Sleeping in a Sienna Hybrid - My Overnight Routine with Climate Control - Nomad Van Life Toyota

[@jeeping32810]

I just bought my own Sienna today. I pick it up on 03/15, because it is in Miami. I live in Austin. Price and features matched my needs. I have been rewatching Kevins vids... i am so ready to start making my own adventures... mine will probably be very different vids than Kevin... but Kevin is the first person i have seen, the OG hybrid van using climate control style... you have been a true inspiration along the way.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for your support and best of luck in your journey! I look forward to checking out your videos. Let me know when you post 👍

[@johnhuttenberger6278]

Nice setup! I camp in my Prius all the time on fun weekend trips. Climate control is a game changer! wether it’s cold or hot outside I’m sleeping in my preferred 65 degrees all year round. One note, I always crack a window for carbon dioxide. I suppose you could leave the vent open on the climate control but I’ve done this for years and always works. Gotta love the Toyota lineup of hybrids 👏👏👏

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

You know it! I looked at a Prius first, but it was a little small for me to lay out fully. Safe travels and enjoy the climate control 😀

[@johnhuttenberger6278]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele minivan is superior for comfort and space. I didn’t plan on it when I bought the Prius but it has some sneaky room. I’m 6ft and fit perfectly in it. It’s also wider than i thought originally so for 48mpg’s I’ll take it. My buddy has the sienna and loves it! Way more space though for both sleeping and cargo. Better option if it’s a larger part of your life for sure!

[@HighHorsepower220]

I've got a Sienna myself. Captains chairs in the back and a 3rd-row bench seat that I keep folded into the floor. What an amazing vehicle. I love mine.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Awesome I agree, safe travels 😀👍

[@youaskedforit7973]

Sienna is the way to go! I also have a Sienna SE with the clear tail lights. I been living in it for 2yrs now and probably the best car to live in it full time 24/7

[@Mark-pz3lq]

I'm amazed you can leave it on that long in cold weather. Is this why you say it's the best vehicle to live in

[@KarmicPatina]

I lived in a park and ride for 3 months, in a Toyota Previa. Wifi, and a movie theater/ grocery store/Starbucks next door!!! It was amazing!!!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It’s great when resources are close by 😀

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

I've done a lot of car camping in my 2019, and now 2022 Prius. > Truck stops are your friend. They always have security, and "encourage" car camping, as they know they will likely get some of your $. Best of all $15 private bathrooms and showers. You can top your car off with gas, get ice for the icebox, snacks, drinks, everything you need to roll. One stop shop. I set my phone alarm for 4 am, and I'm rolling by 5:15. Good for another 700-800 miles, by sunset. But hey, if I had a Sienna, I'd be ripping those rear seats completely out immediately, to set up a full length bed on one side, and storage all the way down the other. Anyway, a RAV 4 used to be my car camping dream car... but the more I think about it, a Sienna would probably be a better choice. Oh, and on a parting word.... Why is everyone always worried about somebody seeing them in the car ? I have limo black tint all the way around my Prius which makes it virtually impossible to see anything. I could easily put up one of those sun shade things in the windshield if I was worried about it, but I can't imagine anyone wants to see my big ugly ass anyway :) lol

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for your thoughts on the nomad life and stay safe out there 😀

[@charlied4850]

I used to do a lot of backpacking before I aged out of that hobby. I now go carpacking in my 2013 Sienna. It’s great fun on the road!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Excellent, Sienna for the win! Safe travels 👍

[@brianmef71]

I have a 2015 Toyota Prius C which has a climate control thermostat in the car as you do and I have found if I put the car in "Eco mode", the engine doesn't kick on as much because it turns down the power on the AC.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I think that is the case in Eco mode 👍

[@patrickdozier2146]

Good video

[@CarlaRFowler]

The RVs need this feature

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes! 👍

[@EfficientRVer]

In a very cold climate, you totally lose stealth due to the exhaust vapor plume. Plus, condensation drips out of the exhaust pipe, and freezes into a pancake of ice on the ground! That's why I greatly prefer my Prius Prime (which can go for about 6 to 16 hours of AC/heat use without the engine kicking on) over my Prius (more like 6-16 minutes) when parking anywhere you're likely to be spotted and "get the knock". Before the pandemic, I was a professional poker player staying in free 4-star hotel rooms on weekdays, and stealth sleeping in my car in a tightly patrolled parking lot on Friday and Saturday nights. I never "got the knock" until Feb 2020, just a few weeks before Covid shut down the casinos here anyway. It was because the super cold Feb weather made the engine kick on after about 6 hours, before my wake-up alarm, and security spotted the exhaust plume.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Interesting! Never thought about the exhaust in winter but it makes sense. Congrats on the Prime, that sounds amazing to not have the engine kicking on so much.

