Some PiP news from Japan

Yes to both. Shorter avg commutes=perhaps more receptive to the idea of PHVs and EVs and about $5700 in government incentives right now.

Erica

 

How is this power train any different from the US version? and why are they quoting an extra 3km in EV mode over the predecessor - is the predecessor the US version or the beta/demo version?

 

Prius is the top-selling vehicle in Japan. They purchase nearly triple per month than what we do here. And that's without incentives! Of course, the plug-in model is likely eligible for something. Those are signs of strong demand potential.
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JP government incentives are 50% of price difference from a comparative conventional vehicle, max 1,000,000 JPyen.
JP EV/PHV incentive plan (Japanese language only)
some major numbers are... (unit = k JPyen)

	name	incentive	comparative vehicle price	price
1	Tesla Roadstar	1	000	6	920	12	160
2	Prius PHV S	450	2	146	3	048
3	Nissan Leaf X	780	2	023	3	585
4	Mitsibishi i-MiEV G	960	1	688	3	619

Ken@Japan

 

Makes a lot more sense than how US government does it.

 

Improvements over the prototype allowed more EV range with smaller battery pack.

 

The truth about cars!

PIP presentation videos at the Tokyo Motor Show!
Toyota Launches The Volt Worrier: A Prius Plug-In Hybrid That Won

 

Not so sure. Should Roadster & Model S get more subsidy than Leaf ? How about iMiEV ?

 

It depends on the price of the conventional cars they are competing with. If the price gap is greater for Roadster and Model S, they should get higher subsidy. The same goes with iMiEV.

Government would pay half the difference. Buyer pays the other half. Manufacturer can't make a crappy expensive EV because half of the ineffective cost will pass down to the buyer.

The setup we have in the US depends on the size of the battery regardless of the comparable vehicle. We have dirty compact plugin hybrids getting the same amount as midsize EVs.

There is nothing to encourage plugin hybrid exhaust emission. GM is interested in selling an off the shelf gas engine. Just include maximum allowed battery to get maximum tax credit. Forget about the tailpipe emission because it was not a factor in tax credit.

The result is the Volt with off the shelf gas engine and non-hybrid tailpipe emission that gets the same tax credit as the Leaf, iMiEV or PiP. Those cars either have bigger battery, more interior volume or lower tailpipe emission.

 

Now I hear BC has stepped up to the plate with a $5000.00 rebate but I think it is only for EV's

 

The battery seems more targeted to the Japanese commute and incentives. There may also be a post disaster move to the vehicles, especially if it can be used as an emergency power supply.

I'm looking at that i-MiEV versus Leaf incentive and it seems crazy that the car that is the worse value gets the bigger incentive.

 

The key issue with EVs is the battery. If a government wants to encourage EVs, they really want to encourage battery development and to me it makes more sense to subsidize based on the battery capacity rather than the price.

The problem with a price-based system is that more subsidy can go to manufacturers with high prices than to those that price aggressively.

 

But, is a larger battery capacity always the most logical choice? Carrying around more capacity than you would typically use is a waste of energy (like filling up your trunk with a load of bricks that you never take out).

If they really want to encourage battery development, they should consider the energy density of the battery. Getting more miles/kg along with the price point are what will really make EVs more mainstream.

[One could always put more battery capacity into a EV].

 

For a decade, that "dead weight" argument was used against Prius. It was a misconception frequently exploited by those trying to undermine the progress of hybrids. That was very frustrating.

Ironically, we can now use it against them. Pointing out how the plug-in model is only 123 pounds heavier than the regular is a strength we can exploit.

Funny how the table turns like that.
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Is there a different final drive ratio or smaller motor in the domestic model? All Prii are built in Japan, but are there domestic only versions, other than instrumentation language, etc?