Can the 4th Gen still be used as a camper or sleeper? Flat or Non Flat Cargo floor ?

So you guys that use a car tent, what do you do in bear country? Do you actually just shut the hatch during the night and keep your food with you? (all we got around here is bear country)

(and I doubt it'd work for us, my husband and 2 dogs sleep comfortably in a tent, but in the back of the Prius, not sure )

 

Oh I haven't been too concerned about bears outside our tent, with our food in our car, I was just curious if we were in the car with the food, I'd be more concerned. One camping trip, there was a very noisy bear outside our tent and I needed to go to the bathroom but I had to wait the bear out. That is how it goes

 

Bob: Pic 1 is pic of tent when packed--Napier Sportz dome-to-go model 86000. Floor is 8.5 X 8.5 feet square.
Pic 2 is 6'2" person reclining in rear of hatchback, taken from tent. We both slept there, but DW is only 5'2".
Pic 3 is a general outside pic of tent attached to car ( without the rain fly installed). The "sleeve" or "tunnel" fits well over the hatch although I installed a hold-down to keep the hatch about 6 inches lower than the normal full-open position. You can detach tent from car, zip the tunnel closed, and drive off leaving the tent standing in about 5 minutes. More details?

 

What is the effects of leaving the Prius on all night idling? Is it designed to idle for 7 hours + at a time?

 

That's the beauty of a Prius. It doesn't need to idle continuously. Engine runs to charge the battery and then goes "off" most of the time. (especially with minimum load).

 

I plan on cutting a piece of plywood to inner size of depression. Then attaching 5 pieces of 4x4s, cut to make up for additional depth and securing them. one on each corner and one in the middle. It might add some weight but i will store it when not in use.

 

I have slept in my Gen 4 and its fine. I provided a more complete explanation in another thread. It's not bad, and a lot cheaper than a hotel. And no bed bugs.

Click here to see my more complete post.

BTW, my 2016 Two has the flat floor with a real spare, a requirement I decided upon before I purchased the vehicle. I also felt confident in the NiMH battery as opposed to the Lithium Ion setup, as the former is well tested and proven technology.

In hot weather, which I experienced in one overnight in Parker, AZ last week, the Prius maintained a comfortable 71 degrees all night with just a handful of starts of the ICE that I remember. The car was left in the ready mode, and I turned off the main display to reduce ambient light. The starting was very smooth, with just a small "jerk" that bounces the suspension (the Prius has no traditional starting motor). Charging sessions lasted about 3 minutes. Daytime temperature was 99 degrees, when I woke up and continued on my trip it was 85 outside.

 

My UK model with Ni-Mh battery (which all uk specs have) does not have a cargo floor level with the folded rear seats, it's about 4" lower than the seats.
I think it's to do with whether you have a spare wheel or not. Mine has the goop puncture repair kit at the moment and I suspect this is the reason I have a lower cargo floor. The spare wheel would raise the floor by some way and I think this would bring the cargo floor to the height of the folded seat backs. My dealer has ordered a spare wheel kit for me which should be with me next week and I will confirm this when I get it.

 

I have "vacationed" in my Gen 4 over the last couple of weeks in the Mojave and Colorado deserts (California and Arizona). Temps in the daytime are already in the low 100s, and don't cool off until very early morning (after midnight).

Leaving the car in Ready mode with the central display off, and the AC set at 72 degrees the car starts and runs for about 2 or 3 minutes every hour or so. The frequency of the start/stops decreases as the outdoor temps moderate. It does not idle continuously. I put the re-circulation setting to "in-car." Talk about luxury!

The AC fan does run continuously. Be sure to set the parking brake to reduce felt motion when the ICE starts.

Doing some quick math on a sleepover when the daytime temps were 104, the Gen 4 sipped about 0.63 gallons of gas with a 8:30 p.m. bedtime and a 6 a.m. wakeup. That's about $1.80 per night -- far cheaper than a hotel.

 

I am 6’6” barefoot and used to sleep so comfortably in my 2012 Prius plug in. There was plenty of room. Sadly the car was totaled :-(. I’m researching and looking at this thread for ideas to get my fourth gen Prime into camping mode. Seems like it’s gonna be difficult

 

It is a Four.[/QUOTE]
any pics of the set