Moved onto a gen2 prius phv

[johalareewi]

Traded the gen1 plugin prius for an excel gen2 plugin prius. Liking the ride handling and longer ev range.  I don't find the seats too low but the mrs says the passenger seat is uncomfortable.  I will have to have a trip as a passenger to see.

The big problem was where to put all the stuff that came out of the gen1. And the cable storage slot in the boot is so tiny. But it is nice that the 3 pin charge lead is much longer than the one supplied with the gen1 and you can choose to charge at 8A instead of 10A which is great for campsite charging.

 

[altocumulus]

We love the gen2 plug-in, so much so we've ordered a new one - coming sometime within the next 12 months!!!!!!! If they're not careful we might

jump ship for a full EV.

Aye, storage isn't brilliant.

If only they'd put an 80 mile Battery in, it'd be almost perfect - upto 39 is occasionally not enough (I max at 34.5) - I can get, at best

90% of the range - but that's hilly Scotland for you.

Blame Covid, but we've only put petrol in twice this year - and both times on half-full.

[Catlover]

If your car had an “80 mile battery”, what size physically would it be? 80 mile is what the 1st gen Nissan Leaf did, and that was wholly ev. Bigger Battery, linked to a petrol engine = large weight = less miles.  Toyota dice clever, it’s a fine line.

Read yesterday that energy supply companies are asking for permission to close down supplies for up to 2 hours when needed. Why?  Due to the anticipated increase in household demand due to more people working from home and the increase demand for electric vehicles.  So, the government says sales of new petrol and diesel cars (maybe adding on Hybrids) by 2035 (or is it 2030), but where is the plan to build new electricity generators whether it’s nuclear, wind, sea, or even coal!  Is it the case as with the case with COVID track and trace - UK going to lead the world ie UK the first to ban petrol and diesel cars..... but nothing in place to replace them.!

[altocumulus]

Indeed.

I read that too and wondered where the joined up thinking was in all these ideas on ditching fossil fuels.

I also read somewhere that Toyota are working on new Battery technology, so anything's possible - probably not soon though!

I also read, a couple of days ago, that the prius phv was a bad car and exceeds in its emissions !! - because few drivers plug it in! Another tax dodge for some I guess.

[Catlover]

That is right about drivers never using the plu-in. Heard that the Mitsubishi PHEVS being returned after contract hire and plugin cables never been unpacked. They were being used for tax benefits full stop. And reps, not saying all, but a lot, all interested in is foot down to the next appointment and PHEVS and Hybrids were not conducive to that sort of racing.

[Ten Ninety]

On 9/19/2020 at 9:34 AM, johalareewi said:

Traded the gen1 plugin prius for an excel gen2 plugin prius. Liking the ride handling and longer ev range.  I don't find the seats too low but the mrs says the passenger seat is uncomfortable.  I will have to have a trip as a passenger to see.

The seats are really not great. I have to have the driver's seat far more vertical than I'd like, or else I get terrible pain right at the base of my spine after extended periods of use. They should be much softer, more adjustable and electric!

What colour have you gone for? Are you joining Geoff and the green gang?

[HSDish]

On 9/19/2020 at 10:34 AM, johalareewi said:

Traded the gen1 plugin prius for an excel gen2 plugin prius. Liking the ride handling and longer ev range.  I don't find the seats too low but the mrs says the passenger seat is uncomfortable.  I will have to have a trip as a passenger to see.

The big problem was where to put all the stuff that came out of the gen1. And the cable storage slot in the boot is so tiny. But it is nice that the 3 pin charge lead is much longer than the one supplied with the gen1 and you can choose to charge at 8A instead of 10A which is great for campsite charging.

 

Congrats.

Really like the longer ev range (and the ev heatpump) too, but the seats are to low for me.

Did Your mrs like the passenger seat in Your former gen 1?

[johalareewi]

3 hours ago, Ten Ninety said:

What colour have you gone for? Are you joining Geoff and the green gang?

Colour is decuma grey. Similar to the gen1 plugin.

[johalareewi]

1 hour ago, HSDish said:

Did Your mrs like the passenger seat in Your former gen 1?

Yes. The gen1 plugin seats were fine. The gen2 excel leather seats seem to have higher and harder side bits than the gen1 seats. Maybe some cushions are needed.

[altocumulus]

We  find our seats perfect! - Note the new models now have a full back seat - though that's another storage space gone!!!

 

Nowt wrong with green... 😄

[johalareewi]

Ho hum. After 1 week the 12V Battery is low and the plugin won't start up.  Toyota rescue are on the way. 

