2012 Toyota Prius PHV (Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle)
The 2012 Toyota Prius PHV (plug-in hybrid vehicle) minimizes fuel consumption over conventional Prii by finding a middle ground.
The Prius PHV is essentially a standard Prius with a bigger and more efficient battery system. For drivers who are able to remain in electric mode, battery charging is mercifully quick. A standard 120-volt household charge will take 3 hours.
Check back for more information and driving impressions on the full production Prius PHV as the release date nears.
Especially since Toyota successfully offered its own RAV4 EV in the ‘90s? Probably because Tesla is white-hot in terms of public perception right now, while Toyota definitely needs some help.
So it’s no real surprise that Toyota is looking for other ways to maximize the investment on its hybrid range.
The result of Toyota’s brainstorm session is the Prius PHV, or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
The PHV retains everything that makes the Prius a good car, namely the solid construction, spacious cabin and generous features. Not only do Li-ion batteries hold a greater charge for their size than NiMH, but Toyota made them larger too, all in an attempt to maximize the PHV’s electric-only range.
At predominantly highway speeds the car’s EV aspect is irrelevant, while driving around town and making use of those 12 electric miles you can easily see well over 50-mpg and as high as 70 mpg on short trips.
To help drivers keep track, Toyota changed the gauges slightly to include an EV-range indicator. There’s also a pictogram depicting how much of your driving history was done in EV or regular hybrid mode. Apart from the charge port in the front fender, a couple ‘plug-in’ badges, and a slightly higher trunk floor, the PHV is pure Prius, for better or worse.
So people who love the Prius will love the PHV. The electric motor is quite torquey, making the car feel faster than its 11 second 0-60 mph time (compared to 9.8 seconds for the current Prius). Toyota is known for making its vehicles into sensory-deprivation tanks, requiring as little effort as possible from its drivers.
Toyota’s not looking to please driving enthusiasts in the conventional sense. It’s hard to give a verdict on the Prius PHV besides a conditional “sure, but how much does it cost?” Rumors have suggested Toyota will price the production model quite close to its non plug-in counterpart. If that’s the case it will be a compelling alternative to vehicles like the Volt.
One car that already has a 110-volt cable in the trunk is the 2012 Toyota Prius PHV (Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle). Of course, the very first question people ask of the new plug-in Prius is how it differs from the traditional Prius.
The Prius PHV shares the same Hybrid Synergy Drive platform as the traditional Prius and can be recharged in as little as 1.5 hours on 220-volt power and 3 hours on standard 110 volt power. Justifying the Price
The Prius PHV shares the same Hybrid Synergy Drive platform as the traditional Prius and can be recharged in as little as 1.5 hours on 220-volt power and 3 hours on standard 110 volt power.
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