At this point, I don't feel like I need to burnish my eco-credentials, given that I write for CNET's Green Tech blog every day. But when it came to buying a car, I got the iconic, even cliched, 2010 Toyota Prius.
Having driven almost 2,500 miles on it so far, I like it, although I have not yet been able to get the advertised 50-plus miles per gallon when I go around town, which is the bulk of my driving. But it's early still, I tell myself, so maybe the Prius can show me the way. (See also CNET's review of the 2010 Toyota Prius.)
Buying a hybrid was not at all my plan. My wife and I were generally content with a 10-year-old Corolla that got us from point A to B with good mileage. As you can tell, fuel efficiency and reliability are high on my wish lists, not luxury features. In fact, what I really wanted to do was hold out for a plug-in electric vehicle.
But a few weeks ago, our well-maintained sedan was totaled by a teenager in an SUV (no serious injuries, thankfully). That meant I needed to get a new car--fast. We went from accident to test drive to transaction in about a week since we needed a new car before we left for a long-planned vacation. Nothing like a deadline to focus the mind.
I was surprised to see how few hybrid options there are. Certainly the Honda Insight was tempting and early reviews were positive. But reviews also said that space in the back seat isn't great, which was a priority for us, while the new Prius improves on interior space.
I also thought of the Ford Fusion hybrid, which I drove this spring. One advantage was the tax rebate I would have gotten for buying a fuel-efficient American car. It gets over 40 miles per gallon in city driving and I liked driving it a second time--it had a comfortingly familiar look and feel, both inside and out, even though it's a hybrid. But with the bigger battery, the trunk didn't seem very roomy and you can't push down the back seats for big loads.
Next stop was the Toyota dealership. The base price of the new Prius is a few thousand dollars higher than that of the Insight but less than the listed base of the Fusion. We took the Prius for a spin and were pleased.
There's not exactly a waiting list for the 2010 Prius, but each car is basically spoken for before it arrives, at least in the Boston area. Our sales guy had one coming in. We grabbed it. Did I mention we were in a hurry?
The day after delivery we started our long drive for vacation. Gas mileage for our roughly 2,000 miles of highway travel in total was about 51 miles per gallon. A limited sample of city driving (less than 100 miles) has me getting in the middle to high 40s.
Different state of mind
The biggest change with driving a hybrid is the feedback system. The 2010 Prius has a few different display options. It's interesting to know what's going on under the covers--how the gasoline engine, generator, and battery coordinate to maximize your mileage.
But so far what I've ended up using is the Eco dashboard, which tells you when you're driving just on the battery and when going out of the super-efficient zone. The big lesson here: don't accelerate aggressively. Picking up speed slowly is the key to fuel-efficiency nirvana, the Prius tells me.
What a difference from my old cars. I've always driven a stick shift, which means a direct sense of controlling your car's functions: put it in gear, hit the accelerator, and you're in control.
The Prius is fly by wire. You tell the computer what to do and it controls the car. The 2010 model has a few modes that you can put it in: all EV, which only works up to about 20 miles per hour; the Eco mode; and the Power mode.
I've used the Power mode to jump onto highways and it works fine. The Eco mode makes it harder to push on the accelerator so my preference is to only use that with cruise control on the highway. With my day-to-day driving, I've ended up not picking a specific mode and just eyeing the dashboard for feedback.
Show me the way, oh eco-indicator. The Hybrid System Indicator coaches you on how to sip gas.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)For a far more thorough run-through, I suggest this review by my colleague Wayne Cunningham at CNET Car Tech. If you want to know how the hybrid system works under the covers, check out this video from the CNET Green Show.
Of course, there's the cost of the car. I ended up with a relatively low-end model, which is fine because I don't rely on GPS or need a solar moonroof (the solar panel powers a fan to keep the car from heating up in the sun.)
I don't drive a whole lot of miles per year so I wasn't going to get out a calculator and run an ROI analysis on buying a Prius with 48/50 miles per gallon mileage versus something else.
Hybrid technology just makes sense and it's a feature I wanted, just like getting video on my digital camera. Why should my car be burning gas when it's standing still? And I think it's brilliant that I'm recouping energy for my battery when I'm decelerating or hitting the brake.
Now when I drive around I notice the other Priuses. And I keep wondering, are you getting over 50 miles per gallon? Any tips you can share?
Toyota Motor plans to start mass-producing plug-in hybrid cars in 2012, according a report.
