Prius killer

To some extent in Cali, no doubt.

In the real world, the Prius is a victim of many factors,
Not the least of which is cheap gas, and an American penchant for suv’s.

Witness the success of the rav4h

 

I don’t dispute your finding, but I’m tickled by the thought that the environmental statement is always “Check me out, I’m still driving a car!"

 

at $3.40 to $3.70 where I live, I wouldn't call that "cheap" - cheaper than it was before

once it hit $2.99 and below now that's cheap!

Prius downfall...its ugly.
Why do automakers try to make hybrid look different? At least make it decent looking different

 

Wow, outside Cali?
$2.60 here

 

Around the same here, and our fuel taxes might be the highest in the nation.

California gas prices should support hybrids, but you have to have a plug in, or hydrogen car, in order to get the coveted HOV stickers.

The expansion of choices has the hybrid market share making gains again. And Prius sales had dropped before the Model 3 had arrived. Some hybrid people switched to a plug in, but I'd say Prius losses was more to other hybrids, if not ICE SUVs.

 

Bingo.

My Prime is just a crutch until I'm in good enough shape to bike to work

That being said, although the Prius itself is now bog standard, the Prius hybrid system is selling like hotcakes in the Corolla, RAV4, etc.

 

Southern California
especially the beach towns and "upscale nerighborhoods"

 

I'm reminded that our Gen-1 Prius was a fine, compact sedan which led to comparisons with the Corolla in 2000-2003. It had problems that the Gen-2 Prius fixed:

• reversed air flow behind the rear window
• passive, excess air flow into engine compartment
• belt driven air conditioner compressor
• first generation prismatic cells
• dodgy traction battery cooling/heating (still a problem today)
• higher CG than necessary
• no cruise control in first model year!!!
• <need to stop here as I was too close>

It was a revolutionary, first generation car in the day. It also taught lessons that Toyota brilliantly applied 'lessons learned' to subsequent Prius. It was also the car of choice for 'roll your own plug-in'.

Bob Wilson

 

"no cruise control in first model" This is a different matter than others listed. Drop-in fix was already available (to those willing to handle a bomblike device). They just cheaped out.

==
This Tesla as killer waves away availability and price differential. But let them say what they shall say.

Only one car is currently in elliptical solar orbit and it ain't a Prius

 

It occurred to me that as Prius family nears 20 years, total sales will probably total about 15 million. It's down but not out, having contributed much to all the other hybrids now available (that collectively may be killing Prius). Having perhaps contributed to pure electric vehicles that will sometime in future dominate new vehicle sales. Final arrival of petrol-killers will be a bigger vent in automotive history.

Speaking of that, total production of Ford Model T was also 15 million over 20 years. What event in automotive history was bigger than that?

 

The Corolla has done >44 million in 53 years. Not sure if it managed more than 15 million in any 20 years though.

VW Beetle was the first car to hit 20 million units produced. Only other cars that ever did this are the Toyota Corolla, Ford F-series and Volkswagen Golf.

Those are the big milestones. Plenty of others reached by many.

 

Well, considering the Model T "was" the first mass produced affordable car...

 

The Prius was the vehicle of its time that "went before". Toyota should get a lot of credit for that and of introducing hybrids to the mainstream and playing a strong part in developing eco-consciousness.

Many of those Prius folks who were enthusiasts have since moved on to the next latest and greatest eco-tech. Often this currently means a Tesla. No guarantees Tesla will hold the "to-go-before" crown forever, but they seem to be carrying the banner at the moment.

 

to go before... the planet becomes uninhabitable?

 

You worry too much. Earth will still be 'hab' even if, at worst, we can't quite make it work for 10 billions.

Some other species niches have disappeared (e.g. Pleistocene megafauna) but I see them as bad decisions from the outset. Probably doomed even if people with pointy sticks had not arrived.

Earth might become uninhabitable for some 'vehicle species'. Outcompeted and losing their food base. Along those lines, little airplanes that require leaded fuel that only comes from one refinery in Texas look to me like an endangered species now.

==
What is Latin for "to go after"? Just in case something new needs naming

 

alligators, mosquitos and termites

 

i only worry because al gore gives me nightmares

 

I appreciate mention of termites. They have been on the job for >200 million years but only very recently has 'their' wood been repackaged so conveniently*. They'd miss us for sure.

*And with few ants nearby. Termites have nightmares about ants. Maybe.