2010
Toyota Prius: Third generation Prius now available
Updated: March
2009
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generation Prius today!
The king of hybrid
cars, the Toyota
Prius, will begin