Great post, Lono, there's no substitute for first-hand info. Clearly my understanding of the cost differential is outdated/incorrect. My mistake.
Could you clarify something that I find confusing? If connecting an off-the-shelf inverter to a Prius, I assume it would be connected to the 12V auxiliary battery. But does the main battery pack (200V+) automatically keep the auxiliary battery charged?
It does not. A co worker needed a jump start when the 12v battery went low in his Prius.