2010 Prius a Plug-in after all?

I hate to be the one to say this, but that article was published last year. With what I've been hearing from other sources recently, I'd say it's safe to bet they will not have a plug-in next year .

Although it would be a really great if they did! I'm certain one day they will, seeing how they have been experimenting with prototype plug-ins for more than a year now.

General Motors is facing serious financial problems, and has been for a while. That will certainly weigh in on the Volt. It would be great if a more stable company like Toyota one day sold plug-in hybrids.

 

Toyota has repeatedly said there would be a limited number of plug-in Prius available for fleet use in 2010. Appearantly some of the news media are english challenged.

 

Toyota has repeatedly said "Introduction of PHV for fleet users by the end of 2009". It'll use Li-ion batteries.
Please refer to page 26 of following presentations.
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir/presentation/2008/pdf/080905presen_1.pdf
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir/presentation/2008/pdf/081002presen_1.pdf

Ken@Japan

 

... and from the same source (Popular Mechanics) here is a story dated today - test drive of a PHEV Prius conversion:
Plug-in Toyota Prius Hybrid Test Drive: Is 100 MPG Possible with A123 Systems Hymotion Kit? - Popular Mechanics

When I was debating to buy my Prius or wait for the plug-in version there were stories floating around about Toyota's desire to accelerate the introduction of the plug-in model. With competition like Honda in the hybrid market Toyota wanted to maintain their dominance. Looks like they maybe succeeding in getting their plug-in to market quicker than anticipated.

 

Fleet use meaning "lease". Let me tease & be subtle for a moment. Let’s pretend the lease fleet story is gospel. Let's say for conversation's sake the 2010 fleet phev's come out around July/August2009. Am I the one asking, “How long do the fleet owners have to lease them before they can SELL them?†After all … what would stop Joe the Plumber from ordering up (say for example) 100 or more phev Prius’ ostensibly for his pluming fleet ~ then ending the lease early, just to have the dealer sell them to crazed people like you and I as used cars … for a mongo profit? Hmmm?

Maybe Toyota, like yours truly, already pondered said scenario? So again, just for supposition sake … let’s pretend Toyota would write up a contract with said fleet owners, so leasors won’t/can't sell them for (example) maybe a year? Certainly a lot of suppositions here. Even so, I wonder how many people (on the Q.T.) have a spot on the “after lease runs out†waiting list that starts around July/August of 2010?

Li-ion? Well Ken, Li-ion is not the ONLY chemestry that Toyota is talking about:

Toyota to Stick By NiMH

I'm curious to hear your response becaue THIS is Toyota's most recent statement about what they WILL do. Are you SURE Toyota is telling you what they're doing? Anyway, what REALLY gives my hope? Read the bottom of the article where Toyota is FINALLY talking pure EV's again. By 2010!

WOO HOOO !
:rockon:

 

We have more than one year towards to the end of 2009.
I think It's too early to judge now what will be accomplished next year.

Anyway, it looks Toyota is doing every efforts to use Li-ion on the plug-in.
"By 2010, we will accelerate our global plug-in hybrid R&D program. As part of this plan, we will deliver a significant fleet of PHEVs powered by lithium-ion batteries to a wide variety of global commercial customers, with many coming to the U.S. "
Toyota/Lexus/Scion Pressroom: Remarks by Katsuaki Watanabe and Jim Lentz at Toyota International Media Reception, 2008 NAIAS Detroit
"- By 2010, TMC will introduce a plug-in hybrid vehicle equipped with a lithium-ion battery, geared toward fleet customers in Japan, United States and Europe.
- Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd., a joint venrure TMC established with the Matsushita Group that is conductiong joint research on batteries for use in automobiles, will commence limited production of lithium-ion batteries in 2009, moving into full-scale production in 2010."
TOYOTA: News Releases

Ken@Japan

 

With the new tax credit for PHEVs, it could indirectly be used to pay a royalty fee for a larger NIMH pack.

Add 4-5k to a stock prius for batteries plus components + 2-3k for royalty, get back 2-3k in tax credit... voila!

 

Posted a couple of comments on this article, based on the other comments there:

Rob

 

I saw the Popular Mechanics article reviewing the Hymotion system.
I responded on my blog. These guys did not learn enough prior to testing.

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