The Japanese business newspaper Nikkei said on Saturday that the first year's production is expected to be about 20,000 to 30,000 cars.
(Credit:
Martin LaMonica/CNET)
Toyota earlier last year said that it plans to start testing 500 plug-in hybrid Priuses in 2010 for fleet owners.
Current Priuses use nickel metal hydride batteries, but for its plug-in vehicles Toyota plans to use lithium ion batteries developed and made through a joint venture with Panasonic.
The plug-in hybrid cars from Toyota will be able to go between 12 and 18 miles on a battery charge alone, according to the paper, which Reuters cited.
There will be a wave of plug-in electric sedans coming to market over the next two years. In addition to a plug-in Prius, Toyota is making an all-electric city car called the FT-EV, which is expected in 2012.
The highly anticipated 2011 Chevy Volt is scheduled to go into production in late 2010. Unlike a traditional hybrid, the Volt will run entirely off its batteries and use the internal combustion engine to charge the battery for rides longer than 40 miles.
Toyota updates the Prius for the 2010 model year, with more power and better fuel efficiency.
(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)The most important thing to remember about the much-anticipated 2010 Prius model update is that Toyota is, at its heart, a conservative company. Add to that Toyota's desire not to spoil the continued success of the previous Prius model, and you get a new car that isn't radically changed from its predecessor.
The Prius still uses Toyota's Synergy hybrid system, a full hybrid system that propels the car under electric power at low speeds. It's still shaped like a speed bump, with a hatchback and a quick drop-off at the back. And the cabin tech still uses a DVD-based navigation system, and lacks a USB port or iPod integration for the audio system.
However, Toyota did give it a slightly bigger engine, a 1.8-liter four cylinder, increasing the power, and at the same time increasing the fuel economy. Some reshaping around the grille and hood brings in Toyota's new design language, while the roof peak has been moved back a bit to increase rear head room and create better aerodynamics. The cabin now includes a floating console and a shift lever with a more traditional layout than the previous one. And Toyota gives the Prius some new tech tricks, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic parking.
We got our hands on the new Prius during a preview event, and found that it drives very similarly to the previous generation. The net horsepower from the new power train comes out to 134, over the older model's 110, which you can feel during hill climbs and acceleration at speed. Toyota claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 9.8 seconds for the new model. It's hardly a drastic change in power over the old car, but it is usable.
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Toyota Motor Sales announced an expanded commitment to electric vehicles on Saturday, disclosing plans to manufacture an all-electric city car by 2012 and a wider fleet of gas-electric hybrids.
At the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Toyota showed off a concept car called the FT-EV, a battery-powered four-seat compact car. Although it's concept car, Toyota said it will release an "urban commuter" electric car in 2012.
Based on an existing car sold in Japan called the iQ, the FT-EV runs entirely on batteries and has a range of about 50 miles. Like many all-electric cars planned for release in the next few years, the FT-EV is designed for commutes and short trips, potentially as a second car.
In a statement, Toyota Motor Sales' group vice president of environmental and public affairs Irv Miller said that even though gasoline prices have dipped substantially in the past half year, the auto industry should focus on fuel-efficiency.
"We must address the inevitability of peak oil by developing vehicles powered by alternatives to liquid-oil fuel, as well as new concepts, like the iQ, that are lighter in weight and smaller in size. This kind of vehicle, electrified or not, is where our industry must focus its creativity," he said.
A number of auto companies, including Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Think, plan to bring out small all-electric cars in the next two years. The commitment of Toyota--maker of the iconic Prius hybrid car--adds more validity to the small electric commuter car category.
Toyota's FT-EV, a concept car that will be the basis for an all-electric commuter car due in 2012.
(Credit: Toyota)Still, Toyota said the the gas-electric powertrain of the Prius represents its "core" technology because it can be used with larger vehicles.
On Sunday, the company said that it will move up its previously announced plan to test plug-in hybrid cars using lithium-ion batteries. Current Priuses use Nickel-metal hydride technology but most auto makers are pursuing lithium-ion chemistry for an upcoming wave of electric cars.
At the end of 2009, it will begin testing a fleet of plug-in electric Priuses using lithium-ion batteries. Of the 500, 150 will be made available to U.S. customers for lease.
Toyota's goal is to sell one million gas-electric hybrids a year in the early 2010s. It will have 10 new hybrid models in that time, including the third-generation Prius and the Lexus HS250h, both of which it introduced this week in Detroit at the NAIAS.
