Toyota Plug-In Prius (PHEV) Press Release

[MrEnergyCzar]

The Volt has double the EV range.....

[GAFNN]

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[preppygrl508]

this may be and obvious question, but does this mean we have to wait for the car to fully charge? i would rather use gas which is faster..

[boulderbum7]

@preppygrl508 I think it's something like 8 hours; you leave them plugged in overnight (when electricity is cheapest).

However, the beauty of plug-in hybrids like these is that they try to run on electricity for as long as possible, then start using gas when the electricity runs out.

[preppygrl508]

@boulderbum7 i see. well thanks! i really want one now haha

[heartlessvietboy]

There are many people in this world who do not have easy access to charging. That is why there will be charge stations for now until we can come up with a new method of electric transportation. There are many people who may become lazy from charging or do not like to charge at all because of the inconvenience. To some it may take too long. For those who think it may take too long, there is rapid charging technology being developed right now that can charge your car to 70% in 30 minutes.

[willneswil]

HOW MUCH?

[CaptRichieRich]

in response to fullfrontalcrudity discussing LI ion batteries....Do a quick search here on youtube for solar powered prius....I think you will like this....the solar is integrated into the body of the car, the way it should be....getting 70 plus mpg....you may never stop for gas....LET THE SUN POWER YOUR CAR.....time to screw big oil AMEN

[p8ntballcracker]

why do ppl think hybrids are so great, they suck, they are no better for the environment than my v8 mustang

[MrEnergyCzar]

Of the electric cars operating on the planet, they average about 4.5 miles per KWH....

[seaplaneguy1]

By the way, here are some numbers on CO2

if you burn 1 gallon (34 kw-hrs) of the following you get this number of lbs of co2.

Natural gas. 13.5 lbs

Gasoline 19.5

Grid 45

Coal 70.

Grid over NG is 45/13.5 = 3.33 times.

[seaplaneguy1]

Does anybody have an accurate measure of fuel economy...ah, KW-hr economy of the "plug in" Prius (only running on electricity?

There are 34 kw-hr / gallon of gasoline. How far will this plug in go on 1 kw-hr? 34 kw-hr?

At 20 mph?

At 40 mph?

At 60 mph?

Highway (70 mph)

City stop and go?

[FluxCapacitor2008]

Out of a job yet?

Keep buying foreign

[UofT23]

Perhaps if NA manufacturers showed an interest in developing alternative energy cars we would buy them from NA manufactures? Being local but being ineffecient and uncompetitive isn't reason alone to get business. Communist much?

[tableround]

Tell GM and Ford that. They refused to build a car that gets 50+ miles per gallon (I do - I have a Prius). Actually, they did: Ford Ranger-EV and GM Solectra Force - but they stopped selling the vehicles.

Can only buy what is offered.

Come on GM - we need the Volt, badly.

[FluxCapacitor2008]

we need to buy and build cars in America buy American manufactures and stop sending our jobs and money to Japan and China!!!!

[boulderbum7]

As a general rule, I think it's a good idea to consciously buy products that you know aren't manufactured in sweatshops (which is easier said than done, sadly), but Japan actually pays fair wages with an arguably better social system than our own, so I don't have a problem buying Japanese.

It's healthy to compete on quality and innovation, just not on wages and working conditions.

I think it's very different to say "don't buy Japanese" than "Chinese".

That said, I look forward to the Volt!

[Nastc1]

@boulderbum7 The point isnt sweatshops... You buy American then there's an American company with more money to exist longer. Benefiting your own country...If Japanese cars weren't allowed to be sold in the USA they would go out of business.

[gary51249]

@boulderbum7 You may find that a lot of these vehicles are indeed now manufactured in the USA.

[tableround]

I would agree, but my Prius gets 50mpg - the best Ford gets is 39. Purchase car foreign, but purchase less gas from foreign terrorists. Eventually GM 'might' have electric car - then no more oil. GM/Ford building hybrids because Toyota led the way. GM should have stuck with the EV1.

[Nastc1]

@tableround Toyota didn't lead the way at all....Chevy and Ford had full electric cars in the 1990s!!! In which big oil payed them to stop making them and recall all the sold ones and destroy them....look it up.

