We went out to Manhattan Beach Toyota and took a test drive of a 2010 (WOW!) and Diane Whitmire gave us a slant on the ATP+Solar Roof option combo issue we hadn't heard before. It seems the EPA is fighting to reinstate HOV privileges for single-occupant hybrids, and has upped the ante by requiring that a car must get a minimum of 50 mpg. Toyota in turn is saying that by allowing the combination of ATP and the Solar Roof, the increased weight of the vehicle would cause enough of a reduction in mpg that the 2010 Prius would no longer meet the EPA's HOV qualification.
Early Toyota reason for not doing the combo was too much weight, but not for MPG or HOV sticker reasons. But you can get it in Europe. We know that the Prius V w/17 inch wheels only gets 47 MPG. But the Prius is 50 MPG according to the EPA as long as the Prius V sales are limited to a certain percentage of total sales. Wayne
Oh no... that was not what I said. I'm sorry you misinterpreted me. The EPA will reclass the car and its gas mileage once it hits a certain weight. To keep the weight down to what WILL achieve that sweet spot for mileage, they had to keep the sunroof option off the V package car. IF the state rewrites the AB1500 to allow hybrids back into the HOV lanes, then ALL 2010 Prius would qualify... especially if the new bar for hybrid mileage were 50 MPH instead of the 45 it was back iin Aug 2007. It's not the EPA who's fighting to reinstate the HOV stickers after Jan 1, 2011. It will be groups and lawmakers and the $broke$ state of CA making changes to perhaps charge more for the use of the lanes to hybrids... and ca$h in on the need for the lanes by us commuters who are also displacing loads of normal emissions and using less fuel by driving hybrids. Dianne
