I've been hoping that charging up before a long road trip, and taking that trip entirely in hybrid mode, can serve to use the battery in EV mode as a backup in the event of engine failure. That is, enough EV distance to get you to the next town, to get repairs, or at least a hotel. While, conceptually, that seems plausible, at least in many cases, there's no guarantee that Toyota designed the failure-diagnostic system that way. Even if the engine is stationary in EV mode (or at least is not operating), there's no guarantee that if, say, something goes wrong with spark generation, the computer won't shut down the entire drive system, including EV operation. Does anybody know of any concrete information along those lines? I'm inclined to suggest somebody, strictly temporarily of course, disconnect a spark-plug cable and then try driving in pure EV mode, but that might not be safe, so I won't suggest that... iPhone ? Pro
Things to do to be as safe as possible on a long car trip: Buy a Toyota. Properly maintain your Toyota. Never let total remaining range drop below 150 miles. Have a spare, goo kit or plug repair kit with you, and know how to use them. Have a cell phone and a cell phone charger with you to call for help if you need to. Carry snacks and water in case you have to wait for a while. Carry emergency equipment if applicable (flash light, blanket, and so forth).
You forgot, don't drive in large metropolitan area like Southern California! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
For crossing the Outback Outside of Alaska, there are few places on the US roadways where you will be far from in aid; be it walking, cell phone coverage, or passing traffic. Driving around with a full battery in a PHEV in case the ICE dies is over concern along the lines of carrying two full size spares. You are more likely to need those spare tires than have an engine fail in a Prius.
