Woeful mistake by Toyota Prius Division

you mean it didn't come standard, or there is no aftermarket option?

i have read about lots of aftermarket or even oem installs here.

 

It is not a mistake at all.
Only a TINY fraction of owners need such a feature; and only a tiny fraction of them would actually USE it.

If you insist on wasting gas to get instant heat, you are perfectly free to go out and "pre-start" it manually.
A good engine block heater is a much better option.......or even a not-so-good one.

 

The whole point of remote start is to burn gas without moving. It is very easy for me to forgive Toyota for leaving that out of their most fuel efficient eco-cars. In fact I'd call it thoughtful.

If I read your car profile correctly, you've got a "one." No Prius model is easier to equip with aftermarket remote start than a c one or two. If you want a warm slow hatchback that gives 25MPG all winter, it can be done.

The block heater gets you great instant heat and improves your winter MPG almost to summer levels. It's probably the better investment.

 

This is not a "mistake" - it is an "option"

 

I'm NOT knocking anyone who might want a remote start. I do think there are possible aftermarket choices.
BUT....
I would agree that the Toyota not equipping the Prius in various forms with remote start, as a "priority" option, probably does have to do with the majority ownership approach of most people buying and operating a Hybrid.
I mean, isn't it considered a great benefit of a Hybrid that it is capable of turning it's engine OFF...at full stops?
My contention is most Hybrid owners like it when their vehicle is NOT burning gasoline, therefore an option whose whole design is extended and protracted fossil fuel burning, for a convenience such as warming the vehicle up? Seems counter to the whole majority culture of owning a Prius.

I can and I am NOT speaking for all Prius Owners. So if you want remote start? Feel free to investigate options. BUT....I would say most Prius owners would go the route of seat warmers or simply wearing a coat on colder days. I do feel for many, it's an option that is counter to the whole culture of owning a Prius.

 

get an escalade

 

The lowest trim version of a somewhat budget car, not equipped with a specific luxury option?

No, that ain't no mistake.

 

I'd like to have remote start - I don't like being cold. But the only reason I haven't is because I'm also lazy.

See, I own an ice scraper, but I rarely use it. Instead I start the car, hit the defrost button and go back inside for a sip or two of coffee. Buying and installing a remote start would do me absolutely no good. Why? because the defrost won't stay on after the car is shut off for the night and re-started in the morning. Hence, I've got to walk out there regardless and hit that stupid defrost button.

 

def would be a Whoa-Full mistake to a Prius

I installed the new US version engine block heater. 200w
It gives me about 30 degrees after 2 hours,
I still have yet to try more time to see how much more it can give me.

I am sticking up close to 50mpg in the winter, however in PA we have had a very mild winter so far.
I would like to see how it does in summer, since i have a very short commute ~3mi

I dont use my heat tho. just the jacket. about 6 minute drive

You could maybe even put a heated blanket on windshield maybe?
lol

 

Put an electric space heater and long extension into the house. Bam, solved.

 

not sure i get point number two

 

what did the change from the old unit to the new?

 

Those who have a block heater, does the ICE still start after being heated on a cold start or can you hit the EV button with the block heated on a cold start?

 

As far as I can tell, there was only a Canadian version of the block heater, which is 400 watts.
And from what I gather, they may have made a new version of that CAN still at 400w
but also started making a US version but only 200 watts.

It would depend on a couple factors. But mainly the ICE will still start.
It will lessen the time for the coolant/ICE and also to get heat from the climate control.

BUT when you start a Prius, you will always have the warm up stages to deal with.
The block heater will just allow less on the time side, due to the temp side being higher.

I only installed on both my Prius at the start of the fall/winter switch over. So I dont have
much data to go by on. But I can say with the mild PA winter, the block heater has helped
tremendously with keeping the higher mpg for both vehicles since both have very short runs/commutes.
I know that it will add 20-30F degrees in 1-2 hours. But the 400 watter may add more or faster.

@Mendel Leisk is I think the only other member here that uses a block heater (at least has been vocal)
and he does use it in the summer months also...so maybe he can add some data.

 

Yeah on our second block heater now; first one gave off a little whiff of smoke and quit, without any further drama thankfully.

Use it semi-religously, preferably for 2 hours before first start up of the day, some times for second start up too, if I have the heads up and it's been say 8 hours, car near-cold again.

It'll raise coolant temp roughly 30 degrees Centigrade in 2 hours, gives the warm-up process a leg-up.

 

So you have to know your going to use the car 2 hours ahead to go plug it in sounds like? If you have the same morning commute, it sounds like it can be more useful? I use my car randomly so I won't benefit. I'm in Los Angeles so temps are not freezing but would love to heat the block anyway if it was practical.

 

Commuters can simply put it on a timer.

U.S. liftbacks of your vintage disable EV when the engine coolant temperature is below 68F. So if the current local ambient temperature is such that the block heater can raise it above 68, then EV should become available. But only for speeds below 10 mph, it is unrealistic to expect the block heater to reach the higher temperatures needed for higher EV speeds.

I don't know if the 'c' thresholds are different.

 

We sometimes forgo the heat-up obviously, emergencies, last minute stuff, but yeah, whenever possible. Makes you think twice about impulse jump-in-the-car trips too.

Yup, do that. Especially for early morning runs.

 

I always plug in my liftback when I get home from work (hood released already from the misses)
I also hood release my 'c"

In the morning about an hour before departure of taking the kiddies to school,
I open my alexa app on my phone and turn on the amazon plug for the heater in my garage.
Then when leaving to take em to school, I unplug and plug in my "c"
I then turn on the plug about an hour before leaving for work in my "c"

The liftback is still warm for picking up my son from kindergarten at noon.
And then also around 3pm for my daughter if not walking.

I would say for my case, about 90% of all trips are plugged in and heater used.
My commute home does not get plugged in at work, although if necessary I could.

Any time I know we will be heading out, I turn on the plug right away, unless it is like under 15min to leave.