I am considering purchasing the Prime when it comes out or just the Gen 4 Prius to use for work commute and my wife will then use the v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) I am currently driving for her everyday use. My commute is around 25 miles each way (20 of it freeway) so the Prime may make sense mpg wise. Just wondering if the battery that is charged from the plug is the same as the one that gets replenished some during driving like my v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) during braking, coasting, etc..? If not, then the EV range of the Prime may not justify the extra cost of the car and the sacrifice of the 5th seat and reduced space.
yes, same battery, just larger. that is how the current pip works. toyota is aiming to deliver the same mpg's as the lift back, when the wall charge runs out.
The Gen 4 and Prime use a different battery composition (even though both are Li-Ion) because they are designed for different applications. The Liftback is designed for regular hybrid use; that is, some battery use and constant charging and discharging. On the Prime, the battery is designed to be charged up then discharged so it needs to be more durable in that aspect.
To add to that, plug in batteries use chemistries designed to hold more 'juice' to provide more EV range. Hybrids have batteries that can deliver and accept more energy in a given time. This allows them to provide more power from the motor when called upon, and capture more energy during regenerative braking. This isn't to say that a plug in is lacking in those regards. Their larger battery size covers any such difference between the two battery types on a cell to cell basis.
