Some insider notes on the 2017 Prius Prime

Li-ion batteries have been steadily improving in cost and performance since the Volt and Leaf first came to market. The gen1 Volt actually improved its range a little mid-cycle, and the gen2 has a larger capacity battery, that is smaller, while greatly cutting the model's price with the help of other improvements. So the Prime might get a couple more miles of EV on the refresh.

Doubling the density in the next few years though. Ain't going to happen. The yearly cost improvements have been better than the predicted 7% when the federal tax credit was written into law. So the technology is progressing faster than expected.

Other chemistries and battery types have shown promise in the lab, but are still in the lab. Phinergy has an Al-air battery running on a demo BEV as a range extender to the Li-ion. With ALcoa's backing that is likely the next non-lithium battery we'll see in a plug in.

 

thank you!

 

And the associated cost of a plug-battery recall could be astronomical if all battery packs had to be replaced.

As consumers, we're too used to thinking in terms of computer industry schedules, but the computer industry builds to vastly lower quality and reliability standards than automobiles. I'm not knocking the computer industry, it's just that we don't expect our computers to have the kind of durability that a car has.

 

I wonder how much that 11" screen and other options will cost. I already have 1k reserved with the dealer for a non plugin.

 

me too. wondering. on pip 1, the goodies were big dollars.

 

Don't expect to get the "self charging" PIP from Canada! We -usually- get less options than the US. And we get the cars a few months after you do. Or more.

Welcome to the third world.

BUT, we DO have the PIP for sale here.

Being in the "cold white north" I had pretty much figured no "electric car" or "partial electric car" would ever be practical. We need heat man!! Lots of heat! For 6-7 months of the year. But somewhere I read (can't find it now of course) this car is fine at -10 deg. So it might actually be very practical for someone like me. I drive a maximum of 30 km most of the time before putting the car back in the garage, where it could be recharging. No more short trip mileage hits!
The only problems I see is I may forget where the gas station is and the fuel in the car might go stale before I get to burn it.

 

Oh! I totally forgot about the pre-heat benefit of having a heat-pump available.

 

that would be great.

 

I am liking most of what I am reading so far. I just hope it has a spare tire. Putting the spare on the Gen3 and being back on the road is literally a less-than-10-minute job - at night, in the dark or rain, whenever. Please have a spare.

 

Sorry, no spare.

 

bummer.

 

hey, as long as you can get up and running in 15 or 20 minutes, no biggie.

 

@Tideland Prius, any info about Prime with emergency power connection-ready for North America.

 

@Tideland Prius

Do you think that the visibility out the back of the Prime would be any better or worse than the gen4?

 

Thanks

I thought that the rear glass area might be larger.

How long do you think it will be before they have some cars and invite the the press for test drives?