Brand new PiP club member

I personally do think a front dark tint can be very dangerous, especially for cyclists. Safe cyclists know to wait/watch for the driver's eyes before you go in front of a car. Very difficult or even impossible with a dark tint.

 

We can start a local chapter of the blizzard Brigade if you like.
Introducing the Blizzard Brigade | Page 63 | PriusChat

Were you the one in the blizzard prius that waved to me as I was going south on Lake Ave near Denise Rd Sunday?

 

Last night I picked up my 2013 Prius plug-in. It will join my 2010 Prius IV in the driveway. This will be my third Prius!

My decision to get it was twofold. First, as of this coming Wednesday I'm relocating to a different office, so my commute will go from 38 miles one-way to 16. I'd been interested in the plug-in for a while, but with the long commute it didn't seem to be an effective use for one. I'm hoping that now I'll be able to complete a significant portion of my drive in EV mode. The other is that my SO has a daily 120 mile RT commute to Philly, and is spending over $100/week in fuel for her V6 Passat. So she'll now drive my 2010 Prius.

Before getting this I did a lot of research, including pure electrics, since my new commute was easily within range for one. I also checked out the Subaru Crosstrek hybrid, since this past long and snowy winter my Prius spent many days in the garage while I drove my Outback. So I thought maybe I could get the best of both worlds with a hybrid AWD vehicle. But in researching that, it made me really appreciate (again!) what an amazing piece of technology the Prius is.

I haven't been on PriusChat much lately, though now that I have a lot of new stuff to learn about my PiP, so I'll be here learning and sharing again.

 

congrats, welcome to the pip club. all the best!

 

Welcome and enjoy the efficiency of both fuels. Short commute is greener than the long one, for sure.

There seem to be a lot more new owners recently.

 

Welcome geodosch, hopefully you'll find that the PiP is just what you need and had anticipated. Good timing too - Drive Electric Week coming up in September.

 

I know a lot of people who have this view. It seems like a bit of a misconception to me.

For example, if you drive 15 miles per day or 100, and you can charge just once per day, in each case you will use the same amount of electricity per day. So why does the percentage make any difference? Depending on the cost of gas and the cost of electricity, you will be saving about $1 per day in either case.

You are going to also find out that the PIP is much better on trips, such as in mountainous areas where you can go long distances with no gas, due to regen/downhill much better than the regular Prius.

Mike

 

Welcome geodosch to the club! Enjoy your new PiP. Handles really well in the snow, even better than my Gen II Prius with the same snow tires and even after 9 seasons!

 

My reasoning is this: If my round-trip commute was 10 miles*, then I could likely make the trip on electric only. If my RT was 20 miles then it would be 50% electric and 50% gas. If it was 100 miles then it would be 10% electric and 90% gas. As the trip length increases, and the percent that it runs as an EV decreases, the advantage of the 'plug-in' part of the Prius becomes less significant. If that advantage is too low, I would (and till now did) just stick with my Prius IV.

*(The numbers above are for illustration only, and obviously do not take into account any of the many factors that would affect the actual results)

 

sounds right to me, if cost is your only factor.

 

Actually, my primary goal is to reduce my use of fossil fuels. If I was looking at it purely from a cost standpoint, the fuel savings gained by switching from a Prius to a PiP will never offset the purchase cost.

 

then it doesn't matter how long your commute is. a small reduction by all the cars on the road makes a big impact!

 

It is a sound reasoning.

The fuel ratio changes depending on your commute distance and ability to recharge at each leg of the drives. It can change from months to years. People get different jobs. They move homes. That's life.

The important point is, the efficiency does not change. PiP will be efficient on either fuels.

In my point of view, the fuel ratio is not as significant as the efficiency and the practicality (seating and cargo capabilities).

 

Then, you need to charge it off grid because grid electricity has fossil fuel (two third in fact).

Shortening your commute should be the top priority. Remember, reduce, reuse, recycle? Like so, reduce your miles before switching to another fuel.

 

Even in HV mode, the PiP gets better mpg than the standard Prius, due to more effective regeneration (less reliance on friction brakes due to higher charge rate of the LiIon battery, and more capacity to store energy on downhills).

 

If you already own a GenIII this is definitely true.

If you are buying one or the other new then the PiP can be had for virtually the same price as a GenIII.

 

That is, a comparably equipped Gen III. Lots of stuff that is standard on the PiP is optional on the standard Prius.

 

Welcome fellow Pipper!