Does Toyota plan to make the Prius with plug in charging and the option to use battery only for short trips?

Answer 1

A plug-in hybrid available from Toyota is in development, but not here yet.

Japan Certifies Toyota Plug-in Hybrid for Public-road Tests:
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/07/0725.html

Video of the plug-in Prius in testing:
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/phv/conference/index.html

Toyota Advances Plug-In Hybrid Development With Partnership Program Involving UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, California Energy Commission And Air Resources Board:
http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2007072552930


There are no commercially-available plug-in hybrids on the market so far. (So you cannot plug them in, other than the same gas station pump that most other regular cars use.) Some hobbiests and aftermarket companies have been altering a few hybrids (Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid) to make them plug-in capable. Typically this requires adding additional hybrid batteries, besides the ability to charge off the mains.
For more information, check out http://www.calcars.org/vehicles.html

For cost reasons, unless you are a fleet owner or other high-mileage driver it probably will not be worth the cost of the PHEV conversion for you. (Conversion pricing is high due to startup costs and low volumes, besides the pricing of the needed additional battery packs.)

To note, converting to a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) does not reduce the vehicle's range. It gives the owner the option to recharge the (newly added larger) hybrid battery pack at night (cheap electricity and off-peak electric load which would otherwise be lost). The vehicle would run for a certain distance (longer than stock) on the stored electric power alone, and when the battery pack is depleted to a certain point the vehicle reverts back to its original hybrid self and runs on a combination of the gasoline engine (which will also recharge the battery) and the electric motor. A PHEV would add a greater all-electric range to the existing hybrid, besides the ability (but not the requirement!) to plug it into an electric source.

Answer 2

John Paul is way off. Yes Toyota already has a prototype on the road for testing. The Prius does NOT have a 12v starter, the electric power steering runs on 12v, the other voltages vary from model to model but none of them is right, and in any accident/wreck serious enough to pop the airbags the HV relays open isolating the traction/hybrid battery from the rest of the car. I am also not sure where people come up with the random and completely false numbers for when the battery will have to be replaced. Apparently the people who report having gone more than 300,000 miles on the original pack without any trouble must have had it replaced more than once for free without them knowing it because if you believe the people who bash the car there is simply no way they can last that long.

BTW it is Nickel Metal Hydride not Hydrate

Answer 3

Yes, Toyota is currently working on a plug-in hybrid, as is GM (the Chevy Volt).

The Volt is reported to go 40 miles purely on electrical power, and then act as a gas/electric hybrid beyond that. It's scheduled to be available at the end of 2010.

Toyota is working on a plug-in version of the Prius. There hasn't been a lot of information about it, as Toyota is just in the beginning stages of development and testing of this car. They haven't gotten lithium battery technology going yet, so they're behind the Chevy Volt in that crucial department. There have been rumors that a plug-in Prius will be available in 2010, but I suspect it will be more like 2012.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4531-10921_7-6541749.html?subj=blog&part=rss&tag=Toyota%20to%20work%20on%20plug-ins,%20double%20its%20hybrid%20lineup

Answer 4

Earlier this year in July, Toyota did indeed announce it is developing plug-in hybrids: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/toyota-announce.html#more

Most likely it will become practical when hurdles to using more powerful Lithium-ion batteries are overcome.

As far as current NiMH batteries' cost goes, a new Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive NiMH battery (including the one used on Nissan Altima Hybrids, which uses the Toyota HSD) carries an 8-year warranty. If it has an 8-year warranty, I don't understand why John Paul is blabbering about the cost of replacing a battery if it dies in 6 years, which would be ZERO.

As long as you did not void the warranty by tampering with the HSD system, replacing an HV battery in 6 years would be covered by warranty and COST YOU NOTHING. Free. Nothing out of your pocket. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Oh, and a new HSD battery pack costs $2800 in the event it dies after your warranty runs out in 8 years, not $5000. You can get reconditioned/salvaged batteries (better choice for an 8-year old car anyway) for a comparatively paltry $700.

Remind me to avoid taking my Nissan Altima Hybrid to any Nissan dealership with anyone named John Paul working there if it ever needs servicing-- Obviously he is not competent to work on Nissan hybrids

Answer 5

You wont have to worry about plugging in your 2009 or 2010 Prius and have it affect your electricity bill. Why, might you ask. The plug in cars will only be available for fleet lease. No customer will be able to rent or buy one. So unless you're part California Edison or such. You wont even be able to touch one unless you hit one in a car accident.

Answer 6

I guess most people do not understand these Hybrid's run on direct current battery and up to 600 AC motor volts and people have been killed when precautions were not followed. The Nickel Metal Hydrate cells cost almost $5,000 and the car will use up the battery in 6 to 10 years. Electric systems A/C 255 volts three phase AC 45 volt powersteering 12 volt internal combustion engine starter electric ABS brakes all very complex. First responders in a accident must first check the car for power to the cars chassis or touch the car and die! Not kidding leave Hybrid modifications to the Toyota and Honda experts Now Nissan is Using Synergy drive too.

Answer 7

No. Not at this point in the development. Further down the line it is possible to include that as an added value to the customer, but there are no plans now that I'm aware of to do that.

Answer 8

Yes, ther is one in trials now.
I do not know when it will be released but I did see one on a truck being taken to the testing grounds in San Fran

Answer 9

Dont buy a Prius. get a VW diesel and make your own biodiesel!!

http://www.transmitmedia.com/golfTDI/

Answer 10

IDNK, Why do you ask the engineers? :-)