[altocumulus]

:eeks:!

[johalareewi]

Toyota rescue (AA) arrived, started the car and did Battery tests. Said that 12V Battery wasn't holding its charge and i should take the car to Toyota to get it replaced under warranty and not to turn the car off because it probably wouldn't start again.  😮

[johalareewi]

With the bigger HV Battery most of my trips are now 100% electric and with the colder weather, the air pump heating means there us no need for the ICE to fire up.  But why does the ICE fire up when i press the button to demist the front windscreen?  Even stranger is the ICE turns off after it has completed the stage1a and 1b startup and never comes back on despite the windscreen demist still being on.

[Ten Ninety]

10 minutes ago, johalareewi said:

But why does the ICE fire up when i press the button to demist the front windscreen?  Even stranger is the ICE turns off after it has completed the stage1a and 1b startup and never comes back on despite the windscreen demist still being on.

My best guess is that the Toyota engineers just copied and pasted all the systems control code from the Prius ordinaire and forgot to delete the line "IF FRONT DEMIST = ON THEN START ENGINE". It is completely unnecessary in the PHV, and rather annoying.

But then, these are the same engineers who programmed the pre-heat function to seemingly not use the dehumidifying function of the aircon, meaning the car is nice and warm when you get in but visibility through the totally fogged windows is zero. 

[johalareewi]

12 hours ago, Ten Ninety said:

the pre-heat function to seemingly not use the dehumidifying function of the aircon, meaning the car is nice and warm when you get in but visibility through the totally fogged windows is zero. 

I have yet to discover that.  😞

My gen1 PIP also fired up the ICE when front screen demist was pressed but i found a way to stop it happening.  Maybe there is a similar hack for the gen2.

[HSDish]

14 minutes ago, johalareewi said:

I have yet to discover that.  😞

My gen1 PIP also fired up the ICE when front screen demist was pressed but i found a way to stop it happening.  Maybe there is a similar hack for the gen2.

Now You made me very curious. How did You manage to stop that happening ?

[Cjohnston1982]

Putting the car into Eco appears to stop the engine from firing up when the demist button is pushed. 

 

[Ten Ninety]

1 hour ago, Cjohnston1982 said:

Putting the car into Eco appears to stop the engine from firing up when the demist button is pushed. 

 

Interesting. Perhaps that's a 2019 update. Mine never leaves Eco mode, but still fires up the ICE on front demist.

[Cjohnston1982]

.

[Cjohnston1982]

53 minutes ago, Ten Ninety said:

Interesting. Perhaps that's a 2019 update. Mine never leaves Eco mode, but still fires up the ICE on front demist.

I'm not sure. I just remember pressing the demist expecting the engine to burst into life but nothing. No doubt I'll have another opportunity to try it out again this winter. I'll keep you guys updated 

[johalareewi]

1 hour ago, Ten Ninety said:

Interesting. Perhaps that's a 2019 update. Mine never leaves Eco mode, but still fires up the ICE on front demist.

Mine too. It's a 2017 model.  

[johalareewi]

12 hours ago, HSDish said:

Now You made me very curious. How did You manage to stop that happening 

Before turning off the prius at the end of a drive, set the A/C temperature to LO.  On the next drive you can manually turn on the fan and the A/C will blow cold air and the ice will stay off (no heat required).  Crank up the fan to get a decent flow of air.  After a few minutes press the front screen demist.  9 times out of 10 the cold air will be directed to the windscreen and the ICE will stay off.

 

[HSDish]

23 hours ago, johalareewi said:

Before turning off the prius at the end of a drive, set the A/C temperature to LO.  On the next drive you can manually turn on the fan and the A/C will blow cold air and the ice will stay off (no heat required).  Crank up the fan to get a decent flow of air.  After a few minutes press the front screen demist.  9 times out of 10 the cold air will be directed to the windscreen and the ICE will stay off.

 

Thanks. I'll try that

[johalareewi]

On 10/6/2020 at 7:44 AM, johalareewi said:

My gen1 PIP also fired up the ICE when front screen demist was pressed but i found a way to stop it happening.  Maybe there is a similar hack for the gen2.

This technique seems to work most of the time for the gen2 PIP.

Manually turn on the A/C fan.

Turn off dual mode if it is on.

Reduce the temperature to LO and turn on A/C if it is off.

Set the airflow to the screen+feet setting.

Let it run for a while.

Press the front screen demist.

Airflow will divert to screen and hopefully the ICE will stay off.

Turn up temperature as required.