Every future Prius might be a plug-in hybrid
09-28-16 | 10:39 AM
#1
Every future Prius might be a plug-in hybrid
Starting with the fifth-generation models, Toyota might do away with standard hybridtechnology altogether in the Prius line-up. Instead, Toyota is considering making every future Prius a plug-in hybrid. The logic comes down to, if you want to push the envelope, you sometimes have to redefine what the envelope is.
Shoichi Kaneko, assistant chief engineer for the Prius Prime, toldAutoblogGreen 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 tomake 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.
Which brings us to the all-new Prius Prime plug-in hybrid. Kaneko said that Toyota poured a lot of resources into making the Prime the best Prius that it could be. While the company is confident that the new car will be a success, there's a lot riding on its new double wish-bone rear suspension. If the Prime struggles, Kaneko said, then Toyota might have to reconsider its whole PHEV strategy.
Shoichi Kaneko, assistant chief engineer for the Prius Prime, toldAutoblogGreen 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 tomake 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.
Which brings us to the all-new Prius Prime plug-in hybrid. Kaneko said that Toyota poured a lot of resources into making the Prime the best Prius that it could be. While the company is confident that the new car will be a success, there's a lot riding on its new double wish-bone rear suspension. If the Prime struggles, Kaneko said, then Toyota might have to reconsider its whole PHEV strategy.
09-28-16 | 12:30 PM
#2
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Toyota had Prius plug in a while ago, I don't think it did too well considering the price premium. The new Prius Prime is interesting, but if the price premium is too high, people will not buy it. The biggest issue with the Prius is that the size of the car is not much larger than a Toyota Corolla, so for a lot less money you can buy a Corolla which gets essentially the same performance and about 60% as good MPG which is still pretty damn good. Now if the Prius had 300 HP V6 performance and the MPG, then I could understand the justification.
09-28-16 | 12:49 PM
#3
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^ Hopefully the plug in technology will come down in price, as you are right, it was too expensive on the first models.
I wish they'd work on making the Prius actually look stylish. If the previous gens were dorky/frumpy, the current model is an abomination on the scale of the Pontiac Aztek. Tesla has shown you can make a slick looking car with great aerodynamics(I think the model S has a coefficient of drag of .24), there is no reason the Prius has to be so damn ugly.
I wish they'd work on making the Prius actually look stylish. If the previous gens were dorky/frumpy, the current model is an abomination on the scale of the Pontiac Aztek. Tesla has shown you can make a slick looking car with great aerodynamics(I think the model S has a coefficient of drag of .24), there is no reason the Prius has to be so damn ugly.
09-28-16 | 02:33 PM
#4
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^ Hopefully the plug in technology will come down in price, as you are right, it was too expensive on the first models.
I wish they'd work on making the Prius actually look stylish. If the previous gens were dorky/frumpy, the current model is an abomination on the scale of the Pontiac Aztek. Tesla has shown you can make a slick looking car with great aerodynamics(I think the model S has a coefficient of drag of .24), there is no reason the Prius has to be so damn ugly.
I wish they'd work on making the Prius actually look stylish. If the previous gens were dorky/frumpy, the current model is an abomination on the scale of the Pontiac Aztek. Tesla has shown you can make a slick looking car with great aerodynamics(I think the model S has a coefficient of drag of .24), there is no reason the Prius has to be so damn ugly.
vs the snub nosed 3...
09-28-16 | 08:01 PM
#5
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I was referring to the Model S as being stylish, not the vapor-ware Model 3 pictured. And yes that blue Prius pictured is an improvement over the base model, but that's like saying Courtney Love's ******* is better looking than Rosie O'Donnell's *******.
09-29-16 | 10:50 AM
#7
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09-29-16 | 08:20 PM
#9
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That is correct but the Chevy Volt, like other electric vehicles (EV), is essentially a battery on wheels. It has a huge battery pack running down the central spine and under the rear seat.
The Prius Prime, in comparison, has a much smaller battery pack, under the raised rear cargo floor.and does not protrude into the passenger area.
The Prius Prime, in comparison, has a much smaller battery pack, under the raised rear cargo floor.and does not protrude into the passenger area.
09-30-16 | 12:49 PM
#11
http://insideevs.com/toyota-hints-fi...in-the-future/
http://www.autoblog.com/2016/07/12/5...a-prius-prime/
09-30-16 | 01:52 PM
#12
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That is correct but the Chevy Volt, like other electric vehicles (EV), is essentially a battery on wheels. It has a huge battery pack running down the central spine and under the rear seat.
The Prius Prime, in comparison, has a much smaller battery pack, under the raised rear cargo floor.and does not protrude into the passenger area.
The Prius Prime, in comparison, has a much smaller battery pack, under the raised rear cargo floor.and does not protrude into the passenger area.
A plug-in because it has a big battery with an extended EV range.
Why do I see so may people call the Volt an EV ie electric vehicle?
09-30-16 | 02:40 PM
#13
volt is driven by electric motors ONLY. the gas engine is simply there to recharge the batteries for the electric motors.
contrast a hybrid, which makes decisions about when to use the gas engine, when to use electric, when to use both, when to recharge, etc.
the hybrid is probably be a cheaper solution because it can 'get away with' a smaller battery, but still there's trade-offs to all these things.
contrast a hybrid, which makes decisions about when to use the gas engine, when to use electric, when to use both, when to recharge, etc.
the hybrid is probably be a cheaper solution because it can 'get away with' a smaller battery, but still there's trade-offs to all these things.
09-30-16 | 06:40 PM
#15
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From: Canada
Oh, I see....
But then this guy seems to test the acceleration under EV only, and then under gasoline mode???
2017 Chevy Volt or Tesla Model 3? Review of Volt. - YouTube
But then this guy seems to test the acceleration under EV only, and then under gasoline mode???
2017 Chevy Volt or Tesla Model 3? Review of Volt. - YouTube
When the battery charge runs low, the gasoline engine will automatically turn on and the Volt runs in what is known as serial-hybrid mode: the engine burns gasoline to turn the second electric motor as a generator, generating electricity. This electricity power the first electric motor to drive the car. In this gasoline / serial-hybrid mode, the second electric motor is used as a generator so cannot contribute power (which probably explains why the Volt is slower in gasoline mode).
In the video, the driver forced the car into gasoline mode by putting the car into Hold / Mountain mode. In this special drive mode, the car runs the engine to drive the second electric motor to generate electricity, conserving the charge in the battery. The concept is that when running in the mountains, when the battery charge will be quickly drained, why not force the gasoline engine to run, conserving electricity for when you are out of the mountains.
But the complicated design of the hybrid transmission, which is very, very similar to the eCVT / Power Split Device used in Toyota and Ford hybrids (but GM, of course, claims that it is completely different), should allow the gasoline engine to theoretically contribute power if the first electric motor cannot provide enough power on its own.
If GM only wanted a simple gasoline-powered range extender that cannot add driving power, it would not need that complicated hybrid transmission.