Which Prius year/models are in Gen 3 and then in Gen 4? Which Gen is the 2017 Prius V? Is there a list of changes between each "gen"?
The forum header will give a clue. Gen 3 is 2010-2015 MY in America Gen 4 is 2016-current (2019 as of this writing) Prius v has only one generation 2012-2017 in the US. It’s still going in Canada and Japan (2018). The differences can be found in the Knowledge Base section of PriusChat. There, for each generation, I outline the changes from the previous. For Gen 3, it’s in the post itself. For Gen 4, I made an Excel spreadsheet or PDF.
I'm starting to wonder what they will do for Gen 5. It doesn't sound like it will be a major EV platform. The hybrid can't get much more efficient than Gen 4, right? So what do you do to excite the customer? Gen 5 should kick off in 2021 MY (late 2020), I would think - only 2 to 3 yrs away. Just in time for the onslaught of new EV offerings by many auto companies.
It'll be a difficult decision for some people - but quite logical for others. I assume we'll have: ICE (Diesel or Petrol) Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) PHEV EV available. I've re-worked the sums recently. For me to buy my PRIUS 2½ yrs ago, I compared it with the nearest comparable ICE vehicles as far as equipment was concerned (FORD FOCUS & PEUGEOT 308 - top models). When I threw all the operating costs over 3 and 5 years into a spreadsheet, the PRIUS was slightly in front at 3 years, and considerably in front at 5 years. But when I look at changing cars next year, if a PHEV is $7000 dearer [IONIQ is the only possibility] than an equivalent HEV - the sums don't add up unless 1) I charge at least 80% of my driving - which is possible; AND 2) I do many more kilometres than the 15000 a year I do at present. The EV - at another $5000 - would be good for someone who the lack of charging infrastructure in this country wouldn't worry. i.e. someone using it as a city car - probably with a 2nd car which they'd take on longer trips. Unfortunately most people don't do the sums before they buy a car - maybe I'm OCD - but those who do would certainly be directed toward a PRIUS or IONIQ Hybrid. Unless I upgrade the SOLAR on my roof, I probably won't be plugging in with my next car - maybe the one after.
Toyota has been investing in SiC electronics. Silicon carbide - Wikipedia That should help improve efficiency of high power IGBTs Insulated-gate bipolar transistor - Wikipedia The Prius uses large IGBTs in the inverter for M/G1 and M/G2 and much smaller ones for A/C. Semiconductor Engineering .:. SiC Chip Demand Surges As the waste heat is minimized, the inverter gets smaller and smaller, using less space in the car and requiring less plumbing for cooling. Wasting less heat in the inverter makes the battery appear more capable. Battery chemistry is an evolving field. The State Of EV Batteries: LG Chem, SK Innovation, & Tesla–Panasonic Improvements | CleanTechnica That is Acronym rich, so here is Wikipedia Comparison of commercial battery types - Wikipedia It appears to me that with each generation, A/C and heating become more efficient, and more thought is put into engine cooling. Toyota has not yet embraced turbocharging or direct injection like some other manufacturers. In theory, they should be able to make valve timing so wide the engine could go from Otto Cycle to Atkinson Cycle as needed. So there is hope, in both mechanical systems and electronic ones, for better efficiency.
