Is the car known as the "Prime" anywhere outside the US? I know in most countries it's the PHV, but was wondering if Toyota has decided to call it the Prime in any other markets. What about Canada? Prime or PHV? I'm assuming the reason for "Prime" over "PHV" (Plug In Vehicle) in the US is that most Americans still think "Plug In" = Electric only = Range Anxiety freakout. I've had so many colleagues ask me if it's electric only when I tell them I got the new "Plug-in Prius" (because most still don't know the "Prime" by name). But wouldn't that misconception be around elsewhere in the world as well?
I think of plug-ins as a Prime or Volt. EVs are all electric Bolts and Leafs (or Leaves? lol). It's wierd how manufacturers name their cars plug-ins because they are probably loosing half of their sales to customers that think they are EVs with a small range and no gas.
Yes, but you're someone who might tend to keep up with cars. The "Average Joe" is still quite confused with exactly what a plugin is. (And who was the one at GM who decided to name two distinctly different cars with such similar names, confusing the Average Joe even more -- Volt and Bolt?)
You don't know if someone is saying Bolt or Volt. You can only read it. You have to say "Bolt with a B" and "Volt with a V". And in Canada it's called the "Prime."
It's called Prime in Canada and the U.S. Outside, it's known as the Prius PHV or Prius Plug-in Hybrid. (In non-English speaking countries, Prime means nothing but as least "plug-in hybrid" can be translated)