How is your body statue, if I may?

[@badazz2969]

You can run a flex pipe roughly 15feet of it out the back the pipe will not freeze if you use a rubber flex pipe like shops use in the winter that runs out the doors

[@rono33]

Can you please clarify something on the Prius Prime for me (My sister's (older model) Prius only cooled the air when the engine kicked on but on battery power it was "fan blower" only, no compressor) again it was I believe the first old Prius model. I'm wondering if the new one makes cold air during battery only? thx :)

@@rono33 yes. I drive 2020 Prius AWD XLE. Climate control runs on battery

[@jimhine]

Cool idea thanks

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sure thing thanks for checking it out 👍

[@PVo-1111]

I sleep in my hybrid rav4 sometimes when I camp and bad weather comes. The engine kicked on 5 times for 15 minutes each time. I turn off my radio display and dim my gauges to conserve as much battery as possible.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

👍

[@raccoons392]

Thank you for the video, very helpful. I'm thinking of travel and am too big for a prius, this however changes everything. A van is MUCH BIGGER inside!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for watching and best of luck with whichever way you go!

[@ErinoftheValley]

Thank you so much for creating and sharing this video. You’ve answered questions that I’ve had about the hybrid. 😃

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Great to hear thanks for watching 😀

[@R56Cooper]

Great vid! Question-- how often and for how long at a time does the engine kick on while the AC is on? How many times in one hour does the engine turn on? And for how long? Thanks!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Of course it depends on the difference between the outside temperature, and what you set your climate control at. But on average, I would say it kicks on every 15 minutes for about one to two minutes. Another factor is the level of charge of the hybrid batteries. I will say that cooling with the AC is more efficient and uses less gas than heating.

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

Stealth is overrated. I park in a handicap parking at a closed business preferred in front of a security camera. I've woken up with law parked near he saw my sleep apnea mask and my wake time was 5-6. Usually they don't mind if you get gone before the world needs your parking spot.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Agreed!

[@salvisingh9113]

I wasn't sure if to buy van or not but you made it easy so buy next week I'll have one as well. Thanks

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sounds good, I am enjoying it so far. Best of luck to you!

[@ParadoxdesignsOrg]

I wish i had this. lol... last summer i was sitting in the back of my van and it was near 50C inside.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Indeed climate control is a game changer, especially for sleeping

[@janaraines233]

kevin, i loved my 2006 sienna for sleeping. My new hybrid 2023 has vertical hooks that stick up . PLEASE elaborate how you made the floor FLAT. the back seats are not 'flat' when folded down. either. in one video you dedicated about 1 sentance to saying : ..."carpet over plywood." How thick plywood? notched to fit over the vertical hooks? removeable( heavy?!), for passengers. I keep a Porta Potty in van...fyi and drape black sheets. [Old van was SO EASY to just sleep on the floor.] Also can you do a how to video on how to set the garage door opener for those of us with ZERO tech skills, the manual has 3 grown adults unable to set opener? thank you - J

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hello and thanks for watching. If you go back about a year and a half on my Vanlife playlist you can find videos with more info about the build. I removed all the seats, built up a level frame higher than the nasty sharp seat rails, and used a 3/4” 4x8 sheet of plywood. Not sure if your 2023 is the same as far as the seat rails sticking up in the same fashion. Sorry I don’t use the garage door opener as I no longer have a garage 😀 Best of luck to you and safe travels!

[@bubbalo3388]

Hybrids are great for parents with kids in sports who spend a lot of time waiting for their children. You can run the climate system and relax without the engine constantly running depending on how high you run everything as mentioned on here. Depending on how cold it is and how I am dressed. Sometimes i just turn on the heated seats and it can go pretty long in between when the engine kicks on.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes indeed, comfortable to hang out and wait 👍

[@mimiseeyou]

Informative

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for checking it out 😀

[@mimipacheco722]

There are some very good quality sleep masks to use for complete darkness when needed.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I have used them in the past, thanks for watching 👍

[@jannloderhose4816]

Thanks for the video! We are considering a sienna and wondered if you could do this. Could you also do a video showing what you sleep on, in the Sienna?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sure thing will shoot it today, thanks for watching 👍

[@SD-co9xe]

Have you considered getting a battery operated fan to drown out the noise of the car starting and stopping? They have portable batteries that you can recharge with Solar.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Not a bad idea thanks!

[@luperamos7307]

Very informative. I'm actually wondering what your tire choice is for this vehicle given that you find yourself on some dirt roads at times.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for checking it out. I’m running Goodyear all season tires. I forget the actual model number but they are good. They’re kind of an overall tire versus off-road.

