2009 Toyota Prius: The First Mainstream Plug-in?
Yesterday we wrote about the horde of upcoming electric vehicles in 2010. Toyota appears to be ahead of the curve apparently targeting a 2009 launch date for the new Toyota Prius which many claim will be a Plug-in. Surprisingly the new plug-in version of the Prius shuns lithium-ion battery technology for the nickel-metal hydride battery packs used in the current Prius. However this may only be the case for 2009, and Toyota may decide to switch to lithium-ion once the technology has matured.
Popular Mechanics has had a chance to test drive the new plug-in Prius and had this to say:
Our drive in the prototype PHEV was brief, only four laps of a small course setup inside the test facility. But it was impressive. The hybrid system has an “EV” mode and a more conventional “hybrid” mode. In EV mode the vehicle can run on electric power longer and with a more aggressive throttle input than in the hybrid mode.
I believe Toyota will be the first one to market with a main stream Plug-in. The technology developed for the Prius has given Toyota a distinct advantage in quickly bringing a functioning plug-in to the market to meet the demand for alternative fuel vehicles. As with any new technology however, only time will tell.
|
Filed Under: General |
|
If you enjoyed reading this article... Subscribe to Our Feed |
Loading ...
(revision of earlier post)
I think you have it wrong. The 2009 Model year Prius will be a carry over of the 2008 Model year Prius. The 2010 model year Prius which will be shown at the Jan 2009 Detroit auto show will be released early - perhaps Spring of 2009 (which means that the 2009 Model year Prius will probably have a short run). The 2010 Model year Prius may be a plug in, but it is more likely that the plug in version of the 2010 model year Prius will be released as an option later in the model year (late in 2009 or early 2010). The 2010 Model year Prius will however be more powerful and more fuel efficient that the 2009 model year Prius.
Added. Nice work on this one. Btw, my blog is dofollow, stop by and grab a link. Bompa
I was just told by my local Toyota dealer that the 2009 Prius will NOT be a plug-in, and then it is not even a sure thing for 2010. I get the impression that Toyota is going to want to continue the 2008/2009 technology for its general appeal and “it just works like a normal car” market. So my speculation is that a plug-in, if it comes in 2010, will be as just one of the Prius options, not a replacement.
[...] more about the technology. There were ten different EVs in attendance including the Tesla Roadster, Plug-in Prii and the Toyota RAV4 EV from “Who Killed the Electric [...]