine once a month.

 

The screen doesn't show the engine being active when it is not making power. ICE will be spinning ~1,000 rpm above 46 mph. You'll need an OBDII reader to see the actual engine rpm.

The B gear behaves differently in EV mode, as I described. It behaves the same as a regular Prius in HV mode.

 

This is not entirely correct. I drive 105 miles round trip. I have the benefit of charging at work but I would qualify my 1+ hour commute each way as long distance. I average 700+ miles per tank or 80 mpg not counting EV. A regular Prius would allow 5 work days. My PiP can do 7 work days. A PiP is for people who drive short AND long distances. Sadly, this myth of long distance driving won't likely go away. I specifically chose the PiP over a Volt with a much larger battery range in part due to the fact that PiP is more fuel efficient over longer distance driving.

Sure, my single tank and single charge range fell to about 400 miles while on a road trip. But that is only once in the 10 months I've owned the car. The other 10 months I've saved ~10 fewer trips to the gas station versus a Prius.

 

I drive on average just over 20 miles a day in EV only. Because I am located on Long Island, I save about $30.00 each month by using electricity (using $4.00 per gallon for gas for comparison to a regular Prius). This amount accounts for the cost of electricity. Based on the U.S. average, I would save around $60.00 per month.

In that same eight months, by having a PiP, I have not burned 96.8 gallons of gas that a regular Prius would have consumed.

I have driven 7295 miles which amounts to 182.38 MPG. Based on a 10.6 gallon tank, my range has been 1,933.18 miles per tank.

 

You used 1,158 kWh (1,362 kWh with 15% charging loss added) of electricity for not using 96.8 gallons of gas.

33.7 kWh is equivalent to a gallon of gas. So, 1,362 kWh is equivalent to 40.4 gallon of gas. Yet you saved 96.8 gallons. That's a good trade!

 

Do you drive it like its a BMW? Can you really tell the difference in acceleration if you add a 150lb person in the passenger seat? 150lbs equals a 4.8% increase in weight.