Prime destined to be doa?

From this site I noticed there was plenty of negativism about the 4 seats and range. Our feedback will probably get overridden by focus groups. After all they are least getting free coffee, donuts, etc.. Us? At least we don't have to move much or make ourselves presentable. Might have to find them and kill them to make our 2 cents worth more.

 

Feedback in the form of "would you" responses pales in comparison to "did you".

Actual purchases are what makes the difference.

 

So you are saying we (Gen 1 PiP buyers) were the largest most influential focus group? If that's true then the majority of comments were definitely not whether we have 4 seats or 5 but the actual operation of a plug-in and our wishes for other attributes. It seems like they also paid attention to Consumer's Reports on the car as well who complained they couldn't keep the ICE off during their testing. I can see why they only offer 4 seats. The reinforcements for the middle passenger and seat belt requirements probably interfered with the engineering and placement of the larger battery pack.


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Or they simply didn't want to take the time and expense for for placing the pack and the requirements for the fifth seat.

 

I would think having an EPA rated 6 mile EV range would be motivation to fix the problem of the ICE coming on during the standardized test. This was confusing for the consumer, and was a point misrepresented by the anti-EV crowd as an attempt to discredit the PiP usefulness.

 

Sounds like the new LI batt is more powerful allowing better EV performance.
But the sedan-like appearance reduces not enhances the ability to hide a 8.8 kWhr of batt.

 

Designing to pass a particular test was a serious misrepresentation problem in the past. We were quite pleased in 2012 that Toyota didn't give into that industry pressure.

As for the greenwashing, it will always emerge in some fashion. There are Volt enthusiasts already hammering on Prime for battery-capacity. The disregard they place on other purchase priorities is a dead giveaway they aren't being sincere, that they primarily just don't want to loss bragging rights.

In the end, the measure of success comes down to sales. The goal is to change what people actually buy.

 

If you are young enough to remember - or ever owned a Chevy Vega, (and a full 100% of them fell apart) you might be reluctant ti give 'em another chance. No, I' d much rather trust the Prius, even tho it's not perfect.[/QUOTE]

The Cadillac Catera fell apart also. 42 service visits in 4 yrs. No more for me thank you.

 

...sales in CARB states where mandates requires sales is another measure of success, I would think.

 

word on the street, is that toyota was more interested in focus groups than priuschat, because they are looking for a new market. i hope they find one, but i'm pessimistic.

 

Makes you wonder if they offer something other than coffee.


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Yet, the seating for four only critique of the Volt wasn't limited to Priuschat only.

 

I was contemplating putting 6 people in my Prius for a short drive (15min) the other day. That would have put one person in the hatch.

If I'm being honest, I rarely need seating for 5, and when I do, it's for a short drive. I never use all 5 seats for longer drives because there isn't room to seat everyone and all of their things.

The one time I put 9 people in my Subaru Legacy was a longer drive (1hr) because I was transporting people that were stranded in the woods when their Durango caught fire and burned to bare metal.

What I'm saying is that if I need to fit 5, 6, or 9 people in my car for a short duration, it won't likely matter if there is a dedicated seat for them or not. The trip will be short enough that it won't matter. Maybe if I had 3 small children a 5th seat would come in handy.

 

It is the just in case scenario that had people disappointed that the first Volt only had 4 seats. The fifth seat of cars of that size are going to be tight, and likely uncomfortable, but it with a seatbelt is loads better than straddling a battery tunnel or sitting on a plastic armrest. Plus, it wouldn't be a citable offense.

People will pass on a car missing a spare tire. A fifth seat is something they likely would get more use out of. Specially if they have a child or dog.

 

The law varies by state, but in Oregon and Washington, you are only breaking the seatbelt law if there is an available seat belt that isn't being utilized. Riding in the bed of a truck is legal as long as all seat belts in the cab are being used by passengers.

 

perhaps then you need one of these bad boys;

Plenty of under the seat storage there . . .

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Here's my reasoning: The electricity is generated here, but we're getting that $9000 worth of gas from the moslem horde who drive planes into our buildings and promise to slit our throats using the money we gave them.

 

the ICE mpg difference between the prime, versus the 2 Korean phev offerings (Ioniq & Sonata) seems to only differ by 6%-8% - but the Korean plugins get greater ev range ... PLUS, 5 seats. What am i missing ....
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$750 million in fines from overstating the mpg?


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