2016 Toyota Prius Technical & Package Information

Just to clarify, if you put 15" on a 17" model, or vice versa, it doesn't change their respective turning radii. The 3rd gen 17" model had different steering components, as well as the radius variation.

 

So what would happen if you put 17" wheels on a car that originally came with 15's?

 

You're about $500-1,000 poorer.

Bob Wilson

 

I have not seen towing capability in US specs, maybe I missed it.
Toyota EU specifies towing capacity (unbraked) - 725 kg.
I have also noticed in one picture that a rear anchor point for connecting towing eyebolt was added.

 

As per Gen 4 spec, Touring models with 17 inch wheel have different curb to curb turning circle. Not sure if there are some differences in steering components in Gen 4 also.

 

The ride will get rougher, and fuel economy will drop, but handling can improve. A high weight difference might effect braking feel.

Cars don't get a tow rating in the US.

Could it be due to the difference in track width?

 

The difference in turning ratio is due to different steering components, not just a tire swap.

 

The wider lower profile tires on the 17" rims also increase the risk of hydroplaning, increase the risk of pinch flats, have increased wear from scrubbing action and generally cost more to replace. I see them as a win, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose proposition.

I understand that the rim offsets on stock 15" and 17" setups is such that they both have the same outside to outside dimension.
This means that the left center to right center tire dimension (track width) is smaller with the 17" rims but I don't believe this affects turning circle.
It also means that the inside to inside tire dimension is smaller by 2 x (215-195) = 40mm and this limits the amount that the tire can turn without hitting the wheel well by 20mm on each side. Hitting the inside of the wheel well would not be a good thing and this presumably is why the 17" is set up with a larger turning circle.

 

Hi there, back again after a very very long while

I have found on German Magazine "Auto Motor und Sport" a very short "first impression" drive on the Prius 4th gen, done directly in Japan by one of its reporters.
The article per se is not that interesting, but one clear thing is that the Li-Ion battery will NOT be available on any version sold here in Europe, but only in selected markets (and I would assume depending on the model).
The new Ni-MH battery will be 30% smaller and 20% more efficient.
The E-Four should come to Europe, for sure in Japan in December.
There will not be any Prius 4th gen Plug-in version for the time being (due to low sales - and I personally say - because of its price! not economically feasible ), until they cannot increase the range in EV mode to at least 30km.
The new Prius goes from 0-100km/h in 10,6s rather than 10,4 secs, although the engine delivers 122HP vs 136HP of the current version (which means they have quite made the whole thing quite more efficient ).

 

I am not aware of any big adv. for Li Ion battery in Prius except it is 30-lbs lighter. But it fits into the same space so there is no space savings. Wonder what the logic is behind no Li in EU but makes me wonder if patent issues are different in US vs. EU...I believe there are different patent issues, but I do not know if that is factor.

 

Watch presentations here rather than very old info from ams. I think some members in Germany already put their preorders in, 32k for fully equipped model.

 

Europe gets the v+ that uses Li-ion.
Between the import tax and Toyota's pricing, the Prius isn't a big seller in Europe. We don't know what Toyota's supply chain with lithium looks like. It may not be a factor, and low expected sales is reason enough to offer lithium Prii in their two big markets only.

 

Yeah, they aren't too popular in europe but Auris and Yaris hybrids are. I also don't see much of a benefit of going Li-ion, it's a bit of a gamble. It's ok for them to be put into some cars for testing but NiMh have already been tested and proven and it seems that they are cheaper for same performance with no big downsides so I don't see what's all the hype about Li-ion...

 

Probably it is not a big seller in EU because Toyota does not want it to be (Auris).
With the right price, the Eco model could have been a success in places where gasoline prices of $6.5-7 to the gallon, yet it will not be offered in Europe - pity.

 

Li-ion costs have been dropping, and NiMH ones have not. Soon it will even cost Toyota more to use NiMH.
In plain hybrids, Li-ion has been in on the roads for one car generation, and has not have any major issues.

 

Source, please?

 

Battery costs have come up in multiple threads, but this Wikipedia article has a basic chart on the battery costs through the years.
Electric vehicle battery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NiMH is in the $500 range now. The $350 figure seems suspect, and doesn't have an attached date. But we'll use it for Toyota's cost since their NiMH investment gives them a cost advantage.
Li-ion is in the $200 to $300 per kWh range now, with the costs still dropping. Lithium-ion battery costs tipped to fall to $US172/kWh : Renew Economy
NiMH has no signs of such drops in price. Nickel is simply a more expensive commodity than lithium.
Early lab tests by BASF show that there might be potential improvements to make in NiMH, but these are still in the beginning of R&D. NiMH might come back, but for now, Li-ion is the performance and cost leader.

 

Do you know what kWh the $/kWh are based on?
Max kWh available when new?
Useable kWh per cycle while achieving long service life?
Other?
This would have a pretty big impact on usable $/kWh and if it was covered in the reference, I must have missed it.

 

In the capacities we are talking about (0.75-1.3 kWh) those prices per kWh have little to no meaning, price of the complete battery is governed by other factors.
I dare to say that thanks to standardization the Ni battery assembly with auxiliaries may costs Toyota less.

 

Just because you have found no evidence in dropping NimH price, it doesn't mean "no drop". Commodity price is a fraction of production price.
I give you an example...Smaller rechargeable cells, like those AA/AAA are getting more common and affordable year-after-year, all NimH.