The Secret Prius Prime

How about an EV FRZ/86? Dual motors in the rear with battery up front in place of the ICE. Prime pack x 2?

 

"... assume Toyota made the battery significantly larger and I could do 85% of my driving in EV."

My rough math per mile works out to approximately 2.2 cents per mile on EV power and approximately 4 cents per mile on gas (given current gas prices and my cost per kwh), so the the further I can run on EV power, the more savings. YMMV

The limiting EV factor with the Prime is that it wasn't totally redesigned as a plug-in hybrid, but instead just modifications were made to the basic Prius to accommodate an extra battery and associated components We saw the EV range double from the 1st Gen Plug in Prius to the Prime. Perhaps we'll eventually see a redesign that incorporates a larger battery (or additional battery) under the rear seat.

 

What do you think your current EV percentage is? I'm looking at something around 1/3 HV and 2/3 EV, maybe a little lower with recent winter weather.

Using your cost numbers and 20K/year usage and still assuming that a bigger battery would move you from 66% EV to 85% EV I get:
At 66% EV usage, you're looking at $560 total cost/year.
at 85% EV usage, you would be down to $495 /year

How much more would you be willing to spend for a bigger battery? You could save $65/year in energy and maybe more importantly drive an extra ~20% of your miles in EV mode.

I'm concerned that Toyota doesn't think we would be willing to pay for the larger battery. If they wanted to charge an extra $1000 for the 2x battery version, that would be a 15 year break-even if I only looked at cost.

And, that's a lot of battery for just $1000. Isn't the target to get below $100/KWh so another 9KWh for a prime would cost $900, not including any profit or other engineering work Toyota would need to do. AND, current costs are nowhere near $100/KWh so be patient.

Now maybe if we're willing to pay $3K or more for this bigger battery beauty, Toyota might see a market. I'm personally not...HV isn't that bad.

 

Being retired, 90% of my driving is to our one horse town which is about 10 miles away, so I have a high EV percentage.

I'd be willing pay an additional $3k to raise the EV range from 25 to 100-120 mile EV range. Having that EV range would accommodate the major of my trips. (Some Tesla Model 3 owners are ponying up an additional $9k for an additional 100 miles of EV range.)

 

Having two plug-in hybrids, 25 and 72 EV miles, the allure of having more of today's batteries does not tempt me. Full disclosure, we have modest requirements. I retired last year in a 200k sized, Southern town with my wife and her dogs.

A nice day, I drove the BMW i3-REx today. Two trips around town and home for a nap. At midnight it is L1 charging and already at 85%. By morning, it will be fully charged. Had I taken the Prime, it would have been one EV trip.

Bob Wilson

 

We currently own a LEAF and a Prime but I'd like to swap the Prime for a Model 3 this year.
That should work for years, and I'll retire along with the LEAF ;-)
Then the single, all purpose EV just might last until my wife and I stop driving.

There. My life is planned out.

 

I hoping that autonomous driving could save the day.

 

I agree with the OP. I only learned of this Car's Existence from a CNET review that was done regarding the tech that comes in the car over the summer and Mr. Mobile on YouTube who did a review of the car. I guess Toyota's model is "They will come to US".

 

It might be fun, but maybe you should hold out for the understated elegance of the stretch limo and uniformed chauffeur...

 

The idea of a prime coup is really a cool idea. Of course, one of the big 3 will come up something first, load it up with the latest techno stuff to impress the masses, claim 600 miles between charges......................and, zero to infinity in no time and the last dig...........................they will say something like:
"The first real Hybrid Sportscar" I still like Telsa's coup.

 

That has always been the case with the Prius, I can only assume all the dealerships are a bunch of dimwits.My last Prime Salesman knew almost nothing, but with every question or request he made an honest attempt, for that I give him credit. But he was unusual with his cooperation. At the very least, they should keep all in a high state of charge, for readiness and to protect the HV battery.

 

I was considering the Prime last year and had filled out something online looking for information. My local dealer called me up and told me he had just received 4 Prime's and invited me to come down for a look... so I made an appointment and went in. Now I have owned 3 Prii and currently have a Camry Hybrid purchased from the same dealer...

So when I arrive at the dealership... they don't know where the Prime's are parked... and when found... none of them are charged. Pitiful way to sell a product.

Then frankly I got totally bummed when I saw that if you live in the NE Toyota will gladly knock $3,500 (last year) off the price before you even start to negotiate with the dealer. I think I have seen the NE USA is getting an even larger discount now!

 

One heck of a discount, if true.