Buying a used Prius!

[Dudeabroad]

Hi Everybody! First time posting in this forum. I was planning on doing vanlife. But i really wanted to do it in an electric van. But since those aren’t a thing yet, i decided to do a Prius for now. I plan to do uber out of it for a couple of years until VW releases their electric ID Buzz. 

What i love about the Prius is the long range & climate control. Very cool.

I am looking to buy a used 3rd gen btwn 2011-2015. Maybe a gen 4 btwn 2016-2017. But whichever, probably the standard version and not the prime plug in. Although i like the extra EV battery range of the plug in...the cargo space is not flat like the standard version. Plus i wont have a home base and will be on the road...so finding a place to charge it may be an issue. If i get a standard, i can add an extra battery and solar panel. What is everyones thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[mpruet]

I have a 2020 XLE and have had Prius automobiles for the past 15 years.  I don’t see the need for solar with a Prius since car is already a generator.  

I do carry a Jackery which I plug into the cigarette lighter and then plug my fridge into the Jackery.  I’m using the Jackery as a buffer between the car’s generator and my fridge.  The reason for this is so that I can continue to power the fridge if I turn the car off for a while - say when I go to the grocery store or maybe when I’m cooking.  When the car is in ready mode, the Jackery runs in passthrough mode.  

If you do decide to purchase a used Prius, I’d get Dr. Prius and check to see how much life is in the high voltage battery.  If it is not in good condition, then you would be needing to refurbish it pretty soon.  Also, I’d be careful to make sure that it is not burning oil.

I do agree that a prime plug-in is kinda silly.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Dude to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

highdesertranger