A solar-paneled Prius done by Solar Electric Vehicles.
(Credit: SEV)Toyota is developing a solar-powered Prius, the Nikkei newspaper has reported yet again.
It was interesting when we heard about this in July.
But it seems to us that someone over at Toyota has now been fake-leaking/hinting news about a solar-powered Prius in one form or another for at least the last year.
This wonder-car-in-the-making has gone from being a Toyota Prius that uses solar roof panels from Kyocera to power its air conditioning unit, to "a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy" to quote one recent Associated Press article.
You may find it interesting that this rumor always comes floating by on the heels of bad news from Toyota.
In July, it accompanied news of a series of Toyota plant closings/reorganizations in the U.S.
This latest rumor seems to be timed to follow Toyota's December news that it, too, has succumbed to the world auto industry slump, reporting its first annual operating loss in 70 years, and a series of consolidations and changes in its organizational structure.
Of course, there is already an available solar option for some Toyota owners in the U.S.
Solar Electrical Vehicles (SEV) has been offering an after-market Prius solar overhaul since June 2007. It includes a customized solar panel for a Prius roof that can improve the car's efficiency by about 29 percent. SEV also offers kits for the Toyota Highlander, Rav4 EV, and Ford Escape Hybrid.
For those who just like reading about the idea of a solar car, Canadian engineer Marcelo da Luz and his team have been blogging about their attempt to set the world long-distance record for a solar-powered car with the Power of One (Xof1) vehicle.
2008 Toyota Prius Touring Edition.
(Credit: Toyota)Americans will soon have another feel-good reason to buy a Prius.
Prius production in the U.S. will begin in late 2010 at a plant currently under construction in Blue Springs, Miss., Toyota announced Thursday.
So, aside from saving on the cost of gas through better gas mileage and raising environmental awareness, buying a Prius will soon be a product made by American workers...or at least assembled by them.
Toyota said the change is in response to consumer demand in North America.
As it's been widely reported, there's been a Prius shortage in the U.S. with some consumers being forced to wait as long as three months and pay as much as $3,000 over sticker price. Even celebrity techies have been told to wait their turn.
Meanwhile, sales of Toyota SUVs have gone down and Toyota is responding to that change as well.
The company is halting production of its Tundra and Sequoia SUVs as of August 8 due to the decrease in consumer demand. Production is scheduled to resume in November and the workers of those plants "will continue to be provided work," Toyota said in a statement.
The Japan-based company also plans to consolidate the production of its Tundra, a full-size pick-up truck produced in both Indiana and Texas, to one plant in San Antonio starting in spring 2009.
"The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production," Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, said in a statement.
Wiseman also said that the introduction of the Prius into company plant plans is an example of Toyota's long-term commitment to suppliers, workers, and their communities in North America.
There is no word on whether the plant changes will result in the loss of U.S. jobs.
Toyota does produce the Camry hybrid in the U.S. already and that production shall continue, according to the company.
Toyota also announced in early June that it plans to produce a Prius with solar panels as early as 2009 and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle available for purchase in the U.S. in 2010. Toyota, however, has not yet said where the vehicles will be produced.
Toyota plans to install solar panels on the roof of the next generation of Prius hybrid cars, according to a report in Monday's edition of the Nikkei newspaper.
The panels, which are expected to begin appearing on the high-end version of the gasoline-electric hybrid car as early as next spring, will supply part of the 2 to 5 kilowatts needed to power the air conditioning, MarketWatch cited the Japanese business daily as reporting. Kyocera will reportedly supply the panels.
The move would make Toyota the first major automaker to incorporate a solar-power generation system into a mass-produced car.
Prius was introduced in 1997 and has since sold more than 1 million vehicles worldwide. The car was redesigned in 2003, and a third generation has been widely expected to appear soon.
With gas over $4 per gallon, on average, across the country, there is now a carpet bagger economy on the Toyota Prius.
Many dealers will still sell a new one at MSRP, but you are likely to wait 10 to 12 weeks before seeing a car. Yes, if you act quickly you can buy a used Prius, but this is where the real price gouging occurs. Case in point, a basic 2007 Prius with no options and 29,000 miles will cost you around $27,000. If you bought a brand-new car identical to this in 2007, it would have cost around $24,000, and Kelly Blue Book, the authority on used car prices, says that this car is worth just under $23k today.