[@user5871]

If youre in the back, would it be better to run thr aircon only in the back, and not in the front?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Good question but I find the front AC is much more powerful than the back. Sometimes I run both it just depends. Thanks for watching.👍

[@Bear_Arms]

I would put a lock on the steering wheel if I was sleeping in a running car regularly. Otherwise, if someone smashed a window they could easily drive off with you still inside the vehicle.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Good idea 👍

[@RobertFWWhitlock]

Might want to practice martial arts and carry a taser as well.

[@EfficientRVer]

If they like sitting on broken glass, they could. OUCH! Personally, I'd much rather be able to hop into the driver's seat and drive away without stopping to undo a lock, in the 99.9% of cases where you find something unacceptable about a situation, where they HAVEN'T broken your window. If you're sleeping anywhere than someone breaking in knowing you're inside is even a remote possibility, you've made a HUGE mistake deciding to park there. If you're worried about someone driving away with you, and you'd rather fight them then and there, put a kill switch in the back that you can use to turn the car off. Or be ready to stick a sword through the driver's seat upon being kidnapped.

[@nick1122]

What sucks is when the motor kicks on ,the radiator fan kicks on with the AC ,it makes it loud then people know your in there , but I guess that can’t be helped

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Agreed, it can ruin your stealth if people are paying attention and/or walk by just as they kick on.

[@manilamartin1001]

wow. enjoy. I'm looking for a new car out here in Philippines. I wish the Sienna wasn't so expensive here. Over $60k

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Wow that’s a lot, I paid 42 two years ago here in the US

[@manilamartin1001]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele they only sell the highest variant plus there is a luxury tax for that car. High end luxury items get an extra tax as does entertainment and we also have a high sin tax here in Philippines.

[@mollymartian9969]

thanks for the video. i didn't know the Sienna could do that! do you ever run the AC at night that way? does it use a ton of gas? thanks again :)

[@DCDura]

Would definitely dim the dashboard illumination.

[@bd5866]

Thank you for sharing!!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

😎👍

[@franmccampbell2597]

Thank you for posting this educational video on the climate control in the Sienna. May I ask about interior measurements? How wide (inches)is it in the back ABOVE the wheel wells? And, how wide is the interior from side to side where the middle seat is? Thanks so much!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi and thanks for watching, the width at the wheel wells is 48” - above that closer to 52”. The width from sliding door to sliding door is about 66” hope that helps.

[@franmccampbell2597]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele yes it does. Thank you!

[@allenchen685]

Interesting! Subscribed.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for checking it out 👍

[@Coleen_West]

Interesting -- QUESTION -- Is there some way to increase the size of the lithium battery, in order to reduce the engine starts? Can an external battery be hooked up? How about disabling the lights etc when the engine kicks in, is that possible? (In stealth mode I wouldn't want any lights to automatically come on)

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hello - good question but I am not sure if hooking up external batteries can be done. I’ve never seen it anyway, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. As far as the lights go, I do disable them via the controls on the turn signal arm whenever I park so they don’t come on regardless of what the engine is doing. Thanks for watching!

[@markalfarone]

Just curious, if you’re sleeping in the back, can you just put on the back A/C and leave the front A/ C off? Would that stop the engine from starting as often?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes you can but I’ve had better cooling with the front on with or without the back so far

[@GHNairn]

What about exhaust fumes when engine running? Do you gave a carbon monoxide detector? Also, did you consider a Rav4 instead? Why you pick the Sienna? Thank you 😊

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi GH, I do have a CO detector on board just in case. I did look at a RAV and Highlander but I wanted more room inside. Thanks for watching!

[@samyin1674]

First time watch your blog, I love your channel! I always want to try stealth camping while I am on the road trip which save me tons of money for accommodation. I make an order for rav4 hybrid that I have to wait at least 6 months here in Vancouver. I wish I could get the car and be on the road. Thank u for sharing!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sure thing and best of luck getting your RAV4 😀

[@Ithumpify]

The van turns the engine on and off to run the heat? Must be a pretty new model.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes 2021 was the first year of the hybrid Sienna

[@aTodaCreature]

What was the outside temperature? And what was the hottest temperature you’ve been in and slept in your van? Pretty good video,

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I think it was down to the 40s that night. Hottest I’ve slept in so far was 101° in Southwest Arizona. Thanks for watching 👍

[@TheAntiqBoutiq]

Also since you have the system set to meet a temperature, by turning the back fans off, it’s taking longer to reach that temperature. I’d put them on and you’ll see the car kicks on less.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I do have a CO detector 👍 thanks for your thoughts on the fan!

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I do have a CO detector 👍 thanks for your thoughts on the fan!

[@wellgreatengineeringltd3884]

Was sleeping in my Van on a street. Someone saw the engine was going on and off and called the state police. They told me to leave the area and did not arrest me. Scared me a bit.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sorry to hear and yes that can happen. One of the downsides of nomad life.

