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500 Prius PHEV Plug-Ins Worldwide Available For Lease By End Of 2009

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Danny, Jun 3, 2009.

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  1. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Toyota, how can I be one of the lucky 150 US-based testers? And no, I'm not kidding. Toyota to start leasing plug-in hybrids in Japan, US, Europe YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer 3:41 AM PDT, June 3, 2009 TOKYO (AP) — Toyota said Wednesday it will start leasing plug-in hybrid cars, that are even greener than its hit Prius, by the end of this year in the U.S., Japan and Europe. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's top automaker, will start leasing 200 plug-ins in Japan, 150 in the U.S. and 150 in Europe, mostly for rental, such as through special government-backed programs, it said in a release. Toyota will for the first time use lithium-ion batteries in the plug-ins. The batteries are already used in some cars but more common in laptops and other gadgets. Toyota hybrids now use nickel-metal hydride batteries. Using a lithium-ion battery will produce more energy, allowing the car to run more as an electric vehicle, but there have been some technological hurdles. A plug-in recharges from a regular household socket. When the battery runs low, it will start running as a regular hybrid so drivers don't have to worry about running out of juice on the road. Automakers around the world are working on plug-in models. Recharging stations are expected to proliferate in the cities of the future, much like gasoline stands, for recharging. The booming sales of the revamped Prius, which went on sale last month, have been a rare bright spot for Toyota. Battered by the global slump and the strong yen, the maker of the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models recorded its worst loss in its seven-decade history for the fiscal year ended March. Toyota dealers have received 110,000 orders for the Prius in Japan. Toyota acknowledged this week an order placed this month won't get delivered until November or later. Toyota leads the world in cumulative hybrid sales because of the popularity of the Prius, now in its third generation. The first-generation Prius went on sale in 1997.
     
    #1 Danny, Jun 3, 2009
    2 people like this.
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Hey I asked Doug & Erica first!
     
    #2 efusco, Jun 3, 2009
  3. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    How about I hold PriusChat ransom?

    "Toyota, if I don't get to lease a PHEV I will shut PriusChat down..."

    Wait, I guess that hurts both of us.
     
    #3 Danny, Jun 3, 2009
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I'm thinking you need one on the East Coast, I'll cover the rural mid-west, Tony can get the urban midwest and we'll have a cage match for all the west coasters to sort out who gets one there!
     
    #4 efusco, Jun 3, 2009
  5. NYPrius1

    NYPrius1 Active Member

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    Sign Me UP!! I am Ready Willing and ABLE!!
     
    #5 NYPrius1, Jun 3, 2009
  6. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Dang you Danny ... can't you keep anything under wraps?
    :D
    Well, this is what I'd mentioned to you & efusco at PCD ... that Hirose-san told me. Man, It's great to see this ... and without Toyota even having competition in the PHEV field, no less. THAT's what I call forward thinking.
     
    #6 hill, Jun 3, 2009
  7. ksstathead

    ksstathead Active Member

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    Surely they will want one in south central Kansas...
     
    #7 ksstathead, Jun 3, 2009
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Too flat in the Mid-West
    Too cold in Chicago
    Too temperate in Cali
    Too humid on the East Coast.

    Yep, the only reasonable place for the beta is in New Mexico
     
    #8 SageBrush, Jun 3, 2009
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Yep, one will be needed here and Erica already knows I volunteered a long time ago in a galaxy far far away... Err, wait, that's star wars. :D

    I'm sure they have many names on a potential list somewhere, just hope they remember mine from when I asked quite some time ago as well. :)
     
    #9 Paradox, Jun 3, 2009
  10. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    No no nooo . . . you're all wrong. The REAL coup d'etat will be for Toyota to ONLY lease them / sell them to existing PV panel system owners, because THOSE are the super way crazy tree hugging nut jobs ... wanting to REALLY raise the no gas bar to new heights.

    [​IMG]

    Er . . . make my PHEV sandy beach metalic, thankyou.

    :)

    .
     
    #10 hill, Jun 3, 2009
  11. Prius Team

    Prius Team Toyota Marketing USA

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    For the record, there is no official (or unofficial) waiting list or handraiser list to be a demonstration test driver. We're working exclusively with our fleet, academic, and government partners right now. IF, in the future, there IS an opportunity for retail testing, we'll get the word out.

    In the meantime, we'll be watching closely who our best Prius advocates are. Let the games begin! :D

    Doug Coleman
    Prius Product Manager
    Toyota Motor Sales, USA
     
    #11 Prius Team, Jun 3, 2009
  12. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Oh Doug, you are just evil, pure evil! :D

    Ok, so I'm emailing you my Prius Resume' as we speak in MS Word format. Lol :)
     
    #12 Paradox, Jun 3, 2009
  13. GeekEV

    GeekEV Member

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    Me too, me too! I want one. I've "sold" lots of Priuses... :eek:
     
    #13 GeekEV, Jun 3, 2009
  14. inventor00

    inventor00 Active Member

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    Me too. Starting and running the Orange County Prius Club for 5 years with meetings about every 2 months- bet we have sold hundreds of Prius... grin... guess it is an addiction!!
     
    #14 inventor00, Jun 3, 2009
  15. Rocketnutz

    Rocketnutz New Member

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    Very Interested!!!

    Would LOVE to get in on that!

    Now if we could only get the PHEV Minivan here as well!!!

    Put me on the LIST.
    (I do 30k+ mi per year)!!
     
    #15 Rocketnutz, Jun 3, 2009
  16. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I, on the other hand, never exceed 12 miles at a time.
     
    #16 SageBrush, Jun 3, 2009
  17. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    Need to lease one in AZ to gauge its performance in our VERY HOT summer climate! (hint, hint)
     
    #17 EZW1, Jun 4, 2009
  18. mjv

    mjv Junior Member

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    Hopefully I will get my black 2010 Prius in Kansas City sometime next week. Then if luck still holds, convert to a plug-in sometime in July and adding the solar panels at the same time, so I won't need to try and get on the list (don't think I would have a good chance anyway).
     
    #18 mjv, Jun 4, 2009
  19. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    EXCELLENT NEWS !!!! This means that Toyota is finally taking PHEVs seriously! Toyota's competitors should be taking this as a cue of where they should be focused for their future technology development.

    Danny, I would think that those from PriusChat that were invited to the pre-release viewing event of the Prius would have some type of "connections" and rapport with the nice folks at Toyota and be able to inform them of how perfect of a test candidate you will be. :)

    I don't think Toyota will be seeking extremely-biased non-objective feedback. I suppose they would be best in selecting average, every-day consumers, like "soccer moms." They want someone that is going to represent the bulk of their customers.
     
    #19 Rybold, Jun 4, 2009
  20. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    I suspect the beta is more to iron out technical kinks than to have a focus group where to put the cupholders. If not engineers, certainly people tolerant of operational hiccoughs.
     
    #20 SageBrush, Jun 4, 2009
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