[FullFrontalCrudity]

also keep in mind if you convert most vehicles to PHEV the energy and resources required to manufacture the batteries becomes just as much of a problem as any other source of pollution. li-ion batteries do not last forever, and need to be broken down and recycled for re-use which also takes tons of energy. also li-ion packs wear out over time so your drive time shrinks over the life of the car.

[boulderbum7]

While it's true that recycling and manufacturing take energy, the vast majority of the energy usage (and potential energy savings) is in the "use" phase.

Look at it this way, does the process of manufacturing an electric generator require more electricity than that generator will produce in its lifetime? Of course not!

Likewise, producing an engine for a car has an upfront energy cost, but the energy (and potential savings) of using that car will be while it is driven.

[chenyj]

There is a complete Li-ion conversion kit available on ebay under $2000. Search ebay with keyword phev.

[emforty2]

whats the use of plug in if your not going to increase the battery capacity and if you do your going to raise they price which consumers will object

yes you can put a lithium pack on a prius with 200 mile range and plug it in but that would raise they price beyond to what average consumers will afford

all existing plug in vehicles right now on the market is over $40K ~$109K

you want it pay for it

[JUKIO01]

man, ur stupid. all u do is buy a prius, the 2010 one. then u buy the plug in kit and install it. u can do this with all hybrid cars. dont by it directly from the car manufacture, thats why ur paying so damn much

[FullFrontalCrudity]

i would argue that if you spent $2000 or more on a conversion kit, you would still have to spend a lot of time, energy and resources to get the conversion done. you'd also run the risk of fucking up your car. it's not something the average consumer is going to do to a car worth $30k, and probably isn't even worthwhile in terms of money saved over the time you drive it.

[roykaz]

Keep waiting... Toyota want's to have that "green" look, but the Prius 2010 has no plug-in version. I rest my case!

[boulderbum7]

The plug-in wasn't anticipated for the 2010 model. Toyota doesn't think their technology is ready yet, and Chevy is probably going to be the first to make it to market with their Volt, which isn't expected till 2011.

[FullFrontalCrudity]

the auto industry had plug in electric cars around 1900, so for big auto to say their tech isn't ready is just laughable. if they wanted all electric vehicles in the showrooms they would be in the showrooms. big auto and big oil are in bed together, and they will keep delaying these technologies, or making them uncompetitive with their gas burning products as long as the possibly can, imho.

[boulderbum7]

There's some truth to that. GM, after discontinuing its EV1 electric car program, ended up selling their battery patents to Chevron, who of course just wanted them to ensure that they wouldn't be used to create cars that don't need gas to run.

[tableround]

Look up Solectria Force, Chevy S-10EV and Ford Ranger-EV on Google or Wikipedia.

[emforty2]

the Volt is still a science project and unproven car.

keep dreaming and put a $5K non-refundable deposit on a $45K car that doesnt exist if you really trust GM.

[FullFrontalCrudity]

big auto has these projects like the volt just so that they can take government subsidies and research dollars while they make their gas burning offerings more attractive both in marketing and inefficient technologies. they continually buy out researchers that have viable competing technologies and bury them or make them inefficient. it's just smart business practices to protect their profit margins.

[tonymoreau]

wouldnt that be expensive electricity is already expensive as it is i would plug it in to my nahbors yard

[Workerstar1]

range and top speed with e-motor ?

[verymobile12]

so how are we going to measure the efficiency? cant use MPG as there is no petrol consumed.

perhaps KW/100kms? (ie L/100km) or Miles per KW (ie MPG)

[boulderbum7]

I kind of wondered if we'd have to re-think the ratings and go to a system of cost per mile, based on current and projected energy prices.

It would be a very simple way to communicate potential costs to consumers in a consistant, easy-to-understand way.

[redsoil5]

Why not use magnetic motor to power the battery.Now we're talking about free energy.

[philsgivemechills]

Japanese people are funny... Oh, to live in Asian again.

[DjAnomoly]

the music was GREAT!! seriously though auto makers need to step up to the plate and start offering MORE plug in hybrids.

Lets be real the prius is ugly... if it wasn't the only plug in hybrid option it would not sell on looks.

I'm hoping that automakers are going to follow through with their promises on plugin's it's about time!!!

i'm not holding my breath (especially for the Volt!)

[mreisma]

so when is the release for this car??

