9 miles is about 2 kilowatt-hours, so they've probably put in a 3 kWh pack (existing pack is 1.3 kWh), which means they've moved to lithium-ion.

In electric mode, per mile fuel cost could be about 3 cents, or only 0.2 cents per mile if you fill up at home with your own wind-turbine.

This is good news for sure, finally some confirmation on this. But I think there's room under the trunk for a 3 KWh pack of NIMh, especially if you grow towards the spare tire storage area. Li-Ion does make sense however, hope my Valence stock picks up.

nerfer

I would bet that it will be three times 9 mi.

A quote from the article. This is the only feature which would persuade me to trade in my '04 for an upgrade.

Toyota is working on plans for "plug-ins" for the battery from the grid at fuel stations, with future hybrids carrying a traditional power-point for domestic appliances to be used outside the home. Mr Abe said the next Prius model will be able to do a nine-mile commute to work without using any petrol or diesel.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Mar 31 2006, 08:30 AM) [snapback]232946[/snapback]</div>

I can see 20 mile PHEV.

BUT....
What in the world I am going to do with 9 mile PHEV? Drive to the corner drug store to fill myself up and be happy?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Mar 31 2006, 01:01 PM) [snapback]233101[/snapback]</div>

Does this mean that you never take <9 mile car trips? I personally only do when it is pouring rain, but most folks around here think nothing of one and two mile car trips. THAT's where it'll help tremendously. Hey, look how excited we are about being able to drive a few blocks in Prius EV mode. I'd say nine miles is a world of difference from there. Eventually we'll get back to REAL EVs - we'll have to... but do keep making your desire known in the meantime!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Mar 31 2006, 01:01 PM) [snapback]233101[/snapback]</div>

Jason's commute is just under 4 miles.

On cold, wet Portland mornings, we get "lousy" (for a Prius) fuel economy because of the wipers, defogger, warming the emissions system, etc.

Even a 5-mile plug-in system would allow for the most wasteful morning commute to be emissions-free, with the return trip being more efficient.

Much of that morning commute is via freeway, but by the time the on-ramp is reached, the Prius has wasted a lot of ICE energy warming the emissions system. It would be better if we could reach the on-ramp entirely on electric, then when the ICE kicks in anyway for freeway driving, the warm-up would be more efficient.

Every extra bit of EV-mode capacity helps.

Even with PHEV, if Toyota can boost pure-EV max speed to 45MPH (instead of 35MPH) and the range to a couple of miles, many people's typical commutes could be far more efficient. (Driveway, neighborhood street, collector street, arterial, to freeway on-ramp could be all-electric in the mornings.)

Now, _with_ a plug-in system, a person could also plug-in at work. The owner of the company where Jason works is a big solar-energy booster. If PHEVs became commonly available commercially, it wouldn't be hard to convince a number of "green"-minded employers to invest in solar charging systems for the company parking lot. Then you could have a purely EV commute on local streets in all directions, with the ICE only kicking in on the freeway.

- Bob R.

I would love to have plugin charging at my work place. But I doubt it will fly with a hybrid. My CEO created a recharge station back in the late 90s for one of the employee with an EV1 (you know, one time deal). But that is the boom time... now is a different story.

I would still like one, but they need to plan out for an average comuter better.