The premiere PHEV survives to drive another day. Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Dec. 14, 2022 From the Del Mar, California Toyota USA #Prius Press Preview, I was heading back to the Chicago area to spend a few days with my mom before a quick stop back in Nashville and back to Southern California for Christmas... Normally I try and keep a pristine vehicle, but road miles and weather take their toll. Last night I was in Kingman, AZ after having decided to take the 40 vs the 70 east toward Chicago to reduce the probability of weather delays. At ~ 1:00 AM I received a call that a major airline (I cannot name who) needed maintenance equipment (I cannot state what) driven between Las Vegas McCarran Airport and Denver International Airport (I cannot state why). The pickup time was of course 01:00 AM and I am 110-miles out with the expected tender (drop-off) at 05:15 PM. I quickly looked at the weather and say the storm heading toward the 15 between St. George, UT and the 15/70 split could be a problem and the Vail Pass on the 70 is always a throw of the dice at this time of year. The 890-mile drive timeline "may" be doable but not guaranteed. The 93 to McCarran was uneventful, cruising the Vegas Strip at 3:00 AM was fantastic, and the 15 just beyond St. George was a mess with stranded trucks and a snow-covered interstate for 75-miles of stop and crawl. Worse yet, my 21 Prime has California washer fluid with no temp suppressing glycol added. The fluid was frozen by 26 degrees... A short stop in Green River, UT to refuel, clean the windscreen, radar sensor, camera and headlamps, it was time to tackle the rest of the 70 over the Rockies. As any power driver knows, the best laid plans are bound to be hampered by Mother Nature. The 70 from the foothills through Vail Pass and beyond the Eisenhower Tunnel was snow covered and it was snowing. The washer fluid froze up at 25 degrees F again and it was a slog. To cut a long story short, the not to be announced airline received their emergency supplies with 8-minutes to spare. My Radar CC, Collision Avoidance, and Lane Keep Assist are no longer available. I wonder why? Half the slush on the EB 80 across NE and IA caked to the front of my Prius Prime may have a little to do with it. Fuel in California has finally reached pre-Covid levels and broken the $4.00 barrier as I saw a low of $3.939 on the 101 in Oceanside, CA. $3.999 at a Costco in Carlsbad, CA, $3.659 in Kingman, AZ, $3.599 in Green River, UT, and $2.499 in Denver, CO was in the cards. The all-new 23 Prius writeup will have to wait but as a prequel, the new "hot" looks, VW/Audi like ride and handling, much quicker straight-line performance, vastly improved infotainment, better seating, and better active and passive advanced safety systems greatly overwhelm the wheel to driver display layout misstep, rear seat ingress/egress - ie. less headroom, and expensive 19" replacement tires. Just another day in the life...
If you were a Sci-Fi & Fantasy writer, you could turn your above post into a sparkling crisp novel. Some screen writer could turn it into a robust adventure movie, as you blazed across a post-apocalyptic World. Of course, the name Toyota Prius has be removed in favor of……..Porsche Taycan with a nuclear generator. Hope it wouldn’t be too reflective of “Back to the Future”. But better, would be a “true life documentary” including the death-defying 8 minute breathless delivery of the secret agent delivered life-giving vial of medicine to the President of America.
That's interesting that you drove a high-value package between airports. I took a similar delivery job when I retired and was bored for work, and a similar assignment: I had to deliver a package from Jackson Airport in Wy to Vail, Co. This was on the 4th of July and Jackson Hole was an absolute madhouse of traffic congestion on that day. I had to struggle through extremely heavy traffic to get to the airport there and then struggle through again on the way out of the area. That really set me back time wise. I made it to my destination in Vail late at night with minutes to spare. I have no idea why they wanted this package driven. Seems like it would be faster and cheaper to fly it. I actually lost money on the drive because my dishonest employer promised to pay for my overnight hotel and then didn't. My poor car.
Hi Litesong, thank you! Jay, I have done some real humdingers but the only time there was a promise of a hotel room was when I had traveled more than 250-miles and the recipient was unable to receive the pkg. This company is pretty good about this. Not much more to report here other than the 21 Prius Prime has knocked out 167,500 miles on its clock. 200k by summer possibly? I have to start seriously considering new plugs and fluid changeouts despite everything looking pristine at this time. 2021 Toyota Prius Prime A short layover in Metropolis, IL to visit a Super Hero while on an 840-mile RT from Nashville to Indianapolis, onto St Louis, and back to Nashville in 16-hours. Wayne