Obviously, there is a new supply-and-demand curve in the market. Nothing illegal mind you; this is capitalism at work, but it just doesn't seem right. Gas may go up to $6 per gallon, or oil may go down to $80 per barrel; no one really knows, and there are bulls and bears forecasting both extremes. Since rationality has given way to speculation and panic, my advice to would-be Prius buyers is:
1. Do the math. A nicely equipped 2007 Honda Civic EX with equal mileage carries a suggested retail price of about $18,300. Assuming 30 miles per gallon for the Civic, and 45 miles per gallon for the Prius, it could take around 13 years to recoup the extra money for the Prius at $5 per gallon (assuming 12,000 miles per year of driving). Now I know that there are a lot of assumptions in this formula, but suffice it to say that when you do the math, the Civic seems like a better deal overall--not to mention that the EX has a Sunroof to boot.
2. Wait. Delaying a Prius purchase could have two benefits. First off, buyers get to see whether the price of gas goes up or down. If it does go down as some predict, the Prius premium is likely to disappear faster than a Lakers fan after the NBA finals. The other advantage to waiting is that the highbrow Prius will finally get some competition moving forward. Honda is rumored to have a 2009 hybrid Fit and brand-new five-passenger hybrid--with better gas mileage than today's Prius--waiting in the wings. Rumor also has it that VW, Hyundai, Ford, and others aren't far behind with high-mileage alternatives of their own. Finally, in 2009 or 2010 Toyota will introduce its own next-generation Prius that may offer plug-in capabilities and better gas mileage as well.
Supply and demand are constant market conditions, but shortages come and go. Is a used Prius really worth a $3,000 to $4,000 premium? The answer to this question can be summed in two sagacious words: caveat emptor!
A123 Systems has created a Web site where Toyota Prius owners can preorder a battery to convert their cars to plug-in hybrids capable of getting well over 100 miles per gallon.
The switch from hybrid to plug-in hybrid doesn't come cheap, though. The battery and installation costs $9,995, plus an extra $400 "destination fee" and taxes.
The battery, called Hymotion 5, is designed to fit into the spare tire slot underneath the trunk of Prius model years 2004 to 2008. The company didn't say when the batteries would be available.
The Hymotion L5 battery from A123 Systems converts a Toyota Prius to a plug-in hybrid.
(Credit: Martin LaMonica/CNET News.com)A123 Systems said the extended-life battery has been tested over 200,000 miles of "real life" conditions and that it should not void Toyota's warranty unless it's directly responsible for a failure.
There are a number of converted plug-in hybrids, but they are not yet manufactured from automakers. Last year, A123 Systems bought Hymotion, which has a network of installers who are expert in plug-in hybrids.
With a plug-in hybrid, a person can boost gas efficiency from about 40 miles per gallon in a Prius to more than 100 miles per gallon depending on what kind of driving you do. If there is a lot of stop and go driving for trips under about 30 miles, the braking system can recharge the battery and substantially cut down on gas use.
The Web site underscores the large interest in plug-in hybrid cars for purely environmental reasons, rather than saving money on fuel.
Rather than calculate the return on investment, the site allows consumers to calculate what sort of gas mileage they can expect and how it will affect their carbon footprint.
Although there are not any production plug-in hybrids, Toyota and General Motors are expected to release their own versions.
GM, in fact, has signed up for a partnership with A123 Systems to use its lithium ion battery with the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid that can run on different liquid fuels.
City driving offers better mileage than highway in a plug-in hybrid.
(Credit: A123 Systems)
Toyota's 1/X concept may hint at some ideas for the new Prius.
(Credit: CNET Networks)The Truth About Cars blog posted commentary on the next generation Toyota Prius today. The car is supposed to debut at the 2009 Detroit auto show, but a few details have come out in Edmund's Auto Observer. The new Prius will be 3 inches to 4 inches longer than the current model and it will get a 50 horsepower boost. Along with all that, it will get better fuel economy than the current model. The last update was in 2004, so this new version is definitely due. There's also talk of another model in the Prius line, and a Lexus equivalent featuring an even larger engine. Toyota showed off its 1/X concept at the 2008 Tokyo auto show, a study in design materials for a car with a Prius-like body, which might hint at some features of the new model. We also expect the new Prius to be a showcase for new cabin electronics from Toyota.
(Source: The Truth About Cars)
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