Featured Prius Prime Embargo

Source: AD #1953 – VW’s EV Plans Could be Threatened, Jeep Unveils the All-New Compass, Fighting Hackers is Big Business – Autoline Daily

Toyota unwrapped a handful of vehicles last week including a number of refreshed models and one significant hybrid. But it still has that information under embargo. Even so, here’s a peek at the Prius Prime, a plug-in version of the Prius. It kind of reminds us of the Chevy Volt.​

Sounds like they've got some in North America which makes sense:

1. Light shows at a popular vacation spot.
2. "Press Day" at a popular, retired, Marine air base.
3. Selected 'loans' to journalists.

Guess we'll have to go on @Danny watch to see when he is 'out'. <grins>

Bob Wilson

ps. The bold text looks like an insult to me.

 

Also in that report:

More bad news for Volkswagen. The U.S. Department of Justice is trying to figure out how much it should fine the company for its diesel cheating scandal. Up to now the company has agreed to pay over $16 billion for breaking U.S. emissions regulations, but now the DOJ is going to levy criminal fines against the company. Bloomberg reports the DOJ wants to fine the company heavily, but not so much that it forces the company out of business. Even so, another big fine could hurt VW for years to come, and limit how much money it can spend on new products and factories. VW says it wants to introduce 30 new electric cars in the next decade. But it’s increasingly looking like the company may not have the money to do that.​

So use the RICO statutes and fine VW "n" times their executive compensation or their executive compensation for the years of the fraud.

Bob Wilson

 

I was only offering speculation about what is likely to happen if Toyota follows the 2016 pattern. Over the next three months, more data will be coming out. Although I didn't mention it, I'm hoping a 2017 Prius ECO with TSS-P is in that list and I have operational experience with the BMW i3-REx to compare to the Prime.

I've noticed how the Volt (and other GM products) seem to have more parts and complexity than the Toyota. Less is usually best with fewer parts to break or waste energy.

Bob Wilson

 

And then I read an article in Design News about the wonderful GM 'two-mode transmission' and saw the cutaway: Design News - Blog - GM's 2-Mode 2008 Hybrid to Hit the Streets

The 2008 Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon that will be introduced in 2007 will get better fuel economy thanks to electric motor operation at highway speeds. The power split hybrid approach is similar to single-mode hybrids that create two paths for applying torque to the wheels from a gasoline powered internal combustion engine and a battery powered motor. However, instead of a generator and a traction motor used in single-mode hybrids, the two-mode Electric Variable Transmission (EVT) hybrid has an electric variator that uses two 60-kW motors, one that operates in low speed range and one that operates in the high speed range..
​

Bob Wilson

 

If past is prolog, I suspect October, November, and December is when we'll finally get the USA specs for 2017 EV and plug-in vehicles. This should also be the time when USA based testing both emissions and collision will be checked.

We've seen a number of 'off shore' reviews and publications but they tend to have non-USA standards and practices. Pretty much everyone sees the USA testing as being harder but the Europeans do a better job on pedestrian safety. Then in January, February, May we'll see the first ones on showrooms.

Bob Wilson

 

I don't know if this is supposed to be kept under wraps, I'm only citing: Toyota: Every future Prius might be a plug-in hybrid - Autoblog

Shoichi Kaneko, assistant chief engineer for the Prius Prime, told AutoblogGreen that creating the next-generation Prius will be a tremendously difficult challenge. Because Toyota wants to lead the way in reducing (and eventually eliminating) fossil fuels from its vehicles, simply making a better standard hybrid powertrain might not be enough. "Ultimately, PHEV may be the way to go," Kaneko said through an interpreter.

Kaneko's comments mirror those we've heard from Toyota before. Back in 2013, Toyota Motor Corporation's managing officer Satoshi Ogiso said that, "To beat your own record becomes very difficult," when taking about improving the Prius' fuel economy for each successive generation. Toyota needed to make many little improvements to get the fourth-gen Prius to the fuel economy levels it has – currently, the most efficient Prius is the Eco trim line, which gets 56 combined, 58 city, and 53 highway MPG – and so to push the fifth-gen to, say, 60 mpg is incredibly hard. Putting a plug on every Prius would move the brand forward, keep it relevant, and meet the company's objectives.​

Sounds good to me.

Bob Wilson

 

What I found with my BMW i3-REx is the cost per mile is ~80% of the cost per mile of the Gen-4 Prius burning non-taxed gasoline. That is pretty close to parity. Of course gasoline prices vary by events beyond our control but utility costs seem to be less volatile.

Bob Wilson

ps. D*mn it! I'll have to run a pulse and glide benchmark now! <Gerrrrr>