I am expecting my prius in the next few weeks, and am reading as much as I can about it. The more I read the more I wonder if this little gem is going to be too complicated for me!! How often does one need to plug in or recharge the battery? Is there a special piece of equipment you carry to do this? I'm not the young thing I used to be, and might find this a bit challenging.
Never! Own and drive the car like any other. It never needs to be plugged in and it self charges as needed. There is nothing to worry about and in fact less to worry about than a conventional car. Icarus
So what is the need for the newer plug in version? Under what circumstances would you need one like that? Many seem to think that will be a big improvement.
The newer plug in version that is not yet available will allow you to extend the range of the car using grid supplied electricity. The car already gets "a boost" from the battery, some of which comes from the capturing the energy lost when you coast or brake, by putting that energy back into the battery. (One of the big reason the Prius gets such good mileage). The plug in version in the future will allow you to extend that battery range, and get power from the electrical grid, reducing further the need for gas. (nothing is free however as the energy must come from somewhere, but electricity is better than gasoline in this context). Icarus PS I'm sure that any new generation "plug in" will be largely fool proof, sort of a plug it in when you get home and forget it.
Currently all models up to 2009, are not plug in models, therefore they self-charge by way of braking, coasting, etc. (regenerative braking). The new 2010 model will be a PHEV (plug in model) and more info can be found by searching for Prius PHEV or Prius Plug In
just a thought here but lets say you live in nevada or somewhere that gets a ton of sunlight could you rig up solar panels to charge the plug in version when it comes than you would never need to buy gas basically and you would be getting youre electricity for free from the sun this is of course after you spend the 10-15k to buy all of the panels thats what my plan will be in the next 5-10 years:nod::nod::nod:
It is possible to retrofit a Prius with solar panels, but I think it will be very costly and at the same time add more weight to the vehicle making thus use more fuel.
Drive and enjoy the Prius without the plug in or the solar panels, put the solar panels on the house roof and collect solar electricity to pump back into the grid to offset the fuel your Prius uses. Then after the plug-in version comes out and your due to replace your 2008/9 model, you can use the grid power off peak overnight knowing it has been offset by the rooftop array during the day. Solar panels on a Prius would reduce the utility of the vehicle, add weight and mess up the aerodynamics of the beautiful body. With current technology the best place for photo-voltaic cells is on the roof of your home.
If you are referring to the large traction battery, it is not possible for the owner to recharge the battery other than by leaving the car READY. Toyota recommends making the car READY for 30 minutes every two months when the car is in long-term storage. If you are referring to the small 12V auxiliary battery, the Toyota recommendation is that it should be disconnected when the car is out of service for 10 days or longer. See the attached TSB file for details.
While the HV battery does get some regen from coasting and braking, the bulk of it's charge comes from the engine. Icarus