[@boobtubeakatv1296]

To thwart the police saying you can't sleepbin your car, have it plated with Motor Home Plates instead of Passenger Car ones... It's not much more expensive as they are then done by weight... Works for legit campgrounds too...

[@100toeface]

Is the engine really that loud when it comes on that people would hear it from that far away and call the police? Geez, can't believe people have nothing better to do. Not like it is affecting them in any way.

[@lanceg2533]

Imagine having nothing better to do than call the police because a car turned on and off…

[@cic-jakevanddalgeemyers.2739]

Kool...

[@michaelsmith5463]

QUESTION: What did you do with the back seats?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

They are stored at my sister’s house. Good question as if I couldn’t do this where would they go, I guess I’d have to rent a storage facility. Don’t want to just throw them away.

[@survivaljulia9861]

How much gas do you think it uses for your climate in this example for 1 night.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Probably at most a gallon. It’s typically 1/10 of a gallon per hour. Heating uses more gas than cooling with the A/C in general.

[@edf108]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele Excellent. A hybrid can only generate heat using the engine coolant. A plug-in hybrid, such as the Prius Prime, has a heat pump that runs off the battery and is much more efficient. That is why they are being used in homes, heat pumps can transfer either direction, so they can cool or heat the interior.

[@forrestwheeler916]

Did you need to remove the mid seats in order to sleep in the van ?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I removed the middle row and the rear seats. If you go back about two years in my Van Life playlist you can see the process.

[@larryc1616]

Can you shut-off the front climate control and just have the rear on?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes but it doesn’t seem as powerful or efficient as the front

[@Dirtyfilipinokid]

I heard idling for a long time like that is bad for the hybrid battery

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hello and thanks for watching, the van will only turn on the engine for a few minutes at a time, so far i have had no issues with the hybrid batteries or anything else other than basic maintenance.

[@chloesamclutch]

Considering this option for my "now" bi annual travel back to Iowa from Florida after transferring there recently. I have two 75 lb boxer dogs traveling with, and motels are a major PITA with dogs. Is there room for a 6' human and two dog's sleeping in the back?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I think it would work with you and the two dogs as long as you didn’t carry too much other big cargo. Of course this is assuming you take out the middle and rear seats as I have done 👍

[@dawnisis1305]

how do you sleep comfortably in the hybrid Sienna when rear seats don't fold flat, & second row doesn't fold at all? (I have a 2021 LE.)

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I removed all the rear seats, check my past videos to see the platform build 👍

[@dawnisis1305]

Aha! I now realize how many who buy this vehicle have that in mind! @@kevins-guitar-ukulele

[@judsimonson9087]

Since these batteries have only so many life cycles, do you know or have estimated the number of cycles you are using while staying in the van and how much that will shorten the life of the batteries? thanks

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

That’s a good question sorry I do not know.

[@EfficientRVer]

Toyota hybrids (I bought my first one, a 2001, in 2000.... and own two at the moment: one hybrid and one plug-in hybrid) cycle on/off over quite a narrow range of state of charge, so cycle count really doesn't matter almost at all. Battery life is driven much more by things like the battery cooling fan/filters working well, than cycles. It is not an issue in normal driving, or when in Ready mode and sleeping. The battery isn't going from 100% to 0% repeatedly while you sleep. I'm not sure of the exact percentages, but in both my Prius and Prius Prime, other than initially partially depleting if you start out with it showing fully charged (which itself is not true 100% state of charge for the battery, more like 80%, just as it showing empty means about 20%) it then seems to cycle on/off through a displayed range of maybe approximately 20% to 40%, which translates to actually just varying between 32% to 44% of actual battery capacity, and much more slowly than driving the car does when it drives with the engine off or when it does regenerative braking. It's much more gentle on the battery than driving down a long hill which charges the battery up to 100% displayed, or even above that. For a few years, I was sleeping in my old Prius an average of 80 nights per year. The car was 9 years old with 151K miles and a new battery when I bought it. 8 years later with 230K miles, the battery is still acting like new. In fact, this time of year, I can drive 5 miles laps from my house where on the first lap I get 50mpg while it warms up, then I can drive unlimited additional laps getting 80mpg. Yes, eighty. A Prius with a battery on the way out gets about 45-50mpg max, not 80! I also kept my Prius Prime in Ready mode for 4 weeks straight, 24/7, mostly in extreme desert heat in July 2021. I only turned it off while filling the gas tank. Turning it off while filling the gas is smart, as is checking the oil then. I've never had a Toyota which used any oil, but I also sure didn't want to run the engine 700 hours straight under harsh conditions without checking the oil! So, in a Toyota hybrid, you can count on the car to protect the battery extremely well, regardless of how you use it. In a plug-in (PHEV) like the Prius Prime, you have a bit more ability to abuse the battery if you try to, such as keeping it in EV mode accelerating hard up to its EV limit of 84mph before switching to hybrid mode to let the motor run. And it still will kick itself out of EV mode to protect itself if the weather, battery state, acceleration, terrain, or anything else is stressing the battery too much.

