Why is the charging port in back?

It sounds like Toyota can't win on the placement of the charging port.

For me, the rear passenger side might be the worst possible place. I'll be parking my PiP in my driveway, and I'll need to back in to get the charging port close to my electrical outlet. If the PiP is like my current 2008 Prius, the nose will scrape every time I back up from the street onto my mildly inclined driveway.

 

I drove the Leaf/Volt and Prius and, to me, it makes scene to place the charge port where the prius is. Here are my thoughts on the various parking scenarios. The front of the car, like the Leaf, makes sense for a garage space, as most garage outlets are on the front wall of a garage, and charging stations where you do not parallel park. However I almost never pass the front of my car when entering it so I would need to make a special trip. Then bring the charging cable to the trunk. The next scenario is when you parallel park. The Volts location is in front of the drivers door and would typically require the cord to be placed under or over the car. While this seems logical it is really the worst possible spot as the door and cable connected are protruding out into traffic, where cyclist, cars and trucks could easily hit it. You would also need to unplug the cable and bring it to trunk for storage, standing in traffic. With the charge port on the rear passengers side. Walking to the car from the sidewalk side and unplugging it from the charging station then the car and finally placing into the trunk storage space makes the most sense to me. This also makes it more likely that I will recharge often as I place my personal items in the trunk space and having the cable their and the plug close by means that I would plug into the car, take my personal items and the other end of the charging cable, close and lock the trunk and connect the cable while I leave the space.

 

Is your outlet inside or outside of the garage? the cord is 24 feet long (IIRC), which is long enough to plug in from the back to the garage if you just pulled in straight (even to the inside of the garage, if your outlet is close to the garage door). But I back up into my driveway also just because I dont want to draw attention to the cord.

 

on my Leaf, i agree that a higher position would be nicer. in fact many have taken steps to install a light on the charging cover to better see the plug which in most garages (like mine!) can be difficult to see with the lone garage door light faintly burning.

but most public charging stations cater to a plug near the front of the vehicle

 

My house is 89 years old and the detached garage is in the back yard, well beyond the point on the driveway where I park my car. I installed a GFI outlet on the side of my house (the driveway is on the right side of my house as you view the house from the street).

Maybe you're right in that it's a good idea to back in - to avoid drawing attention to the cord.

My PiP is currently sitting at the Port of Long Beach, so it won't be long before I get to see how well my setup will work.

 

Agreed. At my work we have a dual charging station in the middle of 2 parking spaces. If someone were to charge/park in the left parking space, I'd have to park on the right and the cable is not long enough for me to reach around to the back right of my vehicle. I have to reverse into the space everytime.

 

OMG i totally mist this! they moved the charg port from the driver side fromt to the other side back?
wow thats bad!
now if you really busy and in a hurry i forget to unplug ..prius wil not start i think? then need to get back out of the car to the back unplug fast and back in to the car running around the prius...
no the driver side was the best place.

 

well, it "could" be maybe "big deal" is a bit over the top, but could be inconvenient.

we also see a lot of chargers servicing two spaces. if you are in the right space, then you would have to go all the way around the car or back in. lets face it. backing in is not that big of a deal...but

 

The port on the PHV is illuminated.

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You store the charging cable in the hatch. So, you'll need to go to the back anyway. Unplug, open the hatch, throw it inside and close the hatch.

 

I wondered the same thing, I just thought that they moved it back there because when an accident occurs, usually, the fenders are the first thing damaged... and maybe their is an expensive component in the charge port that could easily be damaged in the even of an accident, so they put it in the back where it would be less likely to get hit or damaged in an accident? I have a colorful imagination as you can tell.

 

The Passenger-side Rear works for me. And the extra height being in the back helps too.
Since the wife parks in the garage, my car is either pulled up to the door or on an apron on the side of the driveway.

Last weekend I wired a switched-outlet just inside the garage door where I can plug-in with my Kill-A-Watt when parked up near the door.

This weekend I'll trench with pick and shovel to lay 1/2" PVC a foot in the ground, passing under my front sidewalk and around a tree to a spot next to the apron, where I'll install a Lamp Post near the PIP's charging port. On the post will be a weather-tight box large enough for a switched-outlet with a Kill-A-Watt and the CCID box, and a bottom notch for the cable. This will keep the CID out of the SNOW when charging.

I'll install a similar box on the building I work at, as soon as the owner gives me the ok. For now I have a 25' 12/3 extension cord out my office window.

 

no big deal i was just thinking about that situation.
i like things to be perfect
so i need to charge ports

 

On my car, the charge port is just behind the driver's door. I like it there because that way I'll never forget to unplug. The car won't go if the charge port door is open, but still it's a nuisance to have to get out again, as getting in and out takes some contortion. The car end of the cord lives on a hook on the garage wall, since I never need to charge away from home. But I'm going to move the hook to closer to the middle of the car.

 

Yet another benefit of being in the rear-corner just came to light.

At the ramp where I park, there are currently 2 charging-stations available... which are only now just being used for the first time and without a fee. Once established, it will change to $3 per 4-hour session. And to make those charging-stations more appealing, they will be installing overhead awnings.

Having the charge-port as close to the charger as possible is a clear benefit when it comes to overhead protection. The position in PHV is setup well for that.
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