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I found the missing 4" (vertical) in the trunk. It is below the battery.

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by RonMc5, Oct 11, 2017.

  1. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    Incredible photos. That is a serious amount of wasted space.

    I wonder what that foam bit does. Is it strong enough to support the battery from flexing under heavy loads? Why didn’t they add more support? So much open space makes it seem very precarious.
     
  2. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    It's the size of a regular Prius spare tire and about 2/3 of the thickness of one.
     
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  3. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Ever consider the possibility that Toyota may be exploring getting into aftermarket sales?

    Think of what a battery-pack upgrade would involve...
     
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Only if you're a bear.

    I suspect it is more to prevent the bottom panel of the pack from flexing and making noise while the car is in motion.
     
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Yeah the pics kinda put this to bed, battery bears (speaking of bears) directly on the main subfloor, bridges over the spare tire recess.
     
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  7. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Only if you're an octopus who's a member of the NRA!! Har,har, harumph!!

    .
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you could slide some slender luggage in there, looks a bit like the model 3 trunk.
     
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  9. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    My thought, immediately.
    So.......how.....do you access this view?
     
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  10. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    See post 138.

    You could never get a spare tire in there without removing the battery.
     
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  11. RonMc5

    RonMc5 Member

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    Thanks, I tried finding a diagram of where the hybrid bits are located, but ended up guessing. As for the jack that is only under one corner of the seat. The rest is all empty space.

    You have to remove the trunk rug, Pop off the trim piece around where the trunk latches and the pieces to the left and right of that, then remove the storage well immediately inside the trunk (one bolt for that I think). Then you can stick a camera down there.I also removed the left and right storage covers and wells. I suggest a trim removal kit.

    I think the foam looking stuff is for sound deadening. It is pretty hard. The battery is supported at all four corners by some sturdy plastic looking bits.
     
    #151 RonMc5, Oct 20, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 21, 2017
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  12. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Thank You.
     
  13. offib

    offib Member

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  14. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Toyotas Engineers really screwed up on this one. Overall it's a great car. But, no spare?, no room for a spare, very restricted trunk, one small glove box. Sometimes I feel like I'm in some ancient 2 seater open, English sports car. But, 60-200 mpg is hard to beat!
     
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  15. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Toyota plans ahead. Think about reusability or a mid-cycle upgrade.

    Not backing themselves into a corner like another automaker did...
     
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  16. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    Yeah, and pigs fly!!

    .
     
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  17. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Except this time they didn't.

    Planning ahead would have meant designing the chassis for the plug in with the bigger battery that is harder to find space for, and then the engineers would have had an easier time packing in the components for the hybrid.

    Instead they went backwards. As a result, the Prime loses as much interior space over the Prius Two Eco as the C-max Energi loses over its hybrid sibling, and that chassis wasn't even designed as a hybrid.
     
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  18. GT4Prius

    GT4Prius Active Member

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    The 4th Gen and Prime chassis is not designed specifically for hybrid. It's the Toyota TNGA architecture.

    TNGA explained: engineering for the future - Toyota


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  19. bhtooefr

    bhtooefr Senior Member

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    The floorpan, however, is specifically for the 4th-gen.
     
  20. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Looking forward, they clearly did plan for bigger. Notice the market expectation for mid-cycle upgrades with minimal price change.
     
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