[EnigmaNZ1]

Until manufactors bring out plugins, I rather buy a modern european diesel, better performance and economy than a hybrid.

[cxpage]

A regular Prius gets mpg in the 40's or 50's.

A plug-in version will be in the 100's.  Now that is some real gas savings for you!

Anyone who says that hybrids do not save gas is using fuzzy math!

[LatteLiberal]

Hybrids have killed people in accidents, the batteries explode and they don't save gas! Hybrids dont work because they are liberal environmental. They need lots of repairs too. Better to wait for hydrogen and not doing anything until then. Hydrogen is made out of normal, regular fossil fuels so oil companies won't go bankrupt and hurt the economy and lose people's jobs. But if we buy hybrids, oil companies will lay everybody off and ipods will be too expensive. Think about JOBS not saving gas.

[proverb311031]

The Volt and the fuel cell are the same they both don't work, this is a total scam from GM, are trying to hold on to the internal combustion engine so that they can keep selling part to cars, instead of sell all electric cars. I hope GM and other car makers runnign this scam fold for being stupid, and for putting this country in danger by trying to keep us on oil!

[DANNERatLARGE]

imagine all the pollution it takes to create the electricity for the car. not even close to 50% effecency

[boulderbum7]

It's actually less pollution than gas, even if you're getting the juice from coal power.

That said, I want one of these in my garage and solar panels on my roof. Very, very clean that way.

[Soodla]

You must be on tilt for saying something like that?!?

Do some reasearch...

en(.)wikipedia(.)org/wiki/PHEV­#Advantages

[onionc]

then go and research what is the efficiency on burning petrol in your car.

[64alpha2]

Now that is the power of toyota!!!! I cant wait until about 2014 or so until there will be mass production of these all electric cars =) TOYOTA will be one of the first!

[Nastc1]

@64alpha2 The power of toyota? Chevy and Ford had full electric cars in 1990s yet again...

[tableround]

@64alpha2 better check out the 2011 Chevy Volt then.

[redsoil5]

are we talking about Prius or politics?

[bluebike10]

Get a Prius. Install a Roush V8. Why? Because its funny as hell

[HydrOxyBoost]

What is also funny how idiotic some Americans have become. The whole world is laughing at you. Why? Because idiots are funny as hell.

[bluebike10]

That makes me feel bad. Why is the whole world laughing at us. Really, I want to know why.

[HydrOxyBoost]

It is almost impossible to explain it to you because you have grown up in this delusion of the "American Dream".

Your minds are corrupted with this power trip America has been on for at least a hundred years. And your comment "V8 in a Prius" illustrates it very well.

America and it's people have lost their Souls.

You can't relate to foreigners and you can't even relate to each other anymore.

Go traveling in the world and you will see what I mean.

[bluebike10]

You are right about the power trip. As for the lost your souls part. Well, you might also be right about that. After all, most of us no longer believe in a God. Its kinda silly.

Now for the part where we don't relate to each other anymore, I wouldn't say that. Just about all my friends want to put a V8 in a prius.

[EvenStar303]

That proves my point.

Are you actualy going to do it or you just talk about it?

Cheers!

[tenmazero]

I love it when people pull figures out of their ass and present them as fact.

Look, man, most polls indicate around 80-90% of Americans believe in God. Maybe if we did a little less praying and a little more thinking we'd be in better shape.

[tenmazero]

Try not to equate all Americans with the policies of the Bush administration and its followers, even though they may currently be one of the most visible representatives. I have never supported this president or that culture of ignorance and I never will.

The Bush era is thankfully coming to an end soon, and I hope you'll be able to reevaluate your opinion about my country in four years.

[HydrOxyBoost]

This corruption didn't just start with the Bush.

Bill Clinton was a liar also but you guys have lost your souls, that is why you can't tell when someone is lying to you.

90% of your politicians are liars Congress and all. They have sold your country to the big money corporations. They should all be imprisoned for treason. They have made your constitution into toilet paper.

And all the American people are guilty by association and inaction.

You can't blame one guy for all your problems.

[tenmazero]

Bill Clinton lied about a blowjob. Bush lied about a war. I'll support a guy who believes what I believe and sometimes lies to get things done.

And I don't know what country you're from (your profile says United States,) but if you think your politicians are not lying to you too, you're a fool.

