Prius PHV Plug-In Updates?

Still, a girl can dream, not that I am one. But think if it did have an extra 40 horsepower. That would make it tons more attractive. Even if they can top 150 I think it would be a significant marketing boost on the product.

 

My guess is based on a hunch that Ford is not stupid enough to put a huge expensive battery that would rob a seat or greatly reduce the cargo volume.

I am not too concern about the dimensions. Your table is missing the 13 miles EV range.

 

Did you really read this BLOG or any blog for that matter, and came up with your reasoning!

Excerpts...

Genius!

 

I believe that's his own blog.

 

The final story is......
Do the average end consumer wants more speed ?
or more range at an average suitable speed?
because it is a really big difference; you will not get both out of TMC in the first roll-out of PHEV.

 

Hmm. How come I get the feeling Toyota will still be tweaking the Plug-In even with our (the 1st adopters) orders? They can go in so many ways from this primary point: more battery - more range, less battery - less range, battery improvement - smaller, faster to charge, etc., or even an ordering system to accommodate whether the "average" consumer wants more range (battery) like a Prius Plug-In Six. Personally I don't think the consumer who buys this car is average.
The minute you walk out into your garage in your pajamas to plug it in is anything but average.

 

Of course any good car maker is always looking for improvements. However, I get the idea that Toyota has a pretty good idea of where they are going with the PHV. The sizing of the traction battery so that it will be be used to nearly its capacity makes sense from the first cost perspective and also from the perspective of battery degradation. It is best to use the battery up before it degrades on its own. Then replace it for an affordable cost. The back up ICE for the occasional long trip works for me. I suspect that it will work for many others while liquid fuel is still available. Who knows, there may still be liquid fuel even after petrol is gone. This might be the car of the future with small adjustments!

 

2012 Prius Plug In Review from "The Truth About Cars"
July 10, 2011

 

Thanks for vid. Still surprised/disappointed that nobody has yet attempted to, objectively and accurately, state this thing's mileage vs a normal Prius when the port-charge state of the battery is discharged. IE. what is this thing's EPA rating compared to a normal Prius if you never plug it in?

This guy said that the night he didn't charge it he got 55 mpg to work, which is the same he gets with a normal Prius.

IF regen really is stronger on this I think more aggressive drivers (who brake late) would find an increase in MPG more than slower driving people.

 

Later in the video he said he gets 48 MPG with a cordless Prius. Is it 7 MPG increase even without plugging in?

 

I don't think so. I really haven't seen anything objective comparing the two. I want more than "When I drive this trip I get such and such.". I can't believe somebody with access to one of these hasn't warmed the thing up, given it a fresh charge, then done a trip, then the same trip without charge, then repeat with, without all on the same day and similar traffic conditions to at least get close to something. I guess we'll need to wait for EPA figures or something official from Toyota.

 

I interpreted the video to say that he got 55 MPG to work and 48 MPG back to his home in a 'normal' Prius.

 

Thanks for posting the video. I didn't know the PHEV supported mixed mode driving like that. I commute about 50 miles one way. If I can charge at home and work then this could be a killer setup. 80+mpg could be fun.

 

It's his "way home" after that he says he gets 72, presumably without EV assistance and is better than 48 he normally gets, but I'm not buying that it gets, uncharged, 25 mpg better, so I think this is lacking clarification.

 

I am with you Skoorbmax in this. The most important rating for me is for this thing to be officially EPA rated to at least 55mpg combined in HV mode or more after EV depletion. Just imagine, if rated at 57mpg, it would be 20mpg more than the Chevy Volt in HV mode.

Edmunds Insideline testings at about 1 min, 10 sec into the video said: >53mpg after EV depletion. So, I am expecting an official EPA of 55mpg combined in HV mode. Experienced Prius drivers will do a lot better. It would be a good idea for Toyota to give a PHV to an experienced Prius driver for a week just for this test - No plug for a week, just HV.

 

I'm pretty sure Toyota's official position is that it's "better". I believe that unless the price of this is ridiculous it's going to be a pretty decent car. If its battery-exhausted MPG is notably above 50 it would be quite the thing indeed.

Edmunds says "far more", which is cool. I wonder what they would have noticed with a regular Prius, though, since I am quite sure they didn't replicate EPA testing.

 

55 Combined sounds plausible. City gets a boost from better regen and longer time between ICE cycles. Highway gets a boost from engine off glides/low power at up to 62mph and maybe even mode cycling (HV/EV) like the sonata hybrid does.

 

A tester's experience with the Prius plug-In!

 

Ok Prius Expert, I have a question for you!

Will I be able to fill out both fuel at the same time? While the PHV battery is charging, will I be able to open the gas cap door and fill up gasoline and vice versa?

I doubt any gas station will have a plug to charge nor anyone's garage would have a gas pump. However, that scenario can happen and just wondering if it is possible.