Will we get a bigger/extended battery upgrade in the future?

Shhhhh the battery size police will come yell at you if you spout such nonsense. Don't you know the PPI battery size is perfect?

 

My guess would be that they will keep the weight and size to no more than the current one, so it will depend on improved battery technology. Otherwise you get the Ampera/Volt problem, great EV range but reduced cabin/luggage space and poor mpg in hybrid mde.

 

Anyone know when the next model year of the PIP is due ???

 

Lithium batteries is complicated and it takes a lot of effort to produce. Over time, the price should come down as they make improvements in the manufacturing process and find new sources for lithium. If you want it cheap, you know what that means. Produce the batteries oversea in places like China.

 

Toyota is in the new car selling business, not the car upgrading business.

 

Considering the current battery pack was sized to keep the cargo floor flat, I don't think it is possible unless there is a major breakthrough in the battery. You may be able to add additional battery from a retrofit company but I doubt Toyota would offer an upgrade. Safety and crash tests were performed with the original pack and other complications are to be considered.

 

Yes, when your family is not that young anymore...

 

Chevron sued Toyota and Panasonic and won, forcing NiMH battery size to be limited. Chevron tore down the plant that manufactured the larger NiMH batteries like those used in the GM EV1 and the Toyota RAV4 EV. The RAV4 EV could go 140 miles on a charge back in 2003. Oh and by the way, GM sold Texaco (later bought buy Chevron) the patents that allowed Chevron to sue Panasonic and Toyota. So yes the technology exists but big oil doesn't want to let us have it. I think Toyota is intentionally limiting the PIP battery range in anticipation of needing to fight off new lawsuits from big oil.

 

Here's a stupid question. Why couldn't they just put two or more "small" battery in parallel to make them work like one big battery? I hooked up 12v lead acid batteries in parallel all the time to get more power.

 

The smaller batteries are in series

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/Hybrid15.pdf

 

If Toyota keeps up the same strategy as the current PiP, battery capacity/range will grow as technology allows but without any worse mpg than the standard Prius. That means expect some improvement, but not Volt matching range in the next generation. The PiP has its own niche as very high mpg with plugin to the extent that mpg is not compromised.

 

My youngest son is a "High Mucky Muck" of something or other at a well known research facility. He tells me new battery technology already exists which will blow away what we have available now. The technology is in testing to be sure there are no safety problems inherent in the batteries. These batteries will likely be licensed to companies to make without the patents being able to be bought out by our dear friends in the Big Oil business... Hang on, some major developments are in the works!

 

Because Chevron won't allow it....

Toyota RAV4 EV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From that link,

"Chevron had inherited control of the worldwide patent rights for the NiMH EV-95 battery when it merged with Texaco, which had purchased them from General Motors. Chevron's unit won a US$30,000,000 settlement from Toyota and Panasonic, and the production line for the large NiMH batteries was closed down and dismantled. This case was settled in the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and not publicised due to a gag order placed on all parties involved.[11][12]

Only smaller NiMH batteries, incapable of powering an electric vehicle or plugging in, were allowed by Chevron-Texaco.[13]"

 

How do you know they will be, " licensed to companies to make", instead of the patents being bought by someone and then mothballed?

 

of course, none of this addresses op's question regarding the shindig in cali. from the info i've seen so far, it was just a pr party.

 

I have no absolute way of knowing, but that is what I was told is the plan.... Sorry, I can't go into more detail at this time.

 

I do hope you are right. Since cars like the Volt & Leaf have made it to market there is a good chance that big oil & other factors aren't being as quick to shut things down like had been occurring in the past.

 

OK, here is some already public info on the research and development going on: http://www.anl.gov/articles/battery-research-gets-extra-juice-research-center
I have been told they are rapidly progressing with the research..... And, it is far more far reaching than the article suggests. It will be a few years, but already the ground has been laid for some awesome battery developments and these should be not brought down by the likes of the big energy companies.

 

You have three basic hopes if you want to stay in the Pip line. (More if you don't.)

1.) wait a few years, buy new and presumably improved PiP.

2.) Wait for someone to come out with aftermarket helper battery that takes up your lower trunk.**

**Update, see here**

3.) Hope that battery chemistry gets better fast and someone comes out with improved aftermarket battery that simply replaces your own.

All these things take time. None of them will be available tomorrow. Sorry.