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A "What if.." question...

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by stevepea, May 7, 2017.

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  1. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

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    Was just thinking... the Prime is a gas/hybrid/EV mix. But what if someone was able to drive it using ONLY EV, all the time, without ever having to use the combustion engine? If they just drove it around town, never exceeded the EV range, and charged it properly when needed -- in other words, having the ICE engine never really come on.

    Then...
    Would they ever really need an oil change and the usual tune-ups?

    For the Chevy Bolt and Teslas (I'm not sure about the Volt), apparently there are no oil changes/tune-ups and such, because it's an all-EV car. Obviously the Prime is configured differently, but if one were to use it strictly as an EV-only car (without the ICE ever coming on), could one "get away" with never changing the oil for the life of the car?

    Just a weird thought I had...
     
    #1 stevepea, May 7, 2017
  2. I'mJp

    I'mJp Senior Member

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    The bearings still have to bear
     
    #2 I'mJp, May 7, 2017
  3. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Gas & Oil get old. So, their change will eventually be required. There is some maintenance interval where the engine will rub.

    Never driving beyond EV range would be sad though. Everyone should visit a distant restaurant or see a show/game elsewhere from time to time. Friends & Family live elsewhere too.
     
    #3 john1701a, May 7, 2017
    Last edited: May 7, 2017
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  4. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Even if you don't need it, the ICE will be run occasionally on the Prime. I don't recall the exact rule.
     
    #4 CharlesH, May 7, 2017
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  5. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    Maintenance requirements put a mileage and timeframe on the schedules. Whether the oil gets used or not, it still needs to get changed because of contamination of water and such.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #5 dalcon95, May 7, 2017
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  6. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    I went to an EV meetup where the promoters said that EVs only need servicing every 100k miles.

    My Toyota dealership said that they have plug-in customers who do not use their ICE. They still go in for servicing every 10k miles, and once every 6 months the dealership will swap-out the fuel in their gas tanks, so they do not have stale fuel.
     
    #6 ForestBeekeeper, May 7, 2017
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Fluids and oil still wear out due to age. You'll still need them replaced.

    Hence, if you only use the EV portion, a BEV would better suit your needs. a PHEV is meant for someone who can use EV most of the time for commuting and can use the ICE for longer trips (like a holiday or to see family or if they end up needing to drive more than the EV range that one particular day). If they have a Prius Prime, they have the comfort knowing that they're driving one of the most efficient hybrids out there. (I'd argue it's more efficient than the Two Eco but not according to the EPA).
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, May 7, 2017
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think the ice runs every 200 miles. how do you swap the fuel out of the gas tank, is it difficult?
     
    #8 bisco, May 7, 2017
  9. Gen 3 for me

    Gen 3 for me Member

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    I agree it would be difficult to remove fuel out of the tank. So when I drive in town for a long time and just use EV I purposely keep only a couple gallons of fuel in the tank. When I go on the highway and use the ICE I add fuel as needed to dilute the semi old fuel with fresh fuel. By keeping a minimal amount of fuel in the tank while doing a lot of EV driving it is easy to ensure the fuel will stay fresh.
     
    #9 Gen 3 for me, May 7, 2017
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  10. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    If you choose to run the engine every 200 miles, it will. But I know it doesn't have to run every 200 miles. I have gone periods of 800 miles without the ICE running. I haven't gone further than that because I have choose to use the ICE on certain occasions.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #10 dalcon95, May 7, 2017
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    800+ miles is quite surprising. the pip only goes 124 miles in ev before the engine fires. they must have made some serious improvements to whatever it was that need the engine to run.(y)
     
    #11 bisco, May 7, 2017
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  12. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Some have conjectured that they changed it to a time based formula rather than a mileage formula. When you think about it, why should how many miles you have put on the electric system have anything to do with having to stir things up in the ICE side?
     
    #12 CharlesH, May 7, 2017
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  13. Jnbrown

    Jnbrown Member

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    I have driven 400 miles and only used 1/4 tank of gas. Maybe I shouldn't be so anal about driving in EV mode and use the gas some before it goes bad?
     
    #13 Jnbrown, May 7, 2017
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Page 96 of the owner's manual:

    upload_2017-5-7_19-56-16.png
     
    #14 Tideland Prius, May 7, 2017
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  15. stevepea

    stevepea Senior Member

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    Thanks for your answers, everyone!
    Yes, I do know about how the fuel should be changed after a time. But.. what if there was no fuel at all?

    My question was just kind of a simple, theoretical one:

    If the gas tank was drained completely (NO gas inside at ALL -- so no way the ICE would ever come on -- ever), theoretically would you still need to change the oil at 10k? (Or need any oil at all)?

    In an all-EV car like the Bolt, there's no oil to change. So (in theory) if someone were to completely drain the gas tank in a Prime, then drive it ONLY in EV mode, without the ICE ever coming on (it couldn't -- as there wouldn't be a drop of gas in the tank)... after 10k miles, would oil then not be needed, as in a EV-only car? Or is the Prime designed differently so that even if the ICE was somehow never, ever used even once, oil would still be needed?

    I know it's not based in reality, and is more a theoretical question, but I am curious if someone were to take a Prime and have absolutely NO gas inside, ever, and do nothing but run it on EV forever, if, with the Prime's design, any oil would be used/needed to run the car that way. That's all I was asking... :) Just something to wonder about...
     
    #15 stevepea, May 8, 2017
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  16. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    Just for the sake of not damaging the engine if the engine were to ever come on by certain parameters the computer is setup to do and is out of your control, I wouldn't use the theory of not having any oil in the engine. At least not doing the warranty phase of ownership. After that, it could be your experiment to share with us. Lol. I understand your thinking though.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #16 dalcon95, May 8, 2017
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  17. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    You wouldn't mind staring at low fuel lights? :D
     
    #17 El Dobro, May 8, 2017
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  18. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I don't mind it since I've done it over 40 times across three Prius.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #18 bwilson4web, May 8, 2017
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i guess you would want to pickle it, like an engine going into long term storage.
     
    #19 bisco, May 8, 2017
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i agree, but i wonder why there is nothing in the manual.
     
    #20 bisco, May 8, 2017
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