Featured Toyota Prius Prime Will Likely Be The First Plug-in Hybrid To Outsell Chevy Volt

I wouldn't be surprised if the Prime outsells the Volt. People are much more familiar with the Prius name than the Volt, and it doesn't help that GM barely markets it, though admittedly it would be a tough sell in this era of "low" gas prices. Then there's the stellar Toyota reliability as well, while many still remember lots of GM's having problems, despite the Volt being one of their more reliable models.

However, I don't really see the Volt and Prime as competitors. I view them being on the same team, cars that you can plug in to reduce your gas usage. I absolutely hated seeing gas prices climb up even a few cents when I had a Prius, and it always seemed to go up just as I needed to fill up too.

With the Volt, I no longer need to use any gas whatsoever during my daily work commute of around 40 miles, even in winter. But it still has the gas engine for those times where I do need to go further, or in case I just forgot to plug it in.

I also like that the Prime and Volt, along with other plug-in hybrids coming out now like the Honda Clarity plug-in hybrid, reduces our reliance on fracking, and getting oil from places that don't like us much and requires a heavy military presence to keep that oil flowing. Sure, "coal" isn't much cleaner, but at least it's supporting American jobs, and as renewable energies starts taking over, it'll be supporting solar panel and wind turbine installers.

And there's just something awesome about getting your energy directly from the Sun. If you have solar panels on your house, or are buying renewable energy from your power company, then you're getting as close to "Zero emissions" as you can when driving on EV.

Yes, they still have a gas engine. But you know what? I don't mind burning some gas every now and then, until EV's are cheaper, longer ranged, and there's a charging station in every parking lot at malls, theaters, shopping centers, apartment parking complexes, and workplace parking lots. I love the zero range anxiety, while simultaneously not being completely dependent on Big Oil and OPEC.

 

That's an anecdotal observation. Looking at the bigger picture, it's easy to see there's more involved.

Stepping back to consider everything at play, which many posting comments do not, is the fact that Toyota is rolling out Prime worldwide all at once. Seeing Japan, Europe, and North America get first delivery all in the same year is quite an challenge to take on. They are all very, very, very different major markets. Having a new product take on so much, so quickly deserves recognition.

Zooming into to consider just the United States, we can see very distinct regions. Their differences are vast. Toyota has learned that rollout during the cold season has consequences. With the heat-pump in Prime, that effect from Winter will have quite a pronounced impact. So, it makes sense that final 2017 inventory was focused on the coasts instead. Middle America will have to wait until the thaw.

Another *MAJOR* issue overlooked by virtually everyone is the fact that dealers are the primary customer, not who actually ends up driving the vehicle. That's a business fundamental most people have a very difficult time accepting. Why wouldn't the vehicle owner be most important in the rollout process?

Look at it this way, if the dealer isn't interested in selling the vehicle, there isn't a choice available for the consumer. Toyota has chosen a phased rollout for this reason. It does seem odd to have ample inventory at some places, especially with $1,000 cashback offers, when there are shortages elsewhere. But from the perspective of keeping dealers happy and providing incentive for salespeople to actually want to try to sell the vehicle, it makes a lot of sense.

The business is quite complex. Things worldwide need to settle down first. Seeing that Toyota is on target for selling 50,000 Prime this year is a really big deal. We'll see 2018 models all over... eventually.

 

When I look at the winter climate of New England and more temperate SouthEast, I'm not sure this was a primary decision criteria. The CARB hypothesis does a better job of mapping where the Prime has been first sold.

Bob Wilson

 

It's no where near as cold on the East Coast and there's easier delivery, so holding off on 2018 supply was contributing criteria making CARB emphasis an added benefit.

 

Not to mention that, in theory, dealer mechanics need to be trained and parts inventories adjusted and you can't do that all at once for all regions/

 

The previous post only addressed internal considerations, those factors of influence only pertaining to the perspective of the automaker and related resources. Stepping back even further, that biggest picture complicates matters to a degree most people don't properly recognize: failure fallout.

Not every attempt will succeed to attract mainstream consumers. The design or approach will get trapped in a problem called "innovator's dilemma". Just because the first-generation of a product strongly appeals to early adopters is no guarantee that the second-generation offering will. It's a easy trap to fall into. The manufacturer will focus too much on traits that made it popular... only to discover the wider audience unwilling to pay a premium for that.

This is exactly the problem gen-2 Volt is struggling with now. GM focused on faster & further. They enhanced the configuration to be even more specialized, rather than shifting emphasis to other appeal factors to make it a more balanced offering. So as well as it works, it's trapped in a niche. Ordinary shoppers just plain are not interested.

This is what some are so hard on Prime, failing to recognize how much Toyota strived to avoid that same trap. That de-emphasis on faster & further allowed resources to be placed on keeping the configuration affordable, while included draws like dynamic-cruise and lane-departure standard. This makes Prime easier for dealers to consider and for salespeople to sell.

