Hybrids and Cold Weather - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

raymr · #1 11-11-2007, 01:48 PM

Does anyone here drive a hybrid daily? I was wondering what happens on a very cold day when you have the heater on. Does the engine still turn off when you stop?

rickg · #2 11-11-2007, 04:41 PM

Good question. My stuperviser at work drives a Prius. I'll have to ask him. I know he already had to do some kind of repair on the A/C early in the summer, and it's not very old. Surprising for a 'Yota. I figured this new technology would have bugs.

Botnst · #3 11-11-2007, 04:56 PM

I met him in a swamp down in dagoba
Where it bubbles all the time like a giant carbonated soda
S o d a, soda

I saw the little runt sitting there on a log
I asked him his name and in a raspy voice he said yoda
Y o d a, yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Well, Ive been around, but I aint never seen
A guy who looks like a muppet, but hes wrinkled and green
Oh, my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Well, Im not dumb, but I cant understand
How he can lift me in the air just by raising his hand
Oh, my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Well, I left home just a week before
And Ive never ever been a jedi before
But obi wan, he set me straight, of course
He said, go to yoda and hell show you the force

Well Im not the kind that would argue with ben
So it looks like Im gonna start all over again
With my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

So I used the force
I picked up a box
I lifted some rocks
While I stood on my head
Well, I wont forget what yoda said

He said, luke, stay away from the darker side
And if you start to go astray, let the force be your guide
Oh, my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

I know darth vaders really got you annoyed
But remember, if you kill him, then youll be unemployed
Oh, my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Well, I heard my friends really got in a mess
So Im gonna have to leave yoda, I guess
But I know that Ill be coming back some day
Ill be playing this part till Im old and gray

The long-term contract that I had to sign
Says Ill be making these movies till the end of time
With my yoda
Yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda
Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda
Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda
Yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda yo-yo-yo-yo yoda

thorsen · #4 11-11-2007, 05:17 PM

I drive a Honda Insight 60 miles to and from work every day.

Once the temperature is below 41 degrees, the AutoStop feature is disabled. This means the engine does not stop running at red lights and therefore the heater will continue to pride heat. The reason is that the catalytic converter would cool down too much and not be within its operating range.

Above 41*, you do have the option of letting the engine go into AutoStop, but leave the interior fan running. This will provide heat using the coolant in the heater core, but after a few minutes the heat starts to subside. In theory, by then, the light should have turned green and the engine would be running again.

During summertime, when using the AC, you have the option of letting the engine turn off at red lights or continue running. In the Insight, with the engine not running, you do not have AC. I believe the Prius's AC still works when the engine is off, as it's compressor is more like that of your refrigerator.

In either situation, if either the heat or the cold is too much to bear, lifting your foot off the brake will restart the engine and provide heat or AC.

Hatterasguy · #5 11-11-2007, 05:19 PM

I'll have to pay attention next time I ride in the Lexus suv hybrid thing that another agent just got.

Palangi · #6 11-11-2007, 07:13 PM

I can only speak about Prius. I know nothing about the Hondas or other hibrids. I am in Texas, so we seldom get below 20 degrees or so.

The engine runs longer on initial startup in cold weather, and it runs a bit richer than normal, the objective being to heat up the catalyst quickly. Once the engine gets up to temp, the engine will shut off at a stop, but, if you have the heater on, it will restart shortly. There is a slight drop in the overall MPG in cold wx, say maybe it drops from 47 to 45 MPG. (It's difficult to measure MPG accurately because the fuel tank bladder holds less when cold, and is difficult to top off exactly the same at each fillup).

The main thing that Prius owners up north complain about in the winter season is that the original Goodyear tires are terrible in the snow. Here we didn't have much snow last winter, so I did not have any tire complaints. This year, I may take it up north over the holidays, so I may get a better feel for overall cold weather operation.

If you really want to study up on it, I suggest Priuschat.com forums, although I haven't been there in a long time. (Too many screwball enviro whiners on there to suit me).

Few, if any actual car enthusiasts on there.

pawoSD · #7 11-11-2007, 10:27 PM

I asked someone I know with a prius about that just out of curiosity once. I said: "What if its cold out, does the engine shut off?" Him: no. I said "What about when its hot out and you have the A/C on, does the engine shut off?" Him: no.

So, if the temperature outside is just right 60-75ish degs....then it will be most efficient, otherwise, the engine keeps running.

I can't stand the Prius. I share the same opinion as Jeremy Clarkson. "Any diesel will do better than this! A lot better!" (on mileage)

Diesel Lupo: 75mpg
Technology, battery, tons of things waiting to break prius? 45 on a good day

Another thing people never consider with the hybrids is the amount of energy that goes into making the car, and batteries, especially the batteries. They are big, heavy, and full of acid. Producing, transporting, and recycling them takes a LOT of energy. So in the end of a hybrid's lifespan, they don't really help the environment at all...they just produced the emissions and consumed the fuel someplace else. (power plant)

Palangi · #8 11-11-2007, 10:47 PM

I looked into VW diesels before I bought the Prius. Found some of the exact same reliability and dealer incompetence horror stories that I experienced 30 years ago when I had a diesel wabbit. It's like they didn't learn anything in all that time. Aside from VW, these are no other choices for high MPG diesels. In fact, come to think of it, you can't buy a new VW diesel right now.

The Prius has been so reliable that it's completely boring, plus it gets double the MPG of mt 300D.

pawoSD · #9 11-11-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

I looked into VW diesels before I bought the Prius. Found some of the exact same reliability and dealer incompetence horror stories that I experienced 30 years ago when I had a diesel wabbit. It's like they didn't learn anything in all that time. Aside from VW, these are no other choices for high MPG diesels. In fact, come to think of it, you can't buy a new VW diesel right now.

The Prius has been so reliable that it's completely boring, plus it gets double the MPG of mt 300D.

I suppose in that regard they are good to have, but I don't think I'd be able to stand it.

Hatterasguy · #10 11-11-2007, 11:02 PM

I'd never buy one of those Prius things, but the Lexus egg SUV hybrid is pretty decent. Has a V8, and its a normal SUV so its usefull. According to the owner it gets about 28mpg.

Its very quite, not as good as the new ML, X5, or Range Rovers, but its nice and quite. You can even drive it for a bit on just the electric motor.