Toyota Motor Corp on Friday detailed plans to study U.S. consumer demand for a version of its hot-selling Prius hybrid that could be recharged at a standard outlet and run on electric power only. See story.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Nov 10 2007, 12:12 AM) [snapback]537600[/snapback]</div> Sweet. Three years? I can wait.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Nov 10 2007, 12:55 AM) [snapback]537616[/snapback]</div> woh... new prius to come on 2010? wth... i thought it was 2009.. omg..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(omgitsroy326 @ Nov 9 2007, 10:56 PM) [snapback]537629[/snapback]</div> They are not saying they'll introduce a plug-in Prius in 2010! They're saying they'll do a study that will run until 2010. If the study convinces them to build a PHEV, it could easily be 3, 4, or 5 years before the car comes to market.
A three year study to gauge demand? How many years to develop? How many years to field test? Maybe just in time for Hilary Clinton's proposed 2030 timeframe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 10 2007, 10:59 AM) [snapback]537670[/snapback]</div> I can still wait. I don't think they're going to wait until the end of the three years to start development from scratch. I think the study, development and field testing will overlap. So I'm thinking total of 5-7 years. I could have a plug-in EV Prius by 2015. Which if fine. I usually buy a new car every 10 years anyway. I'm sure my 2005 Prius will last. Even if it's a few years beyond 10 I'm sure my Prius will still be running great. I can wait.
Why do a study? Just ask PRIUSCHAT members who wants to buy one. Just have people start putting their names down on a waiting list. Or even better, why not just start selling the Plug in PRIUS before it is even made. GM is advertising the VOLT before it is even made. Heck, I'd drop $30,000 now if I knew I could have it in 2010 with a high capacity battery. Even if it is not the top package. I was planning to deposit money for the 2009 PRIUS, but basically, the first to market is going to get my money. I even saw the Chrysler all electric advertised at www.samsclub.com. http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=9412 $35,000 and a NASA visit. SWEET, but I need not go to NASA right now. Their car looked a little weird for me to buy at a $35,000 price tag. Anyway, too late, it is SOLD!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Nov 10 2007, 11:58 AM) [snapback]537746[/snapback]</div> Maybe you can wait, but I want a PROPER EV NOW. The Xebra is fun but it's got its limitations. And anyway, there might not be any gas left in ten years. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hard_working_student @ Nov 10 2007, 04:31 PM) [snapback]537815[/snapback]</div> That whole deal sounded fishy. There was a thread about it on PriusChat. There was only one for sale, but rather than drawing a name out of a hat, it was the first person to wire them the money after the set time. No mention of a refund for people who sent their money in one minute too late. And the car was apparently NOT STREET LEGAL.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Nov 10 2007, 07:56 PM) [snapback]537821[/snapback]</div> So do I. But I have to wait until someone sells one I can afford that actually works. So if I have to wait for Toyota and 2015 I will. (But I don't think it will be that long.) At least if it's a Toyota I'm assured of *some* quality control. Or course, I'd like it to be a Prius as I don't want to give up my hatchback.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Nov 10 2007, 10:47 AM) [snapback]537665[/snapback]</div> What would make sense is if they did this for the mini-Prius that's supposedly coming to market. Leave their bread and butter mid-size hybrid alone, but for people who really want to go for miles on one gallon (or none), the smallest car body available would be most effective. That would get eye-popping numbers. Daniel's got a point, altho he overstates a bit, IMO. Gas in four years could be much more expensive than today's price, and in ten years it's likely only the rich would contemplate owning an SUV. The Zap Xebra might still be our best option for the next few years as we prepare for expensive oil, irrespective of when the peak takes place. (They found a big oil field off of Brazil, but apparently it's going to be expensive to develop, and will take 6 or more years). I just wish the Twike or Aerorider were affordable. That's what I lust after! I might have to settle for a Lightfoot Courier instead, still a fine 3-wheeled recumbent, but it's not enclosed, and electric assist is optional. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Nov 11 2007, 01:37 AM) [snapback]537912[/snapback]</div> If you want some extra cargo room, you could always do this: (let's see if this comes thru)
