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Toyota Announced Details for Plug-In Prius
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Written on: 11 September 2009 [21:12]
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iafb83
Topic creator
registered since: 20.08.2009
Posts: 5
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Toyota just announced it will soon be selling a plug-in Prius. 12 miles on electricity alone and can go up to highway speeds w/o gas engine It'll be a the frankfurt motor show next week so I assume they'll announce the timeline for availability then. Good news for ppl like me who aren't tech savvy enough to modify a regular prius. Check it out here: http://acceltimes.com/news/9/toyota-unveils-plug-in-prius-details-091009.php |
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Written on: 15 September 2009 [18:35]
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childress
Administrator
registered since: 14.08.2007
Posts: 140
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About time. Mileage on the electric-only is a little low though we'll have to wait and see. Wonder if they'll ever make a diesel version -- imagine a car that you could get 20 miles at in-town speed just on electric (most folks in the US commute 50 miles or less a day), then kicked over to a biodiesel fueled engine that you could pour regular diesel fuel in when the bio wasn't accessible... YUM. Commute suck? Twike it; You'll like it!
http://www.uiuc.edu/goto/twike |
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Written on: 22 September 2009 [21:32]
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ecoadmin
Administrator
registered since: 20.07.2007
Posts: 585
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Toyota is no longer the leader in the race to go for higher efficiency IMHO. I appreciate their efforts with the hybrids, but they seemed to have missed the train to go fully electric. Or at least they won't be the first one to offer such vehicles... Its a bit dissapointing to hear that after all the success they had with the Prius, only now they want to collect field test data from plugin-versions? Twike 890
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Written on: 23 September 2009 [07:54]
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iamian
 
registered since: 23.02.2009
Posts: 110
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ecoadmin wrote: Toyota is no longer the leader in the race to go for higher efficiency IMHO. I appreciate their efforts with the hybrids, but they seemed to have missed the train to go fully electric. Or at least they won't be the first one to offer such vehicles... Its a bit dissapointing to hear that after all the success they had with the Prius, only now they want to collect field test data from plugin-versions? Maybe ... just remember they still with the Prius have the greenest image car... public perception goes a long way ... weather it is true or not ... and they have a head start / healthy lead they can play with if they like. Also keep in mind other REEVs and PHEV like the Volt are $40,000+ ... if the PHEV Prius even with a shorter ranges comes in several thousand under that ... it will still have a sizable Market. I also see a shorter range EV mode as a smart business choice even if not the greener choice ... Honda's Gen-I Insight was a greener car than the Prius ... but it didn't sell like the Prius because it was not as well received by the public for a variety of reasons ... I think the vast majority of the public is still hesitant about EVs in general ... remember how important a selling feature it was that 'You never have to plug it in.' was to the HEV sales ... to try and switch that mind set unfortunately might be a slow process for the masses. But I would still like the car companies to each offer for sale to the public a model that is their greenest car... the model that is green from the design stage initially as it's primary #1 Priority ... I don't see that yet ... But I would like to see that kind of class open up. RE & Efficiency enthusiast
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Written on: 25 September 2009 [21:35]
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childress
Administrator
registered since: 14.08.2007
Posts: 140
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Honda was the first to release a hybrid in the US. Toyota was second. But Toyota was testing the Prius for something like 3 years before they released in the US within a year of Honda releasing the Insight. Toyota won because it felt like a regular car and you could drive it like a regular car (with two full-size "US adults," the Insight was at its maximum carrying load). Both Honda and Toyota have a reputation for building reliable long-life high mileage vehicles (I'm currently driving a 1991 Camry. When I was in high school we bought an '89 Camry new -- I'll always be on the lookout for a "low mileage" Camry of that era - by low mileage, anything under 150,000). So when you talk of "first out of the gate" remember that Ford's motto a while back was "Quality is Job #1" With Toyota and Honda, "Quality just IS" Quality wins loyalty. I've always bought toyotas and have yet to be disappointed. IF GM had actually continued their work on the EV1, then they would potentially have the ability to leap-frog the Prius. I don't see the Volt as the next generation of the EV1 though, and then there's the whole reliability/high mileage issues... ... remember how important a selling feature it was that 'You never have to plug it in.' was to the HEV sales ... to try and switch that mind set unfortunately might be a slow process for the masses. Not at all. First, the early adopters of both the Prius AND the Insight all knew that if they could plug it in, and with the Prius be able to switch it into all-electric mode -- it'd be better. And it's the early adopters that drive your market base: word-of-mouth marketing is much, much, much stronger than any commercial marketing. Commercial: Soccer mom loading up the kids into the 25 mile per charge at city speeds hybrid-b100 (100% biodiesel) compatable minivan. Mom dropping off kiddo #1, next school #2, then #3. Mom going and doing some shopping/yoga/whatever for an hour or two, plugged into a regular outlet for opportunity charging. Mom drives home and charges for 3-4 hours on the "drive-over" high voltage induction pad. Runs gets the kids, takes them to after-school events -- judo, soccer practice, library, etc. etc. Run this scene at fast-forward speeds with a calendar showing the days being marked off a calendar for a month. At the end: Total BioFuel Costs: $10. Net CO2 released: 0 Total Electricity cost: $10. Be green, save a lotta green. Many parking lots in Canada are already setup for EV/PHEV opportunity charging, as they have electric outlets at each station for glowplugs/fuel warmers for diesel vehicles in the wintertime. Instead we get crap like "Look, it uses solar power to cool the cabin when it's parked" Absolute marketing rubbish if you ask me -- park the car in the shade or open the windows/doors for a bit before getting in! Commute suck? Twike it; You'll like it!
http://www.uiuc.edu/goto/twike |
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