[@judsimonson9087]

@@EfficientRVer Thanks for taking the time to explain in detail!

[@danielnguyen1327]

Toyota has a 200 000km or 10 year warranty I believe on the hybrid battery

[@migueldejesustavares4168]

How often does the engine kick in with the settings you showed?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Usually three to four times an hour, for about a minute each time. Obviously it varies with outside vs. inside temperature, and also how high you set the fans front and back. Luckily the engine is pretty quiet so it’s not too disruptive for sleeping, at least for me.

[@chrisg1038]

Kevin, thanks for sharing your experience as I'm planning on living in a Sienna in the near future. In your previous video during extreme temps, you were using about a gallon a night. What is your gas usage now during moderate temps?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi Chris, sorry I didn’t measure this time but for sure less gas used - however more $$$ per gallon now so it probably works out the same 😀 thanks for watching

[@yenkodavi3573]

So you can live inside a hybrid with the car on in hot weather? and will inside stay cold inside all through the night??

[@rylans.5365]

@@yenkodavi3573 yes.

[@frgibson]

Kevin: Can you use the remote to lock yourself in or do you have to wrangle yourself around the front seat to lock yourself in?

[@edf108]

@@frgibson Can't use the remote. They want to ensure you are inside and require the driver door lock button be pressed to bypass the one hour timeout. You can likely find in the video where he described that process.

[@kevinwelsh7490]

I don't have hybrid. If it's too warm overnight, I just let my engine idle all night

[@jockosboy17]

Does the van have an idle and driving hour meter built in? If it does is it running all the time or just when the gas engine is idling?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

No it doesn’t have an hour meter as far as I know, but that would be cool to have.

[@bigdadgo]

Great video! How many gallons of gas do you burn on an average night? Also, do you get 36 miles per gallon in the highway and city?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi Greg, I don’t always use the climate control overnight, but if it’s hot out it can take a gallon or less to run the A/C. Yes 36 mpg is pretty average overall. Thanks for watching 👍

[@FromHeretoEnlightenment]

Hello, I just wanted to ask if you are able to use the heat without running the engine continuously?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes, it’s just like running the A/C in that way but because the only source of heat is the engine it tends to kick on more often - depending on outside temperatures of course.

[@FromHeretoEnlightenment]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele Thanks for the explanation. I'm currently binge watching your entire van life series.

[@04dram04]

I think you should get a hightop roof installed.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I am considering it for sure, thanks for watching 👍

[@speakingthetruthinlove9895]

I just plug a heated mattress pad into my Jackery, and sleep warm.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Agree although staying cool is another thing entirely ❄️

[@psychedeli3696]

Why dont you use a front windshield sun riser?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I do sometimes but other times I don’t bother, thanks for watching 😀

[@Morningdovecamp]

Thanks for info 👍🚙🏔️🌞

[@Treeztreetents]

How many gallons of gas do you typically use while using climate control while sleeping?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It all depends on the temperature difference outside vs inside, but usually a gallon or less.

[@longrider9551]

How much gas does it use overnight with 10 degree difference?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Average is around .11 gal/hr I’ve found

[@DazzOutdoors-UK1]

What about the alarm going off while u r I side moving about when car is locked ?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Good question but it has never happened for me so far.

[@dinhftwproductions]

How noticeable does the car shake when the engine kicks on? Also curious as to what the decibel levels would be inside the cabin when you hear the engine kick on.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

The shake really isn’t bad at all, and it’s pretty quiet overall too 👍

[@moregold]

Can you lay down with your body against one side? What is the distance from back of front seat to rear hatch?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I can lay comfortably in the back. Check this video for measurements - Toyota Sienna Hybrid Platform Build Interior Space Measurements Nomad Van Life Vanlife kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYHFk2moe7GrY9k

[@moregold]

Thank you!@@kevins-guitar-ukulele

[@wealthcrafted2]

Does anyone know if it works the same in a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid? I haven’t seen anyone talk about it.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I did some searching and it looks like it will work but shuts down after one hour. Some people have designed hacks to bypass this either electronically or by having something push the start button. Feel free to add to this I’m not totally sure if this is the case.

[@MrJsled]

So I have a Kia sorrento hybrid. I can sleep in this vehicle running all night?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Not sure how Kia does it compared to Toyota? In any case use a CO detector inside your vehicle to be safe!

