PHEV Prius in 2011 (hybrid with optional plug-in 14 mile electric range)

[RobertSmalls]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/bu.../15toyota.html

The car travels 23.4 kilometers, or 14.5 miles, as an electric vehicle on a single charge before a regular gas-electric hybrid system kicks in. It gets an overall mileage of 57 kilometers a liter, or 134 miles per gallon — exceeding the Prius’s 38 kilometers a liter, according to Toyota.

The plug-in Prius would charge in about 100 minutes and halve the running cost of traveling 30 kilometers in comparison with a regular Prius if recharged at night, when electricity costs are often lower, Toyota said.

The automaker says it also plans to sell a pure electric “urban commuter” vehicle in 2012 that would run on lithium-ion batteries.

Numbers like 134mpg are fun to say, but they don't tell the whole story. Regardless, 14.5mi of electric range would be enough for many people to commute on zero gasoline. Having some PHEVs like this and the Volt on the road will drive development of plug-in infrastructure, paving the way for electric vehicles.

Not yet announced: how much it costs, how much it weighs.

[Daox]

The Prius uses ~250Wh per mile from what I've heard. So, it looks like they're adding an additional ~7-8kWh. Thats really not much at all. The ForkenSwift has a 10kWh pack. It should only cost a few thousand more for the pack itself. I estimate $3k in Lithium at prices available to us, they'll obviously get it cheaper. The rest of everything is already there, it just requires some programming changes.

Edit: Wow, my math was way off haha. 14 miles @ 250 kWh mile would be 3.5 kWh. It seems, according to Ben's post, that people are averaging 370 Wh/mile with the Prius, not very good compared to our other low speed DC conversions around here!

[bennelson]

Just today, Toyota officially announced it's Plug-In Prius plan.

600 Plug-Ins Prius (or PIPs, as I like to call them...)
will be split between Japan, Europe, and the United States on leases to government agencies and businesses.

The car will have a 5.2KWh LITHIUM PACK (the first model to come with Lithium batteries!) and a 14 mile EV range.



The plan is to have them available by retail by the end of 2011.


It looks like governmental pressure, competition, and other factors are finally getting the manufacturers going on the EV band-wagon!


Here's a link to AutoBlog Green's take on it.

[thatguitarguy]

Yeah 600 worldwide ought to cover the demand
What are they trying to prove with a 14 mile e-only range?

[MetroMPG]

Combined two threads into this one.

Guitarguy: 14 miles probably represents a significant amount of the average person's commute.

I have to think Toyota has done the math on this, and they're not trying to appeal only to those who can do 100% of their daily driving on electricity.

(That said, in the small city where I live, 14 miles would work for everyone who lives & works in town.)

[Daox]

I have a 21 mile commute one way. If I could do 3/4 of that with no gas (which assumes I could charge at work), my mileage would be insane.

[MetroMPG]

my mileage would be insane.

Only an insane person will do it for "the mileage" though.

You'd do it because it would be a cool vehicle to own.

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Daox

Edit: Wow, my math was way off haha. 14 miles @ 250 kWh mile would be 3.5 kWh. It seems, according to Ben's post, that people are averaging 370 Wh/mile with the Prius, not very good compared to our other low speed DC conversions around here!

They're probably limiting pack discharge to 60-70% to enhance cycle life. They still have to fulfill the 150k mile/10yr warranty, something that pure EVs don't have to deal with.

[Daox]

Good point.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

The coolest thing about the plug in Prius is that the EV mode can go up to 60mph. That (probably) means that the current Prius could have a larger battery pack added and the software could be hacked to get similar performance...