Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid
It is a special charm to be among the first, because learning new technologies among techno-freaks is always a pleasant experience. And Toyota has a lot to show for it, as it literally reigns supreme among purebred hybrids. Prius has been on the market since 2000, and in Japan even three years earlier. But the test Prius is different, as it charges from a regular household outlet. In short plugin.
The differences between them are small, but they are noticeable. While the Prius 'conventional' electric motor only helps the combustion engine and is quickly breathtaking when driving around town (two kilometers!), The Plug-in Hybrid is much more powerful. Instead of a nickel-metal battery, it houses a more powerful Panasonic Li-ion battery, which in the worst case takes just an hour and a half to charge. Connect in the evening at home (or even better at work!) And the next day you drive as much as 20 kilometers on electricity alone. Are you saying that at that time you are a moving obstacle for other motorists? It is not true.
You can get the Priusa Plug-in up to 100 km/h on electricity alone, which means in Ljubljana, for example, that you can also drive the always sloping ring road on electricity alone. The only condition, and this is really the only condition, is not to press the gas to the end, because then the gasoline engine comes to the rescue. And take our word for it, silence is a value that you will soon begin to appreciate. Turn signals were also muffled on Toyota, and I couldn’t believe it, even the radio began to bother me.
The Prius plug-in hybrid weighs 130kg more than a "regular" third-generation Prius, so 100-2 mph is worse. Fuel consumption depends on the way and place of driving and battery charge, but we can say that we did not reach the promised 6 liters. The record with one fuel tank was 3 liters, and the average in our test was XNUMX. Too much? Are you saying you achieved the same results with your turbodiesel?
Well, you don't drive silently, you don't drive with a petrol engine, and even more so you contribute to a cleaner environment. Turbodiesels are not as harmless as many people think. Of course, if it means something to you. . But don't forget - you can drive to and from work with zero gas mileage.
The batteries are located under the rear seats, so it's amazing how much space is left above the rear seat and in the trunk. Because lithium-ion batteries are more sensitive to temperature, the Prius has up to 42 control sensors and special cooling. In discussions in the hospitality industry, it can be said very categorically that the principle of control and cooling is the same as in the case of your personal computer. In short: imperceptibly, inaudibly and unobtrusively. A dual fuse socket is located in front of the driver's door, and the cable is usually hidden in the trunk.
If we were pickpockets, we'd say that every vacuum already has a cable that can be pulled out and put away automatically, but this high-tech Toyota doesn't. If we measured correctly, we used an average of 3 kWh from empty to fully charged, which is 26 euros during the day with the more expensive current and 0 euros at night with the cheaper current. This is the cost of 24 miles. And this is the cost if you mainly drive around the city, as the statistics show. Well, this statistic immediately shocked us as the Prius Plug-in trip computer showed that we were driving in electric mode 0 percent of the time and in hybrid mode 12 percent.
Consequences of business trips that usually take place outside the city center? Probably. However, it is argued that with an equally large turbodiesel or gasoline engine, optimistically, more than one euro will be spent on a city trip for those 20 kilometers.
The third-generation Prius has also made great strides when it comes to getting to know the car, as it is not only about economy but also about enjoyment. It's a shame Toyota was in such a hurry with the Prius, because if the first generation Prius had been that way, it would have been even more attractive. But it is understandable that Toyota wanted to show that it can do and work with technologies that competitors still dreamed of. The transition between petrol and electric mode is almost inaudible, but certainly completely invisible. We have listed as many as 13 buttons on the steering wheel, but they are located logically, the screen in the middle of the dashboard is touch-sensitive. He sits better and rides even better. Only the continuously variable transmission CVT doesn't like to be pushed as it gets loud and that annoying beep when engaging in reverse would cause it to shut down immediately.
Technology not only works, but excites. Twenty kilometers is enough to drive for three quarters of a month only on cheaper electricity, because usually we go to the store and, possibly, to the kindergarten only on the way from home to work and back. If Toyota (or the government) made up for the difference in purchase price and battery replacement costs, the market for such hybrid vehicles would grow rapidly. Even the (now free) public charging stations in Gorenjska, as you can see in the photo, don't miss it. Guinea pigs? Sheeee, please. ...
Alyosha Mrak, photo: Sasha Kapetanovich
Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid
Basic data
| Sales: | Toyota Adria Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Base model price: | not for sale € |
| Test model cost: | not for sale € |
| Calculate the cost of auto insurance | |
| Power: | 73kW (99 KM) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km / h): | 11,4 with |
| Maximum speed: | 180 km / h |
| Mixed flow ECE: | 2,6l / 100km |
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - petrol - displacement 1.798 cm3 - maximum power 73 kW (99 hp) at 5.200 rpm - maximum torque 142 Nm at 4.000 rpm. electric motor: permanent magnet synchronous motor - maximum power 60 kW (82 hp) at 1.200-1.500 rpm - maximum torque 207 Nm at 0-1.000 rpm. battery: Lithium-ion batteries – with a capacity of 13 Ah. |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | the engine is driven by the front wheels - continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with planetary gear - tires 195/65 R 15 H (Michelin Energy Saver). |
| Capacity: | top speed 180 km/h - 0-100 km/h acceleration in 11,4 s - fuel consumption 2,6 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 59 g/km. |
| Mass: | empty vehicle 1.500 kg - permissible gross weight 1.935 kg. |
| External dimensions: | length 4.460 mm - width 1.745 mm - height 1.490 mm - wheelbase 2.700 mm. |
| Inner dimensions: | fuel tank 45 l. |
| Box: | 445-1.020 l |
Our measurements
| T = 25 ° C / p = 1.150 mbar / rel. vl. = 33% / Odometer Condition: 1.727 km | |
| Acceleration 0-100km: | 11,8s |
|---|---|
| 402m from the city: | 18,2 years ( 125 km / h) |
| Maximum speed: | 180km / h (D) |
| test consumption: | 4,9 l / 100km |
| Braking distance at 100 km / h: | 40,6m |
| AM table: | 41m |
evaluation
For the first time, we had the opportunity to test a really useful hybrid. Therefore, some of us are even more confident that the near future will bring us a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Although the manufacture of such a machine is controversial in terms of environmental pollution.
We praise and reproach
driving only with an electric motor
charging time only 1,5 hours
synchronization of both motors
workmanship
no parking sensors
higher maintenance costs (battery)
sound signal when engaging reverse gear
fully open throttle continuously variable transmission
