Hello to MiHG members and friends, The Milwaukee Hybrid Group is announcing another Group Buy on Toyota Prius Electric Block Heaters. We will be offering the new OEM combined EBH that is now for both the 1st and 2nd generation Prius. Your pickup price (Meet or HF08) will be $40 or $45 to be shipped in the US. EBH’s are now in stock and available to ship immediately. We will also have them available at HF08 as well. Prepare and install while it’s warm…now there’s an idea. The MiHG will also be planning an EBH Install Gathering sometime later this summer in the Milwaukee area. This will be for all MiHG, MHG, CPG or CMPG members as well as any other interested Prius owners. A donation of $25 per install is suggested for our MiHG/CPG team of installers. EBH’s, in general, are a cost effective means of mitigating the negative effects of cold starts. They can lower tailpipe emissions and raise fuel economy in the first 5 minutes from cold startup. These particular Prius EBH’s will also help speed up the 2nd and 3rd stage of warm-up by raising operating water temperatures quicker. Typical electric costs for the recommended 3 hour timing are about .30 to .40. I addition to this great price on Toyota Prius OEM EBH’s, the MiHG continues to offer a good price on the new, highly acclaimed Bentley Prius Repair and Maintenance Manual. We have sold over 70 manuals and shipped many across the country and into Canada. The price of the Manual is S49.95 pickup (Meet or HF08) or $54.95 shipped in the US. Prius websites have been posting the very positive reviews on this 643 hard cover edition that is quickly becoming the bible to 2nd gen Prius owners. If you are interested in the EBH or the Prius Repair Manual, there are two ways of handling payment. The preferred method of payment is with a check sent to: EcoVision, LLC N37 W26899 Kopmeier Drive Pewaukee, WI. 53072-2340 However, if you have a PayPal account, you can also send us payment via the ‘Send Money’ tab with brad@milwaukeehybridgroup.com as the recipient, with the purchase price in US dollars and under goods. We thank those in the Prius community that have taken advantage of previous MiHG buys since a small portion of the price supports our activities. Two of our current activities are our Drive $mart America fuel efficient driver training program and our new Pump Your Ride to Savings public tire pressure checks program. As the nations largest hybrid owners group we want to continue to promote fuel efficient vehicle ownership and fuel efficient driving in any vehicle. Your support helps us to help others. Let us know if you would like to become a MiHG member and join our 500 members nationwide. The MiHG has no member fees or dues and does not share or sell MiHG member addresses. Join us! Bradlee and Justin Fons Milwaukee Hybrid Group “Drive less when you can – Drive $mart when you do”

-Justin Fons
www.MilwaukeeHybridGroup.com

Just received my EBH - thanks for the quick shipping!

Any word on when the Bentley manual will arrive?

Thanks, Will

Has anyone considered the possibility that an EBH might reduce the life of the catalytic converter...??

If the ICE is heated from sources other than burning gas then wouldn't that result in delaying the catalyst reaching operational temperature....??

I would think a small cabin heater would accomplish much the same thing and not compromise the catalyst's "life".

The engine/transaxle ECU in my '01 AWD RX300 is programmed to delay, with a "cold" engine start, upshifting the transaxle, and and for the initial few miles not using OD at all, so the catalyst will more quickly come up to the ~800F operational temperature.

I would imagine that any of the Toyota HSD vehicles will be programmed in the same manner, or even moreso given the difficulty, engineering wise, of keeping the catalyst up to operational temperature when the ICE is shut down for extended periods.