awesome article. it is strange to me that when we did not have a plug, we can select EV mode, but when we do actually have true EV operation, EV mode is not selectable???

that is strange. other than that, definitely a great option. for me, my current commute is 7 miles. we are moving to a new building in September where the commute will be 9 miles (just about a 180 degree change in direction of travel for me) both similar suburban/country roads at 35-40 mph... a near perfect EV commute.

other than that... the SOC range is 40 to 80% but we all know you knew that

my commute is 7 miles each way. it will be fun trying to do the whole thing on ev!

Very cool, Tony.

To answer your question (a bit) about range on 3.6 kWh from the plug - The big round number for plug-in efficiency is about 4 miles per kWh. And of course that translates to 14.4 miles. And that translates to "pretty damn good."

Certainly we can do better with a dedicated EV with better aero, but I'm quite impressed with 4 miles per kWh out of a car that is as roomy inside as the Gen3 is... and is dragging around all the ICE components.

14 miles does seem small when we compare it to what has come before, and what will be coming out soon. Still, it means that everybody's short trips across town, to the store, to soccer practice, to the tavern.... er... the diner - can all be done on battery power. When it is time to drive over the river and through the woods, we have the long-range, high mileage hybrid we've all come to know and love. No, I'm not changing my tune completely - and still believe that full EV is the way to go... but at the same time I certainly see the advantages of even this short battery range. For the same price, I wonder what would sell better - the Volt or the PHEV Prius.

The number I carry around in my head for doing comparisons is, that the battery in the Leaf has a capacity of 24 kWhr. Given the claimed 100 mile range, that's 4.1+ miles per kWhr. The Leaf presumably weighs less than a Prius in order to go farther. These sorts of things may be obvious but they provide the confidence that we're using the right numbers.

More figuring...my 2010's battery is 1.35 kWhr. Tony saw about 3x that amount go into the PHV for a charge; about right. Everything I'd heard about the PHV said 13 mile range, until Tony got into one. But Tony's got a reputation for, er, going that extra mile...

Probably time for me to visit the tech forums.

WOW!! better not be the same price. the Volt pricing announced today starts at $41,000 before incentives

Tony,

Oh wow, so there's a plug-in battery pack and hybrid pack. I did not know that.

Do you know how much both batteries weigh combined?

Tony, I just want to give you marks (cred? points? rewards?) for the PUNNY title!

That one made me laugh :thumb:

I really like the glide in the Gen2 Prius where the drivetrain drag releases from the driveline (I guess that's the right lingo . This also makes it easier to brake and come to a stop. Less pedal pressure required than, I'll bet, most cars.

Here is a chart that shows the trip mileage distribution. As you can see 40% of daily miles are below 15.

Did you notice any change in range when you used AC/heater - or do they operate on gas ?

Kudos Tony, your article was the best I have read. You have a journalist lurking within you.

uh-oh

I wish this vehicle was available to purchase today. I would buy it over ANYTHING that is presently on the market.

<hint> <hint>....<wink> <wink>....@ Toyota