Toyota Plug-in Coming in 2009

[BellBoy]

Just went to get my regular oil change/checkup today and got some interesting news from the service manager. I go to the dealer in Burbank and he showed me a Burbank Water and Power Prius that they had in the back lot that was converted to a plug-in.

He gave me some literature that was in the back since they also use it as a publicity campaign to educate people about saving energy. Anyways...I told him of my interest in converting my car to a plug-in when it becomes more affordable. That's when he tells me that he received word that Toyota will be releasing a PHEV in 2009!

Knocked me for a loop since I thought that Toyota was in the early stages of testing it. He told me that he's driven the car and it can go for about 25 miles before the hybrid system kicks in...I could totally make it to work everyday on electrical!

[Tideland Prius]

interesting news....

[Godiva]

I know they're testing the plug in in Japan. But the Japanese have other Prius goodies we don't have too. Like the side signal mirrors.

I wouldn't be surprised if a plug in is available in 2009......in Japan.

While I'd like it to be available here as well, I won't be surprised if it isn't until 2010 or 2011.

BTW 25 miles? Hymotion offers a 20 mile and a 40 mile. Of course Hymotion is LiIon and the 25mile Prius is still NiMH.

[DanCar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BellBoy @ Aug 4 2007, 05:45 PM) [snapback]490657[/snapback]</div>

That's when he tells me that he received word that Toyota will be releasing a PHEV in 2009! Knocked me for a loop since I thought that Toyota was in the early stages of testing it.[/b]

2009 is a long ways a way. Be better if they came out with one by the end of 2008.

[davidsf]

Will it have Li-Ion batteries?

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanCar @ Aug 5 2007, 12:39 AM) [snapback]490776[/snapback]</div>

2009 is a long ways a way. Be better if they came out with one by the end of 2008.
[/b]

If it's the 2009 model year it will be out Fall of 2008.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(davidsf @ Aug 5 2007, 12:41 AM) [snapback]490777[/snapback]</div>

Will it have Li-Ion batteries?
[/b]

No.

The plug-in they're testing in Japan is NiMH.

[ceric]

As usual, your salesman was misinformed or has bad memory.

From all info we have got so far, the next Prius plug-in will be/have
- NiMH battery: Toyota had to issue a news about the delay of next Prius because of redesigning the
Prius due to the decision of not to use Li-Ion battery. Toyota believe that within the next few years
Li-Ion will not be viable in the market place econemy-wise and safety-wise. Apparently, the battery space/structure needs to be redesigned to accomodate NiMH or Li-Ion because of their difference in weight
for the same planned range of travel.
- the vehicle being tested in Japna/US/Europe has 3X NiMH battery that we have on our Prius. The range is 13Km (about 8miles), not 20miles. For that you need 8X batteries of what we have today. Say goodbye to your trunk space entirely. The tail will be heavy, very heavy.

Those was based on what I have gathered from all news. I would love Toyota to surprise me.
I will be first in line to buy a plug-in Prius w/ 20 mile range.
8 miles? I will sit on the fence for a while.

[Topgas]

This is all hype balony. We have no idea what Toyota has up their sleeve and Toyota is certainly not going to give it away. Time will tell..

[Jerry P]

No one knows what Toyota will do - they seem to be very good at keeping thing under wraps until they are ready to go. Testing of a plug-in with NiMH battery may just be for development of proper software and may be usable for whatever type of battery they might choose. I personally hope they wait and put out a 25+ mile range plug in when they decide to sell it to the public. Personally, I hope for an expansion of the hybrid line into smaller cars, like the Yaris. People who are buying those cars are into gas savings anyway and a HSD system using a 1 liter gas engine could really save a bunch and be very practical for urban drivers.

When Toyota comes out with a good plug-in HSD, the rest of the auto manufacturers will be left in the dust -again.

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ Aug 5 2007, 12:55 AM) [snapback]490797[/snapback]</div>

As usual, your salesman was misinformed or has bad memory.

From all info we have got so far, the next Prius plug-in will be/have
- NiMH battery: Toyota had to issue a news about the delay of next Prius because of redesigning the
Prius due to the decision of not to use Li-Ion battery. Toyota believe that within the next few years
Li-Ion will not be viable in the market place econemy-wise and safety-wise. Apparently, the battery space/structure needs to be redesigned to accomodate NiMH or Li-Ion because of their difference in weight
for the same planned range of travel.
- the vehicle being tested in Japna/US/Europe has 3X NiMH battery that we have on our Prius. The range is 13Km (about 8miles), not 20miles. For that you need 8X batteries of what we have today. Say goodbye to your trunk space entirely. The tail will be heavy, very heavy.

Those was based on what I have gathered from all news. I would love Toyota to surprise me.
I will be first in line to buy a plug-in Prius w/ 20 mile range.
8 miles? I will sit on the fence for a while.
[/b]

the PHEV Prius they're testing has 2x the battery, not 3. The two NiMH batteries were meant to simulate the power output of their Li-Ion battery.