PriusChat is proud to announce partnerships with a select group of Toyota dealerships across the country to launch the PriusChat Certified Dealer Program. This program is launching with the Prius Plug-in to ensure a great price and buying experience for PriusChat members.

PriusChat Certified Dealer Program | PriusChat

The program consists of the following benefits for PriusChatters:

Did you miss the show during our end-of-summer hiatus? Good! This week on the PriusChat Show we are lucky enough to sit down and have an in-depth conversation with Toyota’s Prius Team, Doug Coleman and Erica Gartsbeyn. Doug is unfortunately moving from the Prius Team to another product within Toyota, so this interview covers a wide range of topics including Doug’s highest and lowest moments with the Prius.

We also talk with Erica about the future of the Prius Team and whether Toyota will continue to participate on PriusChat after the shake-up.

Remember about a year ago when we picked on the Japanese market for introducing an optional artificial noisemaker accessory for the Prius? Well, now the joke's on us, my fellow Americans. All 2012 models of the Prius Family will come standard with a required noisemaker, er, "vehicle proximity notification system".

The day is finally here. Toyota has finally released photos of the 2012 Prius Plug-In, complete with a snazzy new front end, very snazzy new tail lights, and a re-postioned plug position. These photos are from Toyota GB, so some of these features could only be for the European or Japanese markets. We should have photos of the US model soon. The gallery has now been updated with all of the US model photos provided by Toyota.

Another Prius launch, another odd Prius ad campaign. This time Toyota enlists a bunch of people to make a big creepy person who eventually falls apart. But wait, there's a happy ending! They all find a place in one of the 4 members of the Prius family. How touching. And creepy. Did I mention I think it's creepy? Because I think it's creepy.

No matter what you think, the spot is well made and shows off the fact that there are now options when it comes to being a Prius owner. And so, below you will find Toyota's first Prius Family ad, "People Person".

Last week I reported that the Prius Plug-In production model would debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, but thanks to UK-based PriusChat member Wooski we have a full photo of the 2012 Prius Plug-In from a Toyota GB press release. The photo you see above is in fact the Plug-In, at least how the European spec version of it. Traditionally the US has not received the side mirror turn signals, though that would be a welcome change on the US model.

Our friends in the UK are reporting that the production version of the 2012 Prius Plug-In will be revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show September 15th. We're still not sure what kind of changes will be coming to the Prius Plug-In production version compared to the demonstration vehicle that we test drove last year, though I think we can safely assume that it will take on the styling changes coming with the 2012 Prius refresh that we've been hearing about.

Toyota has announced their Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) provider, and they have chosen (drum roll)... Leviton! Ford has also partnered with Leviton to offer charging equipment through Best Buy, though it looks like Best Buy might be dropping out of that partnership. According to Leviton, "The custom Toyota electric vehicle charger, built off of Leviton’s existing EVSE line of products, gives Toyota customers a safe and reliable solution when charging their Prius Plug-In Hybrid or RAV4 EV."

Toyota revealed today that over 29,000 people have pre-registered for the 2012 Prius Plug-In on Toyota's website. It looks like they anticipate a conversion rate of about 50% on those registrations, with a sales outlook of at least 16,000 plug-ins in 2012.

John Hanson told Bloomberg, “We think it’s going to be a strong seller and we’ll deliver to whatever level the market wants,” he said yesterday. “We’re certainly on line to sell 16,000 to 17,000 in 2012.”

Episode 6 of the PriusChat Show takes a look at some of the hottest PriusChat forum topics that break down one PriusChatter's thoughts that the Prius is really only worth $12,000, questions on why you bought a Prius, the Ford C-Max, and of course the news that the Prius Plug-In will have an EV button and full regenerative braking.