Unanswered questions about new Prius

The optimal solution, in my opinion, was PHEV with an H2 fuel cell range extender. But Must so severely poo-pooed hydrogen and fuel cells and so pushed BEVs that we're too late for the optimal design so now we have to make the best of the sub-optimal BEV solution.

The good news, is BEVs are optimal if we end up with good batteries. With today's batteries, they kind of suck, but if we had batteries 2-3 times better than we have now (which may happen in the next decade or two), this solution will have "hit the ground running" on the back of the current mediocre batteries.

 

And that may come, just not sure why Musk is at fault. I don’t expect the current EV technology to last too long, that’s partly why I hesitate buying anything right now. My 2014 is running great, so I’m in no real hurry, though I would like sone if the new tech stuff.

 

There are YouTube videos showing the next 10 years of Toyota vehicles. Many BEV’s planned. Does one of them have to be called Prius to make you happy? If you don’t need an ICE anymore, I would recommend you buy a BEV then and leave the Toyota lineup as they don’t really offer a competitive BEV yet.

 

Toyota doesn’t have battery supply to make BEV’s at volume. Either does most every other manufacturer not named Tesla.

 

musk isn't the problem, hydrogen is. it's obvious, watching the billions that have been invested by auto manufacturers, and tax payers.
if musk had decided hydrogen was a better option, he'd have been relagated to the history books by now.

 

I totally agree, bisco.

 

The feds nearly pulled the plug on hydrogen before Musk invested in Tesla. Cheap natural gas saved it. But that wasn't enough to overcome the issues facing hydrogen infrastructure. Perhaps a plug in hydrogen car would have lessened those issues enough for success, but no one that wanted to make hydrogen cars wanted to make one. Musk didn't prevent that.

 

No, but I want the most efficient lift back.

No one makes a good one.

The Ioniq5 is not efficient enough. Same with the EV6.
The Model3 has no dash and is made by a company at the bottom of the quality scale, plus it's overpriced and the controls stink.
The Ioniq6 isn't a lift back.
The Ioniq EV lacks range.
The MachE isn't efficient enough and some total idiot attached the "Mustang" name to it.

There are simply no decent EVs available.

 

Perfect is the enemy of good enough

Mike

 

Mostly guesses:

• What is the EPA driving range
  • 42 mi
• What is the charging rate on 240V? (I'm hoping for 6.6 Kw)
  • C/2 (2 hr)
• What is the output of the solar panel?
  • 300 W
• Does the solar panel charge only the 12V or high voltage system? (I've heard claims both ways, so I'm not sure who is right)
  • both
• How problematic is the placement of the instrument panel? I'm concerned that with my favorite driving position, the steering wheel may be blocking it.
  • nonissue because of adjustable seat and steering wheel
• What is the 0-60 time in EV mode without the ICE?
  • 10 s
• What kind of thermal management does the battery have?
  • same as before
• Are they going to make more than token amounts of the Prime like they've been doing with the Prius and Rav4, or are they going to build to demand?
  • will be built to far below demand

 

None are close.

 

Not good enough.

I'm usually in the 6 miles/kWh range on my Prime and I'd like an improvement over that.

I'm getting around 75 on my ebike and trying to improve that to 100.

 

I think the harder truth is, mankind has got to scale back expectations about their “rights”, to drive incessantly, get out-of-season produce and cheap tech from halfway ‘round the world, and never “stoop” to using public transit. Birth control wouldn’t hurt either.

 

Can you post pic of your Drive Monitor 2 showing that you actuary have 6miles/kWh life time average?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I don't. I have a 5.1 lifetime average. It's about 6 in the summer and about 4.2 in the winter here in Colorado. Since we're just coming off summer, it's been about 6 since about last March.

 

The biggest losers in our lives are mostly that conventional cars are absolutely hideously inefficient devices (quite often 3% of the mass is cargo, and the engines are 25% efficient for an overall efficiency of less than 1%), our building shells are mediocre at best, industries are not at all focused on energy efficiency, and our methods of electricity production are averaging under 50% efficiency.

Ships at sea are actually very efficient as are trains, though both need to stop using diesel even though they use it efficiently.

 

How ‘bout that Starbucks drive-thru line-up, all those zombies in their vehicles, heads down in the glow of cell phones, inching toward coffee an’ donut.

Watched this show, somewhere around Borneo*, a class of people who aren’t even allowed ashore, live their lives either on boats, or huts on stilts. Life expectancy 30~40 years.

* More info here, episode 2:

Survivorman - Beyond Survival - Les Stroud - Survivorman

 

One of my all-time favorite articles:

https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2005/03/20/another-road-hog-with-too-much-oink/31328945007/

 

There are plenty EVs you could consider. Prius doesn't have to be a car for everybody. No car can tick every checkbox of everyone.