Prius Plug-in Versus Volt: Which Costs Less to Drive?

Looks really are a matter of taste. I MUCH prefer the PiP to the Volt in looks. The 2012 dash display on the Prius (including the PiP) has been improved and may please you more.

But the long run consideration which is most compelling for me is the size of the traction battery. I expect a car with a traction battery which is Li Ion to need at least one replacement in a typical car. Replacing the PiP traction battery will be far less expensive than replacing the Volt traction battery since it is only a little more than a quarter the size of the Volt traction battery. In the lifetime cost of the car, this will be a substantial factor. It is always possible that the warranty will cover this, but it is as possible that it will not. It is a "crap shoot" at this stage because no one really knows for sure.

I am betting on the PiP (quite literally).

 

This is the bottom line, In a few years, the Volt will have to live up to this!

The 200,000-mile question: How does the Toyota Prius hold up?

Consumer Reports Video Hub - Featured - How well does the Toyota Prius hold up?

 

The PIP warranty is 150k miles, while the Volt's IIRC is 100k.

 

In texas the PIP will be 100K but won't be available until 2013.

 

You mean as traditional as the Cruze?

 

Apparently it hasn't improved much. They are still using that low res bluish speedometer type gauge.

Now I will say that the Prius using Bluetooth connectivity for an iPod is nice. I don't understand why the Volt stuck with wired connectivity. That's pretty lame for such a futuristic car.

 

I like that it has the USB connection, this way I never have to worry about charging my ipod, I just keep it plugged in in the console all the time (control it through the touch screen in the dash).

 

This is being fixed in the 2012 model year where they also added Prius-style proximity keyless entry which is the main feature I miss in my 2011 Volt.

However, the Bluetooth audio streaming can be easily added after the fact for less than $100 dollars by dropping a Bluetooth receiver into the center arm console and hooking it up to the mini-stereo analog audio input there.

 

The PiP warranty will be 150k miles (in states that follow CA emissions rules) when the car becomes available for sale next Spring. GM says the Volt will be available in the same states with some emissions tweaks by early Summer and will also carry the same 150K mile battery warranty.

 

It's 100k in most of the US. The 150k warranty is in Carb states only. Granted that is 14, IIRC, of the most populous states.

 

I called this warranty thing a "crap shoot" for a reason. I have followed EVs closely for five years including owning two. Lithium Ion batteries are different from NiMH batteries in the Prius in that they deteriorate quite independent of usage. If the car is just parked, they deteriorate. The warranties are a matter of law. If the batteries start failing in large numbers, manufacturers will invoke the clause which exempts coverage when there is abuse of the battery to prevent loosing lots of money. Most people will not be able to afford the litigation to prove that they did not abuse the battery. It will be a "Hobson's choice" for both the car owner and the manufacturer (who is obviously worried about reputation and public image).

This may work out fine for all it may not. This is the definition of a "crap shoot". The gamble is A LOT bigger with the Volt. Considering the title of this thread, it is easily a potential tipping point.

 

So far GM seems to be honoring the warranty on the Volt.. They have replaced 2 batteries in cars that I am aware, and had to arrange to flat bed the batteries from Michigan to where the owners were. One of the battery replacements actually happened where I am moving to, and after that guys experience that will become my preferred dealer for service.

Having the keyless entry in the 12' Volt is awesome! I thought our Prius II was amazing with it on the driver door, but having it on all 5 doors is a bonus. I also really like the way GM incorporated it into the Volt vise the way Toyota did it. Push the button once to unlock my door, twice to unlock all doors, and a third time to lock them. Your 11' and my 12' should be getting that new software update as well to incorporate the streaming bluetooth music.. At least that is what I was reading anyway.

 

I recall seeing that one electric utility wanted to have more solar generation capacity, so if you installed solar, they'd pay you a high rate to buy back 100% of your generation (like 25 or 30¢/kWh), and then sell you 100% of your electricity at the regular rate (maybe 12¢/kWh). This was independent of TOU, so even if you were using all the electricity that you were generating at any given moment, you still profited.

 

I also get some sort of transferable credit for the solar generation we sell to industry that is required to have lower emissions or something and get some money that way as well.

The main thing I like about it though is knowing that for the next 15 years (finance period) my electric costs are more or less fixed (unless my demand exceeds the generation in the future) which gives me some insulation from cost increases for energy in general.

 

While this is true, you'd think it would be standard equipment, not like it's recently new technology.

 

Plug-in Prius Wins the 2011 Rallye International Vert de Montreal | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

 

Did GM really say they were going to ignore the SOC and DOD and continue to provide a high average range with low capacity cells? That to me screams exponential death curve.