[HydrOxyBoost]

You are even more clueless than I thought.

Bill lied about a lot more than a blow job.

And Hillary is a liar too.

Do your research!

"I'll support a guy who believes what I believe and sometimes lies to get things done."

And you wander why you got liars in office all over the place.

It is the fault of people like you why things are so screwed up right now.

And yes I live in the USA now but I will never be associated with this bullshit.

[tenmazero]

"We" got liars in office all over the place? You must be extremely naive. This is the nature of politics in all countries, not just mine. At least here they don't brainwash us into thinking the corruption doesn't exist.

Grow up. And if you hate America so much, nobody's making you stay here.

[label1877]

Bill Clinton lied so many times, (not counting his lies under oath) it's silly. You need to get your news from a variety of sources because you really are clueless.

[tenmazero]

You're not telling me anything I don't know, champ. I'm saying I'd take the liar Bill Clinton over the liar George W. Bush any day.

You people need to grow the fuck up. People lie every day, and politics is certainly no exception. In the case of American presidents what matters is how well they do their jobs and what state the country and the world are in during and after their tenures.

[unholyimage]

Yea, I know I lost my soul many years ago, yet still I shamble the earth like a zombie seeking sustainance for my lifeless husk. Even now I can't tell if you, HydrOxyBoost, is for real. So why do you even bother? Unless you have Dick Cheney's cell number. He has powerful black magic ability that has been known to bring back the dead and revive zombies.

[label1877]

I like the PHEV concept, but I hope they don't make us drive them with that kind of paint job.

[boulderbum7]

Aw come on. Maybe if they colored the flowers pink and the dolphins fluorescent blue!

[tommy1504]

the best part of this video is the theme song

[tenmazero]

I felt like I had just won the 1977 Porn Star Super Bowl.

[MrYetiWaffles]

haha yea, what is up with the music

[SSparks555]

Too bad the inside of the fueling compartment does not light up, while charging. Like the Tesla Roadster.

[f00kumofo123]

Sorry, I'll take my words back, that was inappropriate. Man, I'm sick.

[f00kumofo123]

German crap sucks ass. Overhyped overpriced shit cars, you nazi eurabions lost your vibe. Way to go stupid gay bitches.

[mickyb37]

Thanks for letting everyone know what a pathetic loser you are. Did your parents ignore you as a child or were you just born a loser?

[f00kumofo123]

I did not talk to you, bitch. My interests don't involve sucking hairy balls as you seem enjoying. Fag.

[f00kumofo123]

Prius looks like ugly crap. Toyota, piss out my butt, gay pervs.

[JackDragu]

Nickel Cadmium is toxic.

The batteries they use is (Nickel metal hydride) is non toxic and can last of ten years or more.

[theoneagain]

107 usdollars is the price of crude per barrel

which is actually today at 108,69 and rising

[theoneagain]

i dont live in america i live in france so i pay 1 euro and 24 cents a litre and rising for 5 europs i used to get 5 litres now i only get 3 and a bit there iroblem i compensate with vegetable oil now for savings

[theoneagain]

im not worried about speed im worried about my pocket 107 usdollars fuck that

[theoneagain]

when are they coming out i wanna buy one

[jstack6]

It's mpge, mile per gallon equivalent.

The numbers I hear are ,Electric costs about 80 cents for the amount of energy in a gallon of gas , IE 8 cents a kwh for 10 kwh.

It's cleaner and if you charge off peak it doesn't require new power plants. They can't shut off a coal or nuclear plant so lots of power gets wasted off peak.

I also have a solar grid tied system so my power is extra clean.

I'd rather plug-in anyday !

[diggingforgold]

Excellent points jstack6.

Another thing to remember is that during night (when you are plugged in), power plants are under lower demand, meaning extra capacity. So not only is there no extra emissions, but there won't be that large of an impact on demand since charging is mostly done during low-demand hours.

[cosmiccarl]

OUCH, looks like I cannot plug in this PHEV into a standard 110 electric outlet at home. I expect the plug-in portion of the car to be user friendly, not require an entirely other type of plug/outlet needed.

[EnochsRoad]

While the end going into the Prius looks proprietary, I think the opposite end simply fits into a normal electrical outlet.

I know the auto manufacturers are really trying to acheive that sort of simplicity, anyway (that's what the prototype Chevy Volt uses).

[milofonbil]

I guess you will have to carry a spare electricity nozzle so that you can charge up at your friend's house or at work

[milofonbil]

What is the gas mileage in a Prius PHEV?

How much electricity in kWh is used to charge the Prius PHEV over the period of a tankful?

When calculating mpg, did you add-in the equivalent energy from the electricity? 1 gal gas = 33.5 kWh.

[EnochsRoad]

MPG rating is hard because PHEVs potentially never use gas, however Wikipedia's "Battery vehicle" entry says this.

"Tesla Motors (plug-in sports car) indicates that... power consumption of their vehicle is 0.215 kwh per mile. The US fleet average of 23 miles per gallon of gasoline is equivalent to 1.58 kWh per mile and the 70 MPG Honda Insight uses 0.52 kWh per mile... so hybrid electric vehicles are relatively energy efficient, and battery electric vehicles are much more energy efficient."

[milofonbil]

Mpg rating is not hard. A PHEV has basically two modes of operation. 1) Gasoline only and 2) Electric only. Everything else is between the two. So the Tesla gets (1 mile / 0.215 kWh )(33.5 kWh / gallon) = 155.8 mpg equivalent. The Honda Insight gets (1 mile / 0.52 kWh)(33.5 kWh / gallon)= 64.4 equivalent. Average fleet (1 mile / 1.58 kWh)(33.5 kWh / gallon) = 21.2 mpg equivalent ... and so on.

[boulderbum7]

I think the difficulty comes in the way you define MPG. You define it differently than the manufacturers.

Obviously electricity isn't measured in "gallons", and most people think of MPG's in terms of the gas they burn. That's why Chevy markets the Volt as getting 40 miles on electricity THEN 100 MPG of gasoline for some time afterwards.

You make an important point, however. Soon we may have to consider general units like cost/pollution per mile instead of MPG's of gas.

[milofonbil]

The point is that many of the homebrew PHEV's will claim 1500 miles of driving after a 10 gallon refueling on gasoline. However, they don't count the electricity used to charge the batteries. Electricity is not free. Since 1 gallon of gasoline = 33.5 kWh, it's possible to express gas mileage in mpg and electric mileage in miles per GGE so you can compare the two.

[m715fm]

You seem to know the answer, so why do you ask? Are you for this tech or not?

[milofonbil]

I have contacted the EPA since and have found out the answer. They have a test procedure prescribed for hybrids now that they are modifying for plug-in hybrids. Clearly, you have to measure all the energy you have to put into the system and all of the distance traveled you get out of the system.

[milofonbil]

Am I for the technology - yes most definitely. PHEV's are significantly more efficient than ICEV's. But I think the mpg claims that retrofit manufacturers make with YouTubes better match up with the mpg figures the EPA will give to PHEVs later this year for the 2009 models. I think 80-100 mpGGE is what we wil be seeing.

[brotherjupiter]

Even a 9 year old YouTuber with a desultory interest in plug in hybrids could make a more exciting and informational video than this.

Come on guys I know you can do better. I'll buy one from you and give it maximum exposure in Western Canada if you are interested.

[gonepriused]

Great video, Can.t wait till they are shipped over seas to USA. Will have to trade in the 07 pri for that one!!!! Even if it had to come with the paint and decals I would take it.

thanks BoulderBum

Priussoris aka goneprius

[darwinmommy]

I think a lot of like-minded people would want it BECAUSE it had the paint and decals -- for them, it's all about showing off one's enviro-coolness -- see the Slate article called "Prius Preening"

That might not describe you, but look at comparative sales: the civic hybrid's sales have flopped, it's just as good if not better than the Prius. 

The difference? The civic hybrid is indistinguishable from any other civic (they should'a painted it bright green).

[serlegar]

Ok and those who drives big SUV probably want to show off one's macho-coolness.

Oh and by the wat the Civic is a very different type of hybrid and cant run on battery only.

[danwat1234]

get a bumper sticker that says "draft SUV drivers first". Just search it on google and they are only a couple of bucks. I have it on my car.

[czech27]

i have one that says "if you really want to support the troops, forget about those stupid yellow ribbons and get rid of your gas-sucking SUV"