Thursday, January 15, 2015

So why a Prius?



My number 1 reason for considering the Prius was the over $4K in gas costs for the Campervan last year at 10 mpg.  The Campervan is not a vehicle that is good on gas for cross country travel.  It is a great regional vehicle, where you don't drive 6K miles just to get to your destination and back. So the Prius 50 mpg is a great alternative.

Number 2 is that the Prius is unique in its engineering in that the engine serves two purposes.  It is used to power the generator to charge the high voltage batteries and when needed the engine powers the drivetrain.  It's smart and the engine only turns on when needed.  In this way the Prius can be sitting there on (ready mode) and the engine is not running. In this way the Prius high voltage battery charges the 12 volt battery when it needs it and the engine charges the high voltage battery when it drains down.  The 12 volt battery is small as it doesn't start the engine the high voltage battery does.  The 12 volt battery does not get charged in accessory mode.  What this means for me is that the Prius will be my generator when I need it without carrying one.  Yes all the 12 volt power I need.  I have installed an inverter for 120 volts that I will review later.

Number 3 has the Prius able to give me 6'2" of sleeping space from the rear hatch to the back of the front passenger seat, with the seat upright and forward to my knees on the dash.  I had to sleep diagonal last year in the Campervan last year to get the same space.

Number 4 is the Prius can go anywhere.  The Campervan at 9'6" high and 20' long was a bit challenging to park and in some cases I couldn't find a spot to park when I went to hike or to a baseball game.  Obviously parking garages were out for the Campervan.

Number 5 if two other Vandwellers can do it for extended periods of time I can as well.  A woman Suanne from Seattle is well known in blog forums for kind of pioneering doing this.  Her philosophy is if a backpacker can live out of a backpack she can live out of a Prius.  I plan on meeting up with her in AZ on my trip.

Number 6 is the pure challenge in doing it.  The Prius is small and has limitations that I will cover later, but it is possible and how possible is yet to be seen.  In following this blog you will find out with me what works and what doesn't.

Tomorrow, Friday 1/16/15 starts the adventure, but my living in and out of the Prius doesn't start in full swing until I get to FL next week.

I had a suggestion from one of my followers.  If you don't want to use Google to send me questions or comments please send to macaloney@hotmail.com and you bypass the google account creation activity.

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