Prius (or other hybrids) in -40

I'm curious to see how Priuses and/or other hybrids did and are doing during this cold snap. What's the heat like? What's the fuel economy like? How far can you go at -30 before the gas engine kicks in?

Ray (freezing his butt off in Winnipeg.)

Reply to
ray
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Yeah, the heat thing worries me too. I remember the VW beetles. My dad put a gasoline heater in his. I suppose it would be ironic to put a gasoline heater in an electric. At least in a hybrid you do get some heat from the cooling system when the IC engine does run. However, if they make the plug-in hybrid, I doubt if there is enough heat from discharging batteries to do much to heat the car. Even putting comfort aside, heat is needed for defrosting windshield.

Also, in metro areas here, they use a lot of salt on road. So when you drive around, the windshield gets white with salt, and you need to use wipers a lot. The wiper fluid is not good for the temps in this area and the stuff freezes on an unheated windshield. My Neon is a bit slow warming up and I cannot use washers until I get some heat for defrost.

Actually, the temp gauge comes up as fast as in our minivan, but I have to use the defroster more. I am attributing it to the more laid back windshield, whereas our van is more of an upright windshield. I suspect the airflow over the windshield of the Neon makes for more "efficient" air cooling, and I have to run defrost harder. Anyone else in cold climates with car with raked windshields notice anything like this?

Reply to
Don Stauffer

From what I have read from owners and heard from the ones who actually will tell you they have problems with their cars. They have a nasty habit of getting stuck on inclines if the surface is slick. Seems that the traction control works too well. The cars just STOP moving.

The hardest part is finding owners who will admit that there are problems. Most act like Sargent Schultz, I See NOTHING.....

Reply to
Steve W.

I read a thread talking about that issue and it wasn't so much traction control as a design implementation to prevent over spinning the motor. Supposedly it's designed so you simply cannot spin the tires on slick surfaces so you are SOL in some winter weather.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

| I suppose it would be ironic to put a gasoline heater in an | electric.

It certainly is, but that's what they do -- the pure electrics I've seen (granted, very few of them, and it's been several years) all had a small gasoline tank for the gas heater.

Reply to
Doug McLaren

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