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Toyota’s plug-in Prius to travel 12 miles on electric power alone

omarrana submitted on 3/17/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 8:59:36 AM

12 user comments | Category: New Cars | Source: | SOURCE: www.egmcartech.com

Tag Link: Toyota

Toyota will start offering lithium-ion powered cars to businesses in Europe at the end of this decade.

The Japanese auto maker will target fleets, rental car companies and taxi companies. Toyota has not yet said when the everyday man will be able to purchase their plug-in hybrid and charge it in their house through a 220-volt electric outlet.

“We will deliver plug-in hybrid vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries to fleet customers in Europe by 2010,” Toyota Motor President Katsuaki Watanabe said at the Geneva Motor Show.

Toyota’s current Prius hybrid car can travel up to about .6 miles on...

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Toyota’s plug-in Prius to travel 12 miles on electric power alone

About the Author

omarrana

I hooked up my accelerator to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.

— omarrana (View Profile)


User Comments

enthusiastx11

so, as i mentioned previously, you'll need to recharge the vehicle all the time (not just at night).

how is the power grid (in the US) going to handle this?

— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/17/2008 10:39:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

GreenPlease

The idea behind a PHEV is partial oil displacement no oil replacement.

Consider that the average American travels less than 40 miles a day. For simplicity we'll say 36 miles a day. A PHEV with a 12 mile range would displace 33% of our petroleum usage.

The U.S. grid has tremendous off peak capacity. What about emissions? They'd be substantially lower even if dirty coal were used to charge the battery. A CFP running at 29% efficiency through the grid is substantially better than a Otto cycle engine running 15% efficiency throttled (which is >90% of the time).

Everyone wins with PHEVs:

1. Consumers pay less for fuel
2. Greater energy/transport security
3. Utilities can better utilize existing capital

I guess oil exporting nations would lose out. Sorry NOCs but somehow I don't feel any pity for you when we fork over billions of dollars a day and you people still hate us.

— GreenPlease (View Profile)

Posted on 3/17/2008 9:22:48 PM | | Votes: 1   

GreenPlease

The above post should read "not oil replacement"

Also note that PHEVs are an evolutionary step toward EVs. Mass adoption of PHEVs over the next 15 years will allow the U.S. electrical grid to adapt and allow charger manufacturers to ramp up production in a fiscally responsible way.

— GreenPlease (View Profile)

Posted on 3/17/2008 9:25:26 PM | | Votes: 1   

investor27

It can't. Toyota just needs to bring out the Lithium Prius now in the US.

— investor27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/17/2008 1:04:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

XYZZ

STOOLchecker ONLY gets turned on by fresh turds.

toyotas that smell like roses bore him.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:36:41 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

bmwman1963

Thumbs up SpellChecker!

— bmwman1963 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2008 8:55:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

toolatetorace

They should use the right decal for the electrical plug on the car . A 220 volt plug is has 3 connecting spades and will need a dedicated line to power it. This is not your basic toaster outlet . 220 volts x 15 amps = 3300 watts . This amp draw would be an average from the start of charge time to the point where the charge would taper off . to a full charge A rough figure would be about 3.5 killowats per hour times what ever you local cost of electricity would be

— toolatetorace (View Profile)

Posted on 3/17/2008 11:13:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

mpls

Spellchecker001 - 3/17/2008 4:09:5M

I yawned when I saw "Toyota" and "Prius" in the title...

----------------------------------------------------

well you cared enough to make a post in here.. hyporcritcal shit !

— mpls (View Profile)

Posted on 3/18/2008 6:47:47 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Michael

Maybe by the time the Prius Plug-in gets to the US it will have sufficient EV only range for those of us with longer commutes. For those of us that live further from work due to the fact that we can't afford to live closer to work, having a greater EV capacity would be much more appreciated!

— Michael (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 6:12:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

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