[@MrJsled]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele thanks for the advice!

[@toxichammertoe8696]

A gallon of gas a day to sleep is waaaaay cheaper then a hotel a day

[@empanada7]

is that awd?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yep

[@Tina-kf8kk]

Do you have your air on recirculating mode or fresh air intake open for this setup?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It was on fresh air although sometimes I do set it to recirculate depending on conditions, high humidity etc.

[@aleksandrbut6869]

It’s very cool I’m a 22 years I will be do same

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Right on, best of luck to you!

[@abidnessman]

Have you been in hot and humid conditions while running AC?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Most certainly and the Sienna performed amazingly 👍

[@EfficientRVer]

In a Prius, I've run it overnight in everything from 105F and very humid, to 119F and very dry, to -10F. In all cases, set the temp you want, make sure it's set for fresh air (recirc off), and you're good to go. Gas consumption is pretty low under all normal conditions, say a quart to half gallon to sleep 8 hours. It only got excessive in the super-hot desert conditions. 105F and humid, or -10F, only double or triple the normal usage, while the 119F had me burning a gallon every 3 hours to maintain 70F in the car, plus run a 50 liter freezer. I don't think it would have had any problem maintaining 60F in the car, and 80F would have saved gas, but 70F is what my body wanted after spending each day out in brutal heat. On the super hot days of 117-119F in the desert, the actual outdoor air temp would drop to 92-95 overnight, but the car's outdoor air temp reading never went below 102, because the amount of heat put out under the car by the engine and exhuast, actually heated the ground under it. I probably should have moved the car before going to sleep, to minimize that, but I was visiting a friend and there was only one good place for my car there. Obviously a Sienna will use a bit more gas than a Prius.

[@turningwheelsyangge2770]

Would it kill the battery if you leave it on for the whole night?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi TW, The climate control runs off the hybrid batteries, which intern get recharged by the engine kicking on and off as needed. Thanks for watching 👍

[@kathywong3567]

Nice video.got a question,did you take the second row seat off?if you did, do you have any video that teach people how to do it? Thanks😊

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for watching. If you go back about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago in my Vanlife playlist, you’ll see a video where I talk about the middle and rear seats removed and what I had to do for that.

[@kathywong3567]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele thank you sir

[@chric2830]

So you have the car on the whole night? Is that ok for the car? Im seeing more people live in their car (i guess reasons varies) but curious

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

No the fan and climate control work off the hybrid batteries so the engine only kicks on every 15 minutes for a minute or so to charge the hybrid batteries. Thanks for watching 👍

[@boobtubeakatv1296]

The engine has to run more if you are in furnace mode as that is where you get the heat from... It is much less gas used if you are in cooling mode as that run only off the hybrid side... Hybrids don't have starters or an alternator... At least my Prius doesn't 😎

[@100toeface]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele Every 15 minutes?! Yikes! That sounds like it would be really bad for trying to sleep. Maybe I better buy a Rav Prime plug in hybrid instead, seems risky to drop all of that cash on a Sienna and then not be able to sleep because a generator is starting every 15 minutes.

[@robertheinkel6225]

When the engine kicks in on my Sienna, I don’t notice any difference in noise.

[@TheEriccurtis]

If you do a lot of traveling like me this is a smart way to go and save tons of money on motels, all you do basically is sleep and shower in a hotel room and even a “cheap” motel with tax is just shy of $100.00 a night when you can sleep in your van for 6 to 10 bucks a night and shower at a truck stop for 15 to 20 bucks and if you park and sleep in a hotel parking lot you can go in for the continental breakfast 🤣😂😆free eats.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Agree 💯and thanks for watching

[@maryrankin9869]

What year is your vehicle please and thanks.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It’s a 2021 thanks for watching 😀

[@nick1122]

How long does it run with the AC on until it restarts again

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Depends on the difference in inside vs outside temperature, typically starts up every 15 mins and runs for a minute or so

[@nick1122]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele who cares right? Minor inconvenience,especially when rooms are 100-200 a night ! I travel a lot and what I’m really tired of is the selfish people smoking weed in the rooms ,and these are in holiday express hotels ,ok careful out there man

[@kimdagnillo8246]

Hi Kevin, I’m also researching the Sienna for nomad life. Can all the rear seats be removed ? I’ve seen in another video that the batteries are under the back seats. Do you have the 1500 watt inverter in your model ? Thanks for this video , any info is appreciated. Safe travels to you .

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi Kim and thanks for watching. Yes I removed all of the seats, you can check my channel for a couple of videos about that. Unfortunately I do not have the inverter in mine. Cheers and safe travels to you 👍

[@kimdagnillo8246]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele ok, thanks, I’ll do that

[@heyerstandards]

(The '21 Sienna traction battery is under the front seats. )

[@juaneato]

Hi. What year is the van?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

2021 👍

[@juaneato]

Been looking at the 2023 but the 2nd row doesn’t come out! WTH were they thinking?

