TG Daily, the technology news site, has an article today about the 2010 Plug-in Prius. Not too much new, but some interesting links. And one interesting tidbit:
Bill; KING TV and NWCN in Seattle also announced Toyota doing plug ins as well tonight... at long last, another confirmation.... im excited
Hmm I wonder if 2010 model would be introduced having plugin or will it be an option that will be incorperated at later year model/trim. How would actual plug in device work at home/condo/ apt situation? Off regular garage wall electric plug with a converter box??
It's anticipated to be added in later models after the non-plug version is released. There are different ways the charging could be implemented. I think, ideally, they would give 2 options.... 1) Built in 120v charger that could use any standard 120v outlet. This would be the most convenient for travel, and non-home charging. Probably requiring around 8 hours for a full charge. 2) Home installed 240V rapid charger. Perhaps reducing charge times to 2-4 hours. Every car would be configured with both, a rapid charger would be included or an extra charge option, but every car could be charged from 120v via an onboard charger.
Right now, I believe that A123 Company out of MIT has the best Li electrode based on Li iron phosphate doped with metal particles. This technology is going to put the ICE to bed within a few years.
Here's another article I saw about the 2010. Very cool! Jeanne Toyota Announces Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle will be Ready by 2010 Toyota Announces Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle will be Ready by 2010 (NaturalNews) The Toyota Corporation intends to develop a plug-in hybrid vehicle for its demonstration fleet by 2010, according to an announcement made by Chief Executive Officer Katsuaki Watanabe. The planned plug-in hybrids are already under development, with two prototypes currently undergoing demonstration tests by researchers at the University of California. But while existing prototypes operate with nickel-metal-hydride battery packs, Toyota aims for its new hybrids to be equipped with lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries, already widely used in consumer electronics, provide more energy per unit weight than older nickel-metal-hydride batteries, and can store a charge for longer when not in use. Watanabe cautioned that while successful lithium-ion batteries have already been developed for hybrid electric automobiles, it is premature to assume that such batteries can be mass produced with existing techniques "As of today in the lab, the small volume of lithium-ion we have already developed is closer to the level we are satisfied with, but that is only in small quality," he said. "There is a huge difference between small volume and mass production of lithium-ion." The remarks were interpreted as a response to General Motors' (GM) alliance with battery maker A123, which has so far failed to deliver mass production of lithium-ion batteries. Toyota's other planned efforts in the area of fuel efficiency include the unveiling of new hybrid-only models in 2009, increased investment in the production of ethanol from wood waste, the expansion of a joint Panasonic-Toyota batter factory, the introduction of "clean diesel" V-8 versions of the Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV and the sale of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2012. In addition, Watanabe announced the company's intention to meet California's 35 mile per gallon fleet standard "well in advance" of the 2020 deadline. Unlike competitor GM, Toyota is conducting all of its research in-house, rather than in partnership with small or start-up companies. According to Watanabe, this will make technological development "faster and more efficient." ###
Are there estimates on how many kwatts are need to travel a mile (mpKw?) I'm all for plug in, but not if it's gonna cost me more than gas. I wanna know the numbers. Do we know the energy usage for the current prius? I'm sure there is some energy loss in the transfer via heat/resistance and computer montioring of the charge also.
power needed will vary based on speed, weight, terrain, etc... most driving similar vehicles like the RAV 4 EV report around 3 kwh per mile. in my Zenn, i was averaging 3.35 kpm... but changed motors to one with less HP but same top end speed and now im averaging almost 4 kpm. (pretty lightweight vehicle i have)
I'm excited about the thought of a plug-in but I would like to know something. The Prius uses the battery and starts the ICE when the battery needs charging (and when the car needs more power). When the battery state of charge falls below a low threshold (40%?) the ICE charges the battery back to it's upper threshold (80%?). Given this, in a plug-in Prius, isn't there a point where plugging the car in won't store any more energy in the battery. For example, you are driving the car and just before you got home the ICE was running and the battery is now nominally full (80%). You plug the car in but now the car won't allow any more energy into the battery because it's already full. Am I understanding this correctly?
I think you have the right idea. What I am not clear on is how the software will control the charge cycle for lithium ion cells. It largely depends on the tolerances of the battery. I don't know if a LiION cell can be charged to 100%, let drain to 0%, or has to be kept in a range like a NiMH. Will the computer maintain a charge of say 50% so you can go home and top off the battery? You raise a fascinating point. I tend to think your theory is correct, in other words once the batteries drain, the ICE will replenish them and you will return home with a charged battery and there will be no need to plug the car in. The same thing applies to the Volt doesn't it? This is a bit off topic, but on the Volt, the ICE seems like a bit of an after thought, an emergency source of power. When the battery drains, the only source of energy will be the ICE recharging the battery, how can such a small engine keep the car moving at any reasonable speed? If you run out of juice on the freeway, are you going to have to limp home at low speeds? edit- of course the battery can never go to 0% charge, but maybe it will be allowed to come closer than a NiMH system.
Yeah, it should be. I ran that server into the ground spending 5 months looking for Toyota Prius in every way possible. ZC1
One would imagine that the top part of the charge will only be used for plug in charging and to recapture additional regen energy while the button part of the battery say 20% of the usable charge range would be used for driving in normal hybrid mode. I imagine the ICE will also come on when it is needed for extra power even when in electric mode. I'm just guessing, Toyota has much cleverer people than me in the Prius design team.
no a plug in Pri will still have a "main" traction battery that charges from 40 to 80%. but the plug in part of it will run a deeper charge cycle that will extend the EV operation of the Pri. when the plug in portion of the battery is exhausted, the Pri runs in its normal state until you get home. you then plug it in to recharge the extended EV capacity. the Pri will not charge this in normal operation...
So you are saying that there will still be the 40-80 range of battery capacity for the ICE to recharge. But energy added using the plug-in will be stored in a different part of the battery capacity range. I guess the bottom line will be how much energy you can store in the battery from, say, a night's worth of plug-in charging. If there will be enough to drive 20-25 miles then it would be a great commuter car for me. I could spend Monday-Friday on battery power. I would have a weekday all-electric car.
well, the original plan was to have TWO battery packs so yes, the Plug-in EV power would be in a "different" place. as far as range, if it was 20+ miles i would be all over it.... but initial reports had it in the 9 mile range...for that, i would have to think about it. i fully anticipate other fully capable EV's will be available at competitive pricing. they probably wont have a 500 mile range, but would have enough range to satisfy most commuting needs (100-150 miles)
Geez, I hope the plug in is optional. Where I live I have to park on the street and walk about 1/2 block across a hillside to get home. Somehow I don't think I'd be able to use an extension cord.