It deeply upsets some to watch the true signs of progress play out. When a chapter closes, it reveals some winners and some losers. In this case, it will be the end of the "early adopter" phase, which is clearly marked by the phaseout trigger of tax-credits. The expectation is for this Volt to be too expensive to survive. The next product-cycle may bring about a design that is competitive. But gen-2 as it is now, is an extremely difficult sell.

Prime's much lower sticker-price, combined with the nice variety of features and simple approach, targets it at that harder-to-sway but much wider audience. So, even with the loss of tax-credits, it stands a reasonable chance of attracting a large number of buyers.

Also, don't forget that Toyota is cultivating new potential at the same time. We see the Camry, RAV4, and C-HR hybrids all being positioned to deliver a plug option later.

 

My normal night time lows should be having the cars cold soaked at freezing or lower at this time of year.

No, people are hard on the Prime because the improvements came with the price of negative compromises that were a known factor from the experience of first gen PHEVs.

When the federal tax credits were written, the predicted cost reduction for batteries was 5% per year. It has actually be 7% to 8% per year. The Volt's pack cost is likely less than the $7500 already. With the arrival of the Clarity PHEV, I expect GM to officially cut the Volt MSRP by the 2019 model year.

 

Uh, I think we’ll have to agree to disagree:

• Prime handling superior to Volt
• Prime EV range more than matches smaller urban areas than Volt
• Bolt eviscerated Volt

Who in their right mind would put up with Chevy local sales critters selling Volt? Not that Toyota has a f*ckin’ clue. Rather, when identical sales technique mechanisms meets the same customers, superior technology wins.

Bob Wilson

 

interesting take. It raises the question, I don't know if it's been asked/answered, how many miles on a single - long distance trip does it take before the Prime's higher highway epa (verses Volt's longer electric range) surpasses Volts epa.
.

 

My comment there wasn't about a Volt to Prime comparison, but on why people criticize the Prime on its own.

"This is exactly the problem gen-2 Volt is struggling with now. GM focused on faster & further. They enhanced the configuration to be even more specialized, rather than shifting emphasis to other appeal factors to make it a more balanced offering. So as well as it works, it's trapped in a niche.

This is what some are so hard on Prime, failing to recognize how much Toyota strived to avoid that same trap."

That was what I was responding to with that comment. People aren't hard on the Prime because of what GM did with the Volt. They are hard on it because it makes design decisions that are known negatives for a PHEV, with some on how it is more Japanese market centric.

If I had wanted to make the comment about the Volt and Prime, I would point out that the Prius' success was because it is a good car all around. Dependable, great fuel economy, flexibility of a hatchback, and big enough for a young or small family while being reasonably priced. The Prime's cargo space, and four seats hinders that all around package appeal, which actually makes it more niche than the Prius and even the PiP.

Vocal criticisms of the gen1 Volt were its price, hybrid fuel economy, the four seats, and small interior. The gen2 made a solid attempt at addressing those short comings. It undercuts the gen1's starting MSRP by $6000 to $7000, and the fuel economy improved. Rear seating is still lacking, but they got a half seat into the middle. The eliminates to automatic cutting from a car shoppers list for those that want five seats for whatever reason. Then EV range gets a big improvement, because that is the main draw of the car.

Some of those areas could have been improved further, but not without compromise elsewhere. Further tricking out the ICE for efficiency could get the numbers up to the Malibu hybrids, but will add to the car's still high price. Making it larger for better rear seating would reduce efficiency and increase price. Over 2kWh could be cut from the battery's capacity and still retain the full tax credit amount, but that likely would not free up enough space or weight to counteract the loss of EV range.

In short, the gen2 Volt took the model more mainstream than niche.

Having different EV ranges available in PHEVs benefits the market; more choices, more sales. Not all those Volt buyers would flock to the Prime if the Volt was gone.

The Bolt is benefiting form being new and the pent up demand for a long range BEV. In California, it might also get points for its HOV stickers being more of a sure thing than a PHEV's. With combined costs and trade offs to have an ICE and full power EV drive train, I see PHEv sales trending lower than BEVs with time.

It has come up, and it was close to tip over point of the PiP vs. gen1 Volt. Somewhere in the 100 to 150 mile range.

 

volt might have done better with fewer miles and more space.

 

The Volt would have done a lot better if they advertised the darn thing.

 

you could say that about a lot of hybrids.

 

Let's play Spot The Volt.
Chevrolet Cars, Trucks, SUVs, Crossovers and Vans

 

found it! 2 clicks to electric vehicles.

 

Yes, but it's not on the main page, you have to look for it. At least the Bolt is on the main page, you just have to scroll down to it.

 

have you visited toyota.com?

 

Sure did and the Prius was right there on the main page. I couldn't find the BEV, though.
New Cars, Trucks, SUVs & Hybrids | Toyota Official Site

 

huh, i don't see it.

 

First click to the left of the Camry. If you let the page move by itself, the Prius pops up.