Extended Test: Toyota Prius Plug-In Executive
For a realistic assessment of what such a machine looks like in everyday use, an advanced test is a great opportunity. We traveled with him every day to the office from the Ljubljana area, our Aljosha discovered that he could only travel every day on electricity from a household outlet. Peter, who is 20 km from the editorial office, used up his battery right in front of the center of Ljubljana. This refers to the use of an old regional road, and on a motorway, the petrol engine starts at over a hundred kilometers per hour, and therefore the consumption is slightly higher, but still very low.
If you decide to spend a few more minutes on the trip and, for example, go on a local road where the speed does not exceed 90 kilometers per hour, this will be a one-time fuel economy, and if the highway is used, the consumption costs just over three liters. gasoline plus of course electricity. But we not only drove the Prius around the city and the surrounding area, but also traveled to neighboring countries. Primoz Jurman, our MotoGP expert, went with him on the longest journey, attending the San Marino Grand Prix with him. At a distance of just under a thousand kilometers on the highways and local roads around Puglia, where the famous Valentino Rossi was born, and vice versa, there is not much electricity, only from traffic lights to traffic lights in the city center, so gasoline consumption is the highest.
There, Toyota's 1,8-liter four-cylinder engine consumes 8,2 liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers. So by today's standards, he's very thirsty while driving on the highway. A completely different picture emerges in a place where you can connect to fast charging stations and thus even get a free parking space, which of course is only for cars powered by electricity. This is a great solution for at least two reasons: parking issues and budget. In this case, the solution is simple, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid is a great choice. On our standard lap, we broke the record with the Prius for the lowest fuel consumption, which now stands at 2,9 liters. A typical track consists of driving in the city and suburbs, as well as on the motorway and means about a hundred kilometers of driving, which, of course, always happens in accordance with the rules.
The estimated consumption, which is the result of using the vehicle for different purposes or routes, was 4,3 liters of gasoline per 9.204 test kilometers. The main goal was not to find the lowest possible fuel consumption, it was just one of the intermediate goals to see how low the fuel consumption would drop. First of all, we wanted to find out what the real fuel consumption and usability of the Prius is in as many different conditions as possible. All, of course, so that each of you reading this can form your own opinion about the usability of the hybrid plugin. This has its advantages and, of course, its disadvantages.
Unfortunately, we cannot indicate the price of electricity, as well as the consumption itself. If we don't mind and resent that the test Prius isn't exactly the latest fashion craze when it comes to materials and design, and that Toyota comes up with something fresher, we can say that with the right conditions, such as a short distance trip, it is extremely interesting. The car due to the electric drive and at the same time meet the needs when it also needs to travel a little further. First of all, the gasoline engine provides mobility even when the electricity in the batteries runs out or the recovery is too weak for the batteries to be charged to such an extent that it is possible to drive only on electricity.
The battery in the home outlet charges in a good hour and a half, and you can already go on your next trip. If this does not exceed 20 kilometers, you will only be able to ride on electricity! The plug-in hybrid is priced between 35.800 and 39.900 euros. This is a considerable sum for a car of this class, but if you find yourself among those who do not travel long distances every day, it is worth picking up a calculator and calculating what the comparison with fuel and electricity costs brings. and you will become even more environmentally friendly. This also outweighs a lot. For some, even the most.
text: Slavko Petrovcic
