Prius PHV Plug-In Updates?

1) lets imagine that chargers become common, how do you parallel park? Right side is next to the curb 95% of the time. The Prius needs so little energy to fill a 14 mile range that curbside chargers make sense.

2) I sure wish the Leaf had a plug at the rear.
Rav Long Ranger

 

In America!

Not the whole world is like america, and i think that fact is often overlooked...

 

Here is an interesting and not surprising fact. The production version of Gen3 Plugin Prius is lighter than Hymotion converted Gen2 plugin Prius.

 

Is the 2012 Prius PHV called a Gen III or Gen IV ?

Mike

 

Gen 3 Facelift.

 

Technically, it a Gen II of the PHV design. So, labels are going to be confusing pretty much no matter what we come up with.

Remember, there's lots of write-ups and review that are no longer accurate due to the differences between those 600 data-collection models and the final production release. That will unintentionally mislead those trying to research PHV and will be exploited by those intentionally trying to undermine. So, there is a benefit of coming up with some type of identifier.
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If we count the first NiMH PHV prototype, it is actually Gen III PHV on Gen3 Prius.

 

I suppose so! It had a complete visual interface available via the old Multi-Display and the platform was the Iconic model rather than the 2010.
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I'm a bit disappointed. I know this is a compromise, but still, 14 miles AER means a heck of a lot of charging if you want to use the PHV as an electric car.
So I have to wait for the next generation PHV. I expect:

- at least 100% more AER (with the new "tri-metal" electrode batteries or better)
- more efficient ICE (at least 45% thermal efficiency, see: Green Car Congress: Toyota targeting thermal efficiency of more than 45% for next-generation gasoline engines for hybrids )
- more efficient, roof mounted solar panels capable of charging the traction batteries/electric propulsion system
- even more space-age interior (how about some holographic interface? )
- cloud based, off-board navigation system (on-board navigation as a fallback)
- wireless charging capability

 

I hope your young, as all of those are not going to happen in most of our lifetimes. I am still waiting for my "promised" flying car, and short of Dr. Moller in Arizona, nothing is being delivered on that either

 

What you call compromise, most people will call balance. Remember, Prius is a hybrid and the goal is to significantly reduce emissions & consumption in a reliable & cost-effective manner.
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Gen 3.11. It's a Prius with improved network support.

 

It sounds like a compromise to me. Goal #1 - Sell cars. Goal #2 - significantly reduce emissions & consumption in a reliable & cost-effective manner.

In order for Toyota to keep meeting goal #1 while also meeting goal #2 they reduced the size of the battery pack. No problem, but it is a compromise, and as the cost of batteries comes down the size of the pack will increase each year. Sounds like a good plan.

 

I expect they'll modify it more with density rather than cost. The battery already compromises space somewhat.

 

Yea, keep waiting. This is the most balanced plugin we have so far.

If you have not read it, this article has some enlightening information why they chose smaller battery pack. It really is counter-intuitive.

 

For sure.

As a 75 - 100 MP(Petrol)G car though, it is brilliant if the price is right. The unrealized engineer in me very much appreciates the Toyota approach in maximizing the petrol_economy/cost. Not sexy, and not given to low-brow bullet points, but oh so practical.

Plug-in Prius is exemplary anti-Lutzism.

 

The 14 mile EV is just perfect for my situation. The office is 6.1 miles away, 12.2 miles round trip.

Since it costs an additional $500.00 in the initial price of a car for every 1 mile of EV distance in battery cost, I don't want to buy too much battery until prices come down a bit.

I posted before that Toyota is going to have to offer 2 sizes of batteries, just like a laptop, a standard and a high capacity. And pretty soon, I can see higher capacity battery being offered in the aftermarket to replace the 4.4Kwh of the Plug-in.