What is your view on engine block heaters? Is there a quantifiable benefit beyond the convenience? I wonder what it costs to buy, install and operate.

My FEH warms up remarkably fast. The Prius was really cold blooded versus this thing. On my ten minute commute, I get heat at 2 miles and EV as I'm rounding the corner toward parking (at about 4 miles) as long as it's over 20°F.

Normally the primary benefit of an EBH is cold weather starting. The FEH's starting torque could crank over a locomotive, so no real benefit there.

Is it mainly convenience? That's totally understandable. Are there any other significant benefits that outweigh the cost of operation?

 

With 3 hours of ~500 watt plug in heat, I get EV in 0.7 miles, 1.5 or 2 minutes after a start up at about 35'F.

So I figured 1.5 kwh *(20 cents in many cities ) saved me about 35 cents of gas.

But the big advantage is, it keeps my average up in the "standings" on GH.
-John

Cost for the system varries between 2005-7 and 2008.
I've heard, but can't prove the 2008 does not come with the battery heater.
The 2005-7's get a block heater and battery heater in one package.
Or maybe the 2008's already have the battery heater part?
There are other threads on this also... pretty recent ones if you care to look.