I'm going to give toyota the benefit of the doubt for this study. Can people imagine a scenario where toyota releases a lithium technology battery only having studied it for 1-2 years? But then after 3-4 years, the battery have a serious malfunction which at best requires an expensive battery recall replacement and at worse results in premature deaths and a multi billion dollar lawsuit not to mention a serious tarnish to their green/safe/reliable reputation. I say, let them test it for 3 years if that's what they need. This country is too lawyered up not to perform some due diligence before releasing a product on to the US citizenry. If you really want to get a plug-in, buy a hymotion patch that will satisfy your jonesing for a plug in. In this day and age where we got-to-have-it and got-to-have-it-now, let's for once show some patience and give some leeway to the company that has released the best mileage 5 passenger vehicle ever. They've earned it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(omgitsroy326 @ Nov 9 2007, 10:56 PM) [snapback]537629[/snapback]</div> I'm confused too. I thought the 3rd gen was due for 2009 model year. But this article is saying "3rd gen" due out in 2010 or 2011. The article focuses on the "plug-in", but "plug-in" is not necessarily synonymous with "3rd gen" though, right? I mean there could be a 3rd gen Prius for 2009 that is NOT plug-in, right? Then later they could offer a plug-in powertrain in that same gen car. So when they use the language "3rd gen" at the end of the article, they might be using that incorrectly and what they really mean to say is that "plug-in" will arrive in 2010 or 2011. Toyota is not saying anything about a date for the plug-in anyway, so how they came up with 2010 or 2011 I don't know.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Nov 11 2007, 05:03 PM) [snapback]538119[/snapback]</div> First off, there's plug-ins and plug-ins. The Hymotion Prius plug-in conversion allows the Prius to use HALF gas and HALF grid electric for the first 60 miles or so. What I want is a plug-in that will allow the car to run 100% electric while the charge lasts, which should be at least 40 miles, before the gas engine even starts. Second, there were EXCELLENT electric cars a decade ago. I'm not asking for anything new. I don't even need a PHEV, though a PHEV would do. I just want a car as good as they were building a decade ago!!! Let them take their time to develop and perfect the lithium batteries. For now, I'll be satisfied with an EV-1 using NiMH. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(toronado455 @ Nov 11 2007, 06:57 PM) [snapback]538170[/snapback]</div> The educated speculation was that the 2009 model year would have lithium batteries for lighter weight and improved efficiency, but would not be a PHEV. Then Toyota said that due to delays in development the 2009 would not have lithium, leaving us in doubt whether 2009 would be a major model revision, but keeping NiMH, or whether the major model revision would be for 2010. A plug-in Prius, as far as I know, remains a speculation, or an after-market add-on. But as noted above, by its design, the Prius is poorly-suited to be a PHEV. Series hybrid is better suited to PHEV.
Well, this is depressing. I can't just wait for it. I'm driving a 1994 Corolla now, and was going to wait for the plug-in. I kept thinking that every day I wait, I'm one day closer to it, but lately it looks like it is only getting farther away. Five years is way too long for me. You people who already have Priuses have it easier. It looks like I may just buy that 2008 Prius after all. It's a shame because I'm an ideal candidate for a plug-in. I live and work in a small city and only make long trips if I go out of town. I have my own garage with electrical outlets. I would like to make fewer trips to gas stations. I want to burn less fossil fuel. I can afford to buy a new car. Also, I like the new technology and I like Toyotas.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(I want my PHEV @ Nov 12 2007, 10:27 AM) [snapback]538486[/snapback]</div> The ugliest car in the world (the Scion xB) can be electric for $70,000. Over 100 mile range at freeway speeds, and better performance than the Prius. Google AC Propulsion. I'd get one if it was not so confounded ugly! The word is they're now willing to sell outside of CA if they like you. But if you want a car that's electric for 30 or 40 miles and then can burn gas for long road trips, you've got a few years to wait. The PHEV Prius folks were hoping for in 2009 was going to go only a very short distance at slow speeds and very gentle acceleration on electric, and was probably not going to be plug-in anyway. The HSD just does not lend itself well to PHEV since the motors are too small for full-electric operation except when the power demand is very low. It needs the engine for acceleration. The PHEV we all want probably has to be a series hybrid. Like the mythical Chevy Volt.
