2021 or 2022 Prius Prime will have better battery config

i hope so, but not sure those folks are the last word

never designed as a plug in? almost sounds like someone's talking out of school.

queue john 1701 'are you going to judge before it has even come out'?

 

I hope so too as I should be completing the @bisco challenge a year or so after the next gen launch.

 

Each generation has delivered major upgrades. In some cases, we get smaller mid-cycle updates too.

That's part of the product-cycle for any vehicle, a reasonable expectation. Of course it will be better.

Whether or not it will be "dedicated" is a bit of a mislead, since there is a possibility Prius will just come standard with a plug at that point. Remember, the goal has always been to deliver the best balance of technology & cost, which doesn't always make enthusiasts happy. Appealing to the masses takes careful consideration of many factors.
​

 

I was hoping for changes in 2019 and now I am hoping that 2020 will be the time for the Prime’s refresh.

If they are making the changes in structure and battery you describe in 2021 or 2022, would that be part of a refresh or the introduction of a new model?

I just wonder. I am waiting for a year to see what they come up with, but 2 or 3 years is a long time to wait with no certainty that the improvements are coming.

Toyota had better create some certainty concerning their seriousness or people will look elsewhere for their transport. The marketplace will be very different in a couple of years.

 

It is possible the 2020 model could have a mid-cycle update and it is possible that could be released to make the 2019 a short run. We've seen new model-year rollout take place as early as May. That would mean paying careful attention to what happens as Earth Day approaches... which is the same timeframe when GM triggers their first major tax-credit reduction... opening up the market for a Toyota blitz.

The most recent hope for some plug-in update news was as anticipated the week prior... a silent unknown, the usual quiet from Toyota. In this case, that was especially fitting, because Detroit's final January auto show was all about old-school speed & power... which is why attention was focused entirely on Supra. The mindset of Earth Day is so much more fitting. It's part of the game with Prius. There is always waiting involved and green draws its own audience.

We know Toyota has a major battery investment underway. We know they are pushing the spread of their technology. We know that being both affordable & profitable remains priority. We also know these things take time. So, it's a guessing game. Think about what the other automakers are struggling to deliver.

 

Toyota just simply insert a larger battery in trunk.

 

if only it were that simple, inexpensive, or they had any desire at all to do it

 

I don't see a platform change happening, but there is an empty void under the battery that they can make use of now that they aren't being rushed.

 

My lease is up in 2020 and I was thinking about purchasing the Primes premium. I have the advance and love it. But since Hyundai Electric Kona is coming out this year I heading over to Pure Electric. The range is 256 miles which is more than the current Chevy Bolt. And more than the mid-range Tesla Model 3. And the cost is just up there with the Prius Prime premium. Toyota is not going to come out with an electric cars. They are hedging their bet with a fuel cell cars. The infrastructure only in California. Although there is a hydrogen fuel stations down the block from where I live in Upstate New York. Don't get me wrong I love my Prius I love what it comes with. But I need more advances that some of the 2019 and 2020 are coming out with.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

even after what they told you at the show?

 

2001 camry
2004 prius
2005 camry
2007 hycam
2008 prius
2012 pip
2013 hycam
2018 hycam?
2020 bev?

 

Since 2009:

1998 Toyota 4Runner
2010 Toyota Prius
2017 Lexus RX450h
2024: Prime?

 

primo, by then.

 

Then, you will get a thank you from us for be willing to pay a premium for a product aimed at a different audience. Breaking out beyond the affordable choices will be helpful at some point. In your case, you'd be paying sooner for that extra capacity and either giving up electric-heating or adding to the price to get it... from a Hyundai that doesn't actually exist yet. Toyota's current focus is to strike a balance that will attract the masses, not what you seek. Diversity is very important. So, you'll get the recognition for breaking other ground.

Keep in mind that GM failed miserably with their attempt to draw buyers to a plug-in hybrid offering that range you deem as necessary. Most people dismissed that as a want, not a need. Someday when cost is much lower and energy-density is much higher, that could be realistic. Currently, it most definitely is not.

Toyota doubled capacity from 4.4 kWh (20 km) to 8.8 kWh (40 km) in their quest to keep Prius targeted at ordinary consumers. Could a 19.6 kWh (80 km) capacity be realistic for the next generation offering? That seems reasonable to expect. It wouldn't satisfy your distance requirement though. So, we must ask what other criteria you deem important for a plug-in hybrid. Tell us, please.

Think about how Toyota has strived to deliver high efficiency for both EV and HV modes, as well as keeping emission-rating for the HV system impressive to all those promoting cleaner air, without forcing a premium to be paid.