Sneak Peak of the New Prius #7 - Solar A/C Confirmed?

[Danny]

This week's teaser image has been posted over on POG (PriusOwnersGroup), along with the following message:

For those of you who always thought the Prius was cool, we guarantee the new one will be even cooler.

Anyone else think the A/C button pretty much confirms the solar panel roof A/C system? Can you think of anything else it might be?

The next generation Prius : the Prius owners group

[usbseawolf2000]

I just posted in the other thread too. I think the solar panel is pretty much confirmed. Otherwise, if the car is turned off, you can't use the normal A/C anyway... unless they change it.

[KAR IDEA]

I'm not doubting that it's a cool new feature, but why would an air conditioning button be added to the key fob? And one fob has it and the other doesn't, so what's that all about?

I have a feeling that button stands for something else, and not what we of course think A/C usually means. I have no suggestions for what that may be, however, it is obvious that this is a feature they only want one fob to control.

It just doesn't make sense to me! Why put an air conditioning control on a key fob, and not say something like a trunk release...arrrgghhh.

[essaunders]

I think the two fobs represent the non-solar-panel option (i.e., no running AC while parked in that sunny parking lot) and the solar panel option (which conceivably could yield better mpg...)

[Danny]

Or it could be that they're going "old school" when you used to get one rubberized key and one straight steel key

[Russell Frost]

"As for what it does, here’s my theory. On a standard vehicle you can purchase a remote starting system which does two things, starts the IC engine and warms it up and also gets the interior climate control system going. On either extremely hot or cold days this is a nice thing to have.

But since the Prius doesn’t work in quite the same manner installing a remote start on a Prius is rather worthless. So maybe this turns the Prius on and starts the climate control system? It’s the only thing I can think that A/C could mean.

If so it would be great here because those cold days are, well, quite cold.

Now, with all that said and with great deference to Toyota, this would really only be useful if they significantly increased the range of the smartkey. If I have to go stand next to the car to start this “remote system” then it’s not really practical.

Which brings me back the idea that maybe it is something else.

Truth is, I don’t know and I’m guessing just like everyone else."

I'd love to what you folks here think. That's my best guess at this point.

Thanks to Danny and Evan for the link.

[maseace]

I bet it's just to start the A/C before you get to the car to get the major heat out before entering. Since it only needs the traction battery to run, it probably only engages if the state of charge is high enough.

[patsparks]

The range of the push button remote in the key is a lot higher than the smart key range.

This is a remote auto airconditioning switch allowing the computer to determine if the engine needs to run to heat the cabin or if the airconditioning can just run from the traction battery. A solar panel to top up the battery when parked in the sun would be a nice feature because it would allow longer run time for the auto AC before the ICE needs to run.

Of course an EBH would reduce run time for the ICE in cold weather and a solar panel next to useless if you park under cover.

Did anyone else notice the lock and unlock buttons are reversed from the positions on the current fob?
Also Australia doesn't get the panic alarm so no red button here.

[chich2000]

It could be that the solar A/C is confirmed, but regardless if this is the new fob it look extremely cheap, and like it was put together in a day. It will not be as nice looking as the current one. I hate when the downgrade on something like this when it's suppose to be an upgrade to a new and fresh model. There should not be a downgrade in quality.

[Ron Dupuy]

Looks like a remote start for climate control. The second fob shows it is an option. It doesn't look like a downgrade to me, even a little bit of an upgrade.