Prius Plug-in Hybrid Update

Are you saying Toyota used 2016 quality cells in 2012? They should be able to increase the range 50% with no change in size given the years that have passed and without increasing cost.

If there were smart they'd have Tesla design a pack just for the Prius family and buy them from the gigafactory in 2016. If they want to avoid dealing with Tesla there are still other players in the battery market that could stomp all over what is in the 2012-2015 PiP.

Oh wait, they are using Panasonic cells in the PiP already, if they stay with Panasonic they should have something reasonably close to Tesla quality as an option.

On top of all that they've had time to redesign the body of the car. They could optimize the space layout to allow for more battery volume without changing the cargo capacity. Heck they can extend the length of the vehicle by an inch or two if needed.

Yes, I very much want to see the PiP with more kWh in the pack. 4.4 kWh is not enough.

 

Come to Southern California, where gasoline has now approached (and exceeded for 91 octane) $4 a gallon.

I have to admit laughing at those who foolishly bought gas hogging SUVs or muscle cars during the ephemeral price dip.

 

i filled up last november, $34.50 and 2 days ago, $22.50

 

California?
91 octane Premium right? I think you are $3.50 average for Regular.
You should move to Virgnny and get 16 cent/gal gaso tax. We are $2.50 in NOVA (CARB type gaso)

 

$2.70

 

Yes, but then I'd be on the wrong coast.

 

Although I still had 1/4 of a tank at that time, I went ahead and filled up back in March when it was near the $2 mark. I've used less than 2/10ths of a gallon since then so I'm thinking I should be good for the rest of the year.

 

yep
We were just a few miles south of Hearst Castle last week, & much of the Cali central coast around there was averaging $4.50's for mid grade - 89 octane.
.

 

At the gas station near my college, every day last week the price went up about $.10/day. The other irritating trend at gasoline stations is to post the "cash" price but have only a small supplementary sign showing the credit card price. This started when the price went about $3.00. The best example is a station that was charging $3.79 for regular (cash), but $4.79 for credit. Yes a $1 per gallon upcharge. A special place in hell should be reserved for that station owner.

 

i would have a stash of cash in the car.

who uses 89? volt?

 

Do you put fuel stabilizer in with that?

 

Nah, I'll do enough out of town trips to burn it off plus just like other PHEV's the engineers put in a fuel mode to purposely burn off fuel if you don't use it. I've never run into that mode.

 

It is illegal in California to surcharge for credit card use. But it is perfectly legal to offer a discount for cash.

 

sounds right.

 

Problem wit Tesla like cells is that they have rather low C rating, 85 kWh pack can provide 310 kW, but those are peak values that don't get used a lot in normal driving, also charging is limited to 50-130 kW depending on the condition. If you put 8 kWh pack in PiP and put in on the highway it would stress the cells too much even at constant speed and charging it with 6-10 kW would be just as stressful as charging Tesla on the supercharger. Useful life of such a pack would be at least 5 times less than in Model S.

 

Totally agree with you. However, you will run into many people on here who think it's totally fine on the pack to discharge and/or recharge in 20 minutes or less.

 

i think toyota/panasonic know how to build batteries just fine.

 

For those with unlimited mileage warranties on their Tesla Model S, it would seem Tesla has some confidence that it won't be replacing batteries under warranty, even for those who drive in "Insane" mode and avail themselves of Superchargers.

 

The only way to abuse Model S is to put in on a race track and even then electronics will prevent you. Under normal road conditions there is just no way to do it, the pack is just so much oversized, but 10 times smaller pack from the same cells for PiP is totally different matter.

 

Stop. You're just making my covet level go up.