5th Generation Prius

You have made it pretty clear that you hate that. For better or worse, if it follows recent Toyota (and other brands) vehicle introductions, it will have an electronic parking brake (probably with a hill hold function).

Not everybody likes the EPB: 5 Reasons Why The Electronic Handbrake Needs To Die

 

My mom had a Volt with electric parking brake. I did not like it. It seemed like an over-the-top example of "let's do the complicated thing where the simple thing is cheap, reliable, easy to modulate and easy to trust".

 

I personally don't trust the EPB, but it's a superior technology on the balance. If you forget to put the vehicle in park, it will prevent rolling (so you don't die like poor Anton Yelchin); if you use it as an emergency brake, it will actually pump the brakes like ABS to prevent traction loss; and it will disengage in you apply throttle so you don't need to worry about accidentally hitting it while shifting on a long drive or forgetting to turn it on/off when parking. You also don't have to deal with the wire stretching like a manual parking brake.

I feel comforted by having a manual brake as a back up, but it makes sense to go to the electronic one, especially in the Prius with the electronic shifter.

 

No - I don't like the EPB - test drove them on a couple of cars pre-buying Gen 4. I was complaining to someone who had a newish Golf (GTI?) about the foot-park-brake, the Hill Holder which is only forward direction as well as the fact you can't put a foot on both footbrake and accelerator at the same time - while trying to reverse uphill from behind someone who parked too close. He said - yes, you try doing that on a Manual Golf with an EPB, it's no easier. I said, I'll skip it too. And look for a car with one of these next time - never had a problem with one, absolutely progressive:

 

Mine only hauls grandchildren and my Mini-Poodle - Winston Gerard.

 

Back in 2016, Autoblog reported that in an interview with the assistant chief engineer on the Prius Prime, he had said, "Ultimately, PHEV may be the way to go." Many took this to mean the next Prius will be plug-in only. I wouldn't be surprised if that happens, and even think it would be a good thing, for several reasons:
-it keeps the Prius name around, which has a history and baggage (for better or worse)
-less risk of cannibalizing Prius sales with a Corolla hybrid
-the Prius can actually be designed as a plug-in from the start, without the compromises of the Prime trying to adapt a non-plug-in platform

We'll find out in a couple years.

 

I hope not: don't relish the increased complexity, reduced cargo capacity, and loss of temp spare. The sales numbers are dropping preciptiously, Plug-In only would be another nail-in-the-coffin, my 2 cents.

 

It seems I'm not the only one who hates the stupid EPB - these lady car-testers said the same thing:

https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/toyota-prius-v-hyundai-ioniq-2019-comparison-117636/

Go to the video at the top of the page - at 4:30 they indicate their hate of the crazy thing.

 

New Prius?
Probably needs to be completely electric with range above 500 km/300 miles with autopilot like features and reasonable price.
Basically first Next Gen Toyota.

Option B (B as Backup):
A plugin electric with high energy density battery, meaning no compromise in seat and boot room, yet still above 50 km / 30 miles electric range and still evolutionary lower gas/fuel consumption and lower price than current Prime.

Usual hybrid model does not make any sense any more for launch year 2021 or 2022 as this is now standard part of usual Toyota car ranges and no one seems to care about 15-20% lower fuel consumption alone.

 

It's much less than ½ the fuel consumption really. My wife's FOCUS is averaging about 8.5l/100km, my friend's Mazda 3 is averaging just over 10l/100km - my PRIUS has averaged 4.2l/100.

Much of the world isn't ready for Plug-In - there is almost no infrastucture here except in 2 major cities - the rest of the country, forget plugging in. And the majority (80%?) of our power isn't anything like as clean as a PRIUS.

There are many countries with insufficient power - the rest of the village would turn on you if you plugged in an EV or PHEV - when they have limited power. Other places in the world are still driving cars made in the 1950s - they're not ready for EVs either.

But - there's still definitely a place for Hybrids - they fit a niche. Selling here at about 50% of all Camrys, 35% of all Corollas.

 

Hopefully, Toyota will find their way regarding future Prius styling. I'm not a designer but, I cannot see how it would cost more to design an attractive car over a polarizing/strange shape. Please do not enlarge the exterior more than the Gen 4. Also, reduce the roofline height for styling. Prius doesn't need to fit the tallest 3% of the worlds population. Maybe add a "sports model" also.

Also, please, please Toyota, DO NOT turn it into a mini SUV.

Thank you.

 

How about giving it an extra inch or two of ground clearance, doubling the traction battery capacity and making intelligent AWD standard, plus a few CUV design cues instead of unnecessary folds and creases ... shouldn't cost a fortune, but might attract some extra attention.

 

Take a cue from VW Bug? Come up with a practical design, then do minor tweaks to the exterior every other decade lol.

And if it's not too hard, a spare?

I know, falling on deaf ears.

 

According to Toyota and their wind tunnel tests the fold, creases, & fins help with the aerodynamics of the car and are therefore nor considered as unnecessary.

I followed one of these today (a Gen 1 Prius). Perhaps you could get one to satisfy your desires.

 

Think I get the gist, kinda disagree, that aerodynamics is first and foremost.

Editorial: last few words went off the rails? I've been there.

 

Oh, I see why they would modify the car like this - to improve the aero, right?

 

I you think the design is that bad do what I plan to do unless they change design direction. Buy a vehicle from a competitor. I think my next may be a Honda.

 

The L/100 kM figures you gave surely have to do with the driving style as well as the car design. For example, the Mazda 3 your friend drives should get 7-7.5L/100 kM (as our CX-3 AWD does) rather than 10L/100 kM (which is about what my F-150 gets).

Since PHEVs - unlike BEVs - do not depend on the public charging infrastructure for their viability, only for fuel economy, I think the "charging deserts" will not be a huge obstacle - as long as the prices come down appropriately. Besides, since most people would be charging at their home L2's overnight, it would be during the off-peak hours, hopefully alleviating some of the "villagers' concerns" you described.

Also, a hybrid with a large battery can be more energy efficient even if it never plugs in, especially when driving in the mountains (personal experience, gained in the Appalachian mountains of ours).

As for the some places in the world that still drive 1950's cars, well, weren't places that had never had a telephone service of any kind, and then went straight to the smartphone? In the process bypassing the stages of the rotary phone, the tone dial phone, the cordless phone, the shoe/car phone, the dumb/flip phone etc. ...

 

I'm thinking that the G5 Prius might already be out.
All they have to do is make a compliance PHEV flavor for the California and other such places.