[@V4llued]

Truly appreciate sharing & paving the way for upcoming campers Sir Kevin! God Bless 🙏🏼

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sure thing and thanks for watching 👍

[@JJJ5.7]

Looks like you removed the middle row seats, they dont fold flat in sienna.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes I removed all the rear seats, check my channel I have some videos about the build process 👍

[@EfficientRVer]

I highly recommend getting a very big, very heavy, very black bath towel aka bath sheet. Throw it over all those lights on the dash/controls/chargers. If sleeping in the back, a black curtain behind the front seats, extending to the ceiling, is not a bad idea. In my Prius Prime, I use a heavy aluminum 48-inch ruler as the curtain rod, trimmed to the exact length needed for it to flex into a sturdy arc between the tops of the seat belt mechanism covers, grab handles, or whatever. I use black muslin photo background for how black it is, and because it has a curtain-rod slot the construction ruler fits in. My daughter sewed it to be triple thickness above the seats, and double thickness lower down. Make it wider than you think you need, by about a foot, so you can velcro it to the sides if needed. If sleeping in the driver's seat, I suggest a very black sheet and/or very black blanket over yourself, including the sheet covering your head. You'll figure out how to arrange it to allow lots of air to reach you, but no light to reach you. If you manage to keep yourself below window level and completely covered in black, your chance of "getting the knock" is much, much lower than if you put up window coverings. If you do use window coverings, make the black side more perfect than the silver/reflectix side. In other words, put the black material over the edges, so no silver can possibly show. When using the silver side for keeping sun out during the day, you probably aren't inside sleeping, so it's OK if there's a bit of the black showing at the edge.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Great thanks for all the good info, I will think about getting a covering for the dash controls 👍

[@phannguyen2652]

how much gas was used for the night ????

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Depends on the weather outside and how warm or cool you keep it inside, but it averages about a gallon or slightly less for 8 to 9 hours of climate control.

[@manie54321]

I travel in my 2017 Prius and love it. Now it has 111,234 miles and it still drives amazing. My next purchase will be a sienna if possible. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Sure thing and thanks for watching. I love the Prius as well. I just wanted a little bit more room inside for sleeping and stretching out as I’m 6 feet.

[@jreinel1966]

My 21 sienna,65k miles so far..!

[@jml9550]

65k miles on a 2021 Sienna, what are you a taxi driver?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

That’s awesome Jose just crossed 50 K 😀

[@youaskedforit7973]

I have a 2015 Sienna SE with approximately 83K miles. Sienna is the way to go. These cars can go 250K miles easily depending on how you maintain it

[@jml9550]

@@youaskedforit7973 yep. My retired parents have a 2011 Sienna and only have 55K miles on her. Beside oil changes and its first brake pads replacement last month, not a single issue. That V6 2GR FE engine is a work horse.

[@luckydubefan808]

Siennas last forever

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

I’m hoping it will!

[@theblitz1687]

I wish the electric motor and battery could handle the CC so it would be silent thatd be cool :)

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes the engine kicking on here and there does make noise and you need to be OK with that

[@Nick-zd7nk]

Thanks Kevin, very helpful. Getting ready to pull the trigger and buy a Sienna and go full time stealth.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Excellent Nick and best of luck to you on your travels 👍

[@Tykoon]

Sienna needs a pair of 12V for connecting a 12V freezer for instance

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes indeed, mine doesn’t have them but I believe there’s a trim package that includes a built in inverter

[@Tykoon]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele The built-in inverter uses energy. 12V DC is much better as the car battery is 12V.

[@brandonb7120]

Would older Sienna Hybrids have this same ability? Is it just being a Hybrid that allows it? Or is it only from certain years onwards etc?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi Brandon, they started making the Sienna Hybrids in 2021, before that they were only gas engine models

[@unemployedrobots]

Really enjoying these videos. You inspired me to buy one of these hybrid vans. I am still in the research stage and saving for a down payment. Anyhoo I have a question about your rooftop cargo box. Does it affect the fuel economy in any way? Thank you and keep making videos. 🙏🏽👊🏽

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hello Michael and thanks for watching. The rooftop box probably cuts 2 to 3 miles per gallon depending on how fast I’m driving etc. I find it’s essential for me due to the fact that I’m carrying a bicycle and music gear. If I wasn’t carrying that stuff I could easily get by without it, although my spare tire fits up there nicely which is a plus.

