Anyone from the cold northeast have any performance issues with your Prius? I am concerned that cold weather will shorten the battery life and reduce mileage. Thanks in advance. Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(80me @ Nov 17 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]541046[/snapback]</div> Your average mileage will go down in the cold, but not because of the battery. This will happen due to the gas engine taking a little longer to warm up to the optimal operating temperature. Expect to take about a 10 % hit from warm weather. My goal has always been to stay above 55MPG in warmer months and 50 in the coldest months. Some tips that help especially in the cold to help the ICE run less are 1. Park in the garage at night 2. Blocking the Grill 3. Use an Engine Block heater
"About to pull the trigger on a Prius." NO, Don't shoot! Sorry... I just couldnst resist. Someone from colder weather will pipe up soon. In general, though, I've never heard complaints except that the mileage drops a bit in cold weather. I'm in Portland, so can't speak to bitter cold....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(edselpdx @ Nov 17 2007, 07:35 PM) [snapback]541057[/snapback]</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(80me @ Nov 17 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]541046[/snapback]</div> Our 2006 sat under a carport last winter here in NE Pa. The only difference was when u are in need of heat and the gas motor must run u lose about 3 mpg. We normally get 50 mpg so 47 isn't bad. If u use a block heater (unless u need it) u defeat ur savings as electricity is very high. Were very happy.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(edselpdx @ Nov 17 2007, 06:35 PM) [snapback]541057[/snapback]</div> You beat me to the punch by about an hour. :lol: Like they said, there will be reduction in mileage during the winter. For a pretty chart, you can click the mileage link in my signature. There are a couple things that people have done to improve the winter mileage. 1) Block your grill. This keeps the cold air from coming in and cooling the engine. As MorpheusX said, the engine will run more because it's cold. Blocking the grill will help the engine retain some of the heat. And in case you don't understand the "running more because it's cold" part, you have to understand that the engine will always work to be at operating temperature in the event that it's needed. For that reason, it will not shut off unless it's at operating temp. Therefore: cold air = lower engine temp = needs to run to heat up. Read: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=27547 2) Install an engine block heater. The EBH will heat the engine block and the fluids. This will help the Prius achieve that ever-so-important operating temp faster. There has been some discussion as to whether the engine block or the fluids are being heated or both. Whatever. It helps. Read: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=36498 In the end, come winter you'll be complaining about mileage in the 40s. In the 40s for God's sake!
I ONLY get 47-49 in the winter (52-56 summer) because I have a VERY VERY short commute to work and go home for lunch every day. You only need to run the heater for 3 hours prior to the first drive of the day which I do not find very expensive in comparison to other things in my house that use electricity. Just put it on a timer. My DH has had a '03 Prius for 5 winters now and neither of us have had a problem. Go ahead and get it but please don't shoot it - the holes will cause too much cold air to enter.
Thanks folks Dont think im gonna do it if I cant get 50 MPG all the time....just kidding. I guess I am more concerned about the longevity of the battery. Cold weather, I thought, may shorten battery life. OK, Ill put away the heat. No shooting today......
The battery will last the life of the car. The computer takes care of that. Mileage will be less, how much depends on your driving and the weather: Short drives do not give the engine time to warm up enough to initiate what we call full hybrid operation. When I lived in Fargo, North Dakota I had a 10-minute commute. When it was 20 degrees below zero I could not bear to sit in a cold car, so I let it pre-heat for 5 minutes before driving my three miles. I got 29 mpg that first January. A longer commute will allow the car to heat up and the mpg will improve greatly. Check out http://john1701a.com for his mileage logs in Minneapolis, MN. His longer drives give him excellent mpg in weather colder than yours. But here's the really important thing: EVERY car gets lousy mileage in cold weather. Even my 29 mpg in Fargo in January was probably double what my Civic got under the same conditions. Because of the small engine, it will take longer to generate heat from the heater, compared to a big gas-guzzler, but the Prius produced heat faster than my old Civic did. If you need a gas-burning car (which will be obsolete in a few years when gas is $75 a gallon) there is no better choice, in hot climates or cold, than the Prius. (Note, however, that for deep snow, the Prius has considerably less ground clearance than an SUV. The Prius is not a good choice if you have to drive on roads that are not plowed in winter, or dirt roads that are not maintained.)
Isn't the cold good for the battery? That's why some people keep regular ones in the fridge. I know heat is bad for the battery.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JenGwen323 @ Nov 18 2007, 03:34 PM) [snapback]541313[/snapback]</div> A battery is a chemical energy-storage device. All chemical reactions go faster in hotter temperatures, and slower in colder ones. Thus for storing a battery, cold is good. But when you want a battery to function, too low a temperature slows it down and reduces its power output. On the other hand, too much heat is bad also, because the chemical process (both charging and discharging) generates heat, and the physical components can break down if they get too hot. And lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if they get too hot. So that's why you put a battery in the fridge to store it over a long term, but why an EV with lead-acid batteries won't go as far in cold weather.
~smirk~ I'd be highly concerned going from 50 MPG to 47MPG! You could probably drop 20% (10MPG) and still double what you HAVE been getting! I recommend that you try to drive it the way you have been all along--just to realize the immediate benefits. Then, after about two tanks of gasoline, try a couple of fuel saving tips to see what a difference they make. Also, if you don't want a block heater (they're only good if you can plug 'em in), consider a low wattage drop light in the garage under the car. I used to do that when I live in Caribou, Maine, to ward off penguins....
