Full thoughts on the new Prime (quick hits)

agree on everything! okay, maybe not the potential price cuts of the lift back.

 

Agree. One correction: 55 MPG city not 54

 

• The starting price is nice. If it had been closer to the PiP's, I think the Prime would have just floundered along in sales. Toyota's target of 30k for the US/North America appears feasible now.
• The PiP did slightly better in fuel economy rating, and owners PHV converisons reported better hybrid economy with the larger pack alone. So real surprise that the Prime is better than the base Prius.
• 25 miles EV was the low end of my prediction for the car. Glad Toyota got there. It will soften the trade offs.
• The $3k for solar was a conversion of the yen price in Japan. It could end up more here. Then we don't have the charging constraints that many do in Japan.
  
• Addressing the fifth seat and/or the lost cargo space will do more for sales here than offering the solar option. With better than base Prius MPG now official, adding some weight shouldn't be an issue. With better seating and cargo and the 25 miles EV, I think many would be happy with a 50 mpg rating on the Prime.
• There won't be a cut to the Prius MSRP, and I expect early Prime shipments to be on the low side to reduce the need of discounting the Prius.
• The way the Prime moniker is used allows for a Prime version of any Toyota hybrid. With there being a PHV version of the Fusion, Malibu, Sonata, and Optima now available, plus the up coming Clarity, I would expect a Camry Prime with the next hybrid redesign. I don't see it with the Prius c, because of space for battery packaging and cost. Need to wait and see how a redesigned Prius v does here, where sales are lacking, but a Prime is possible for other markets.

I have a personal boycott going on against a new Prius until a model is made in North America. I might make an exception for the Prime when it comes time for a new car. We don't need the fifth seat or extra cargo space, but a Volt would use less gasoline on my commute. I would likely come down to which I am more comfortable in, and past GM and Toyota products give the lead to GM. But then a 100 mile BEV would meet the needs for my car, and the options will likely be cheaper than the Volt or Prime.

The wife's Sable is 16 years old with 70k miles on it. It is what we take on long trips now. Perhaps a used Prime for replacement once its body finally rusts out.

 

Charging constrains are really not the purpose the solar roof aims to address, 3 km per 24 hours? come on.
Its all about efficiency!

 

Well probably the sun won't shine 24 hours a day so I guess it will be more like 3 to 5 km in 8 or 10 hours .

 

2.9 km per every average day (24 hours) sun is shining or not, that what they say.

 

Already suggestions of this from Toyota, but at these price points, for the next generation Toyota Prius Liftback, making all trims plug-in might be a great way to go forward.

Maybe they could just leave the plug off the entry-level trim for those who have very limited access to charging, such as some apartment dwellers.

 

RAV4 would be much more likely.

Compact SUVs are a hot market now and the hybrid model is selling well. The interior would carry the larger pack better than squeezing into a trunk too.

 

...gimme v Prime

 

I am really going to like my new car when I finally purchase it. Nice job Toyota.

 

In the post on Danny's trip to Japan for the drive event there, it was mentioned that half the population only has 100v electric service with 6 amp outlets. With basic US electric serve, the Prime will take 5 to 6 hours to charge. In Japan, it could be 10 hours for a full charge at these residents. Also, the electric service simply can't support level 2 charging. So no shortening charge time that way.

CHAdeMO is standard on the Prime in Japan, because it might be the only charging a Prime owner has access to, along with the fact that those with home charging might not be getting a full charge.

So the solar option there is marketed as a way to supplement home charging and reduce times at a quick charger. Along with its use as an emergency power source.

Yes, but the new Rav4 just arrived. The redesigned Camry will arrive before its mid-cycle refresh.

Sounds like it would fully charge a pack with time. The NiMH pack seems to be needed as a buffer. There appears to be an efficiency loss when directly charging the Li-ion directly at the slow solar rate. It might also be better to charge a separate battery with solar than juggling it and grid charging at the same time.

 

Any reference to this statement? Are you implying that the charging is made at a rate greater than the solar rate thus emptying the buffer battery?
As far as I understand, when the buffer battery is full - charging starts at this slow rate leaving the buffer battery full.

 

Unless Prime starts selling significantly more wordwide, i doubt we will get more PHEVs from Toyota. Who knows, maybe they go crazy after it in Japan, but so far PHEVs dont sell that great there.

Pricing is certainly there and whoever has access to charging port (i dont) is kind of crazy not buying Prime over standard Prius.

 

Maybe they expect Europe to go crazy after it? I think the price is right.

 

are non u.s. prices in a thread somewhere, or is a straight conversion?

 

My understanding was that when the NiMH was full it would do a fast charge of the Li-ion. But we don't get the solar option, so the sources I've seen were Google translate of Japanese.

 

I really doubt that, the buffer battery should be very small.

 

Anyone wanna bet how long it takes someone here in the U.S. to figure out how to add the CHAdeMO hardware/plug to their Prime? Someone's gonna do it.