[@unemployedrobots]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele awesome thanks for your response. I am planning on doing the same thing bringing a bike and a guitar. P.S. I’m a recent subscriber and I have listened to some of your fingerpicking. Wow ok I have to ask. Do you ever busk or just play for folks when your out and about on your adventures? I can tell you are a professional musician ✌🏽

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Thanks for checking out my stuff, I have busked in the past and been in various bands but always as a side job. Best of luck in your travels 👍🤘😀

[@ridgerunner9072]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele I am loading up my sienna and go play solo gigs in Texas, new Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado I play obscure covers of great artists If anyone is good at playin leads, fills, and improv your welcome to join me on this epic roadtrip. I have been woodshedding daily and I am performance ready! Easy goin. Love adventure and playin in cool places. I do side hustles too on mon-wed, Or I travel, or camp, or hike, then Thurs-sun is for playin gigs in bars, resorts, breweries, wineries, open Air markets.... I split gigs and tips 50-50 If interested I will start in DFW, tx. Then head west slowly to new Mexico. Night driving. Then the fun starts!!!

[@tonymiller6847]

I want/need a hybrid van, I can live in my Prius, but sleeping is a challenge as I'm 78 years old and hearing impaired and my 9 year tenant (71 and in ill health) will not come out of his room and the last time I saw him he looked like a Holocaust survivor and he doesn't want me to call 911 and I'll need to rent my condo out with him in it and move somewhere. I won't sell condo while he's alive. and well.

[@osteoporosisman6424]

Have you considered putting up a cover/towel over the display to minimize the look that your car is indeed on?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Yes good idea and I have done that on occasion 👍

[@craig9843]

Do you not use the “auto” feature on the climate control? I didn’t think climate control would keep your vehicle regulated at selected temp unless you do.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Hi Craig, I do use Auto occasionally, I made a couple of videos about it. From my experience it regulates the temperature either way, Auto mode or just by setting the temperature you want. Thanks for watching 👍

[@craig9843]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele That’s good to know. I don’t have a hybrid but my Toyota RAV4 has auto climate control. I really love the feature!!!

[@151mcx]

I know this is kinda old video, but you CAN use your key fob to lock yourself in, just don't try to unlock (manually) the passenger side doors as it will kick off the alarm and well, that's not very stealthy, especially when your kinda freaking out because you have to find the key fob. lol anyway, there is a setting on the dash, to turn off the child lock mode. I can't really remember how I did it, but it's really annoying to reach around for the drivers door at night to figure out what button to press. You may have to read though the manual, maybe it was just flipping the child locks on the door, I can't really remember.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Cool thanks for the info I’ll check into it 👍

[@EfficientRVer]

Locking yourself in with the car running, in the driver's seat is pretty trivial. Try entering the car via a rear door and locking yourself in. That means all doors locked, nobody in either front seat, you in the back, the only fob with you, car running. At least in my Prius Prime, it required a lot of experimentation to figure out how to do it, and also how to get out. Even via the BEST method I found, you CANNOT use the fob, the rear door handle, or rear door lock to get out of the back once you're locked in the back with nobody in front, REGARDLESS of the child lock being on or off. BE CAREFUL, and make no assumptions. Practice your exact routine with all the windows open, and the ability to quickly and easily reach the front door unlock button, which may require removing the front passenger headrest, having a light handy, etc.

[@mycocoaone]

I am older and not tech wise but I thought engines left running like this ruins them. ????

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

The engine only kicks on for a minute or so about every 15-20 minutes to charge the hybrid batteries. That is the beauty of a hybrid set up!

[@darrelllatham6086]

Stop sleeping in any running vehicle. 1/16 of a inch is all it takes, just a little compromised gasket or window seal. Risking your life to raise the temp from 51 to 60....sweater, electric blankets or safe heaters running from a power bank.

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

Agree, that’s why I have a CO detector inside. I only use climate control when necessary.

[@fredjames7680]

That ready mode sounds pretty neat except I don't believe my 2014 Sienna has it

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It’s only on the Hybrid models 2021 and newer. Thanks for watching 👍

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

It’s only on the Hybrid models 2021 and newer. Thanks for watching 👍

[@boobtubeakatv1296]

It s on ALL hybrids... I have it on my Gen 2 Prius too...

[@insightandintuition276]

How cold, cool can this set up get?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

You can take the AC down to 60°, and there’s even one more click lower than that labeled LO 😀

[@mtnbikertaz]

@@kevins-guitar-ukulele I'm traveling in my 22 in the summer for the first time. The AC doesn't stay on when in park. Freezes me when moving. Read the manual and tried every thing in there. Any words of wisdom?

[@kevins-guitar-ukulele]

@@mtnbikertaz hmm, is the van in Ready Mode when in park? Maybe check with a local dealership, not sure why it would be acting like that, best of luck to you.