Next up for the Prius Family - The Prius t for Truck?

Yes, yes they are ... Toyota Group | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION GLOBAL WEBSITE

 

What significant engineering? The Lexus RX 400h comes in AWD, so Toyota obviously has the tech and in a hybrid version.

 

If it ends up being "Prius t", at least that's better than the goofy Pruck we saw in another thread.

 

I don't think anyone would complain if Toyota made a 30+mpg Truck. I sure as hell wouldn't. No matter the size of the truck a TOYOTA HSD truck would be welcomed.

 

There can be no truth to this rumor at this time.

The reason being that nobody has received any teaser puzzle pieces yet.

:

Maybe it should be named the Prius hmtmkm, or htk(m)^3 for short.

:behindsofa:

 

These are the "Plug in" Hybrids I am most familiar with:



Running on just diesel, they had a top speed of 7 MPH uphill out of the pit. On just electric, 11 MPH. Using both they came up out of the pit at 13 MPH.

A modern one should set you back $1.5 Million, plus $2 million a mile for trolley lines and a electrical substation.
http://www.komatsuamerica.com/PDFs/CE_Trucks_Feb09.pdf

 

i
Yes,

Bring assidythem back, I miss my old '84

Dbc

 

I agree. I could really use a vehicle with better ground clearance to access the more remote areas of my nature preserves and having a place to put my work tools outside the vehicle (truck bed) after they get muddy would be nice. I wouldn't mind paying an extra $300/yr or so in fuel to have these options.

 

$2 million dollar/mile extension cord! probably cheaper than batteries in the long run.

 

There could also be amarket for a Prius powertrain small van the size of the Ford Transit Connect.
2011 Ford Transit Connect Vehicle | The Right Commercial Van For All Kinds of Cargo | Ford.com
It only weighs about 300 lb more than a Prius and has a 1600 lb payload.

They would make an a good delivery vehicle, compact camper or in the passenger version they would make a good taxi-cab.

A pickup-truck version would make a usable pick-up too.

Ford has an all electric version with an "80 mile" range.

 

Sounds like a typical government expense sheet. $12,000 for a hammer, $5,000 for safety goggles...

Would be great for mail carriers too!

 

As if the Prius is not laughed at enough they need a tiny front wheel drive "truck" with about as much utility as a subaru baja (minus its AWD). Thanks but I'm going to pass on this.

Man even *I* will laugh at anybody who drives that thing.

Who is this for? Because no contractor is going to park that thing next to his buddy's F150, you can forget it. And it's not going to be towing.

 

Well judging by the powerful, high performance (not fuel economy mind you) tough and sexy lumps that are jamming up the dealer lots now, about as appealing as turds in an overflowing toilet. You know the rides that they told us that we had to own, right! I will say that great fuel economy is what manufacturers should be striving for and achieving.
Crazy I know, but this is what I think. Heck, I saw some loon at the gas station the other day screaming at his car "I hate you for getting such great gas mileage!" "What am I supposed to do with all of my money now!" What a nut, oh wait, that was me!

 

Does it have to be FWD? I don't see why they couldn't slap the Rav4 or even the RX400h AWD system in it. It looks funky, but it is a concept car. The only concept that made it to reality that I know of is the newer Vauxhall Astra. (Clarkson had to eat his own hair because of that! )

It brings up the point of why we need F150s. The rest of the world gets around with vans and stationwagons and hatchbacks. Little Isuzu trucks and the like. A volvo can tow a caravan or a boat. It can store just as much and on the inside so it doesnt get rained on, snowed on, or stolen. It just doesnt make sense. The RX can tow 3500lbs just fine, so if they took its chassis and drivetrain and made it a pickup (Like the Escalade SUV to Pickup conversion) then it would be an AWD truck that could tow 3500lbs and get 30mpg with the reliability of a Toyota.

 

At our location, a single load of ore might be 1/4 Million in gold, so it does pay for itself. Our initial need was to reduce diesel fumes trapped in the temperature inversion in the open pit. Increased production speed was a perk. Enough batteries to provide 3000 HP would detract from the load's weight.

 

RWD is generally preferred when it comes to actually hauling and towing. Loads shift weight to the rear, reducing traction at the front.

3500lbs of towing is plenty for most people. My 2000 Ranger was able to pull that using an engine designed in 1986. It was actually rated 4000, but the hitch limited it. The old engine and having an automatic dragged its fuel economy down, but it did cost me a third of a Highlander hybrid. New would have been half the THH.

Aside from performance, I don't see the need for AWD on most vehicles. I've be able to get around fine, when I had to, in snow with FWD and all season tires. I'm sure it's nice to have AWD in areas where snow on the ground for 4 months is common, but snow tires are probably more cost effective. I don't see a year round mpg penalty for AWD worth it. The asymmetrical systems like Toyota's reduce that penalty at the cost not having rear drive 100% of the time.

For real off use 4WD is better, at least the part systems. Even stock, you'll equal power distributed to front and rear.

Final thought, hybrid trucks are needed, but to have an impact they have to draw sales away from current truck market. I don't see a production A-BAT doing that. I like it, and will suit my needs. I don't think it will attract enough attention from buyers looking a mid size truck, let alone full size.

 

I had AWD and snow tires when I lived where it snowed during ten months of the year. It was hardly worth switching back to 'all season' tires.

Average High/Low Temperatures for KEKO : Weather Underground

 

Cause this is America, damn it. Actually it's mostly just because they are cheap to buy and run, fuel is not bad. If fuel was what people in the UK pay I bet you'd see a lot of F150s swapped with little tacomas and trailers which, honestly, would suit the average truck owner just fine anyway. I've seen some long trailers and most guys are not in the regular need of carting around an entire pallet of concrete anyway.

I agree with above about AWD. I don't have it in any vehicle although it would be nice just for giggles on the days it snows here. Those without it do fine, myself included, but I may get it on next vehicle depending on whims at the time.

Where was that? Even Alaska ain't that bad!

 

Darn and I linked to the weather page, too.

North Eastern Nevada. Here is a link to my ex-employer:

Barrick Gold Corporation - Goldstrike

Nome, AK seems to have 10 months with snow http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/D...ityName=Nome&StateCode=AK&Units=none&IATA=OME

 

It has MGR with no mechanical linkage and air cooled to power the rear wheel. It does not have sufficient for towing application. It will need additional engineering.

They can always use front engine RWD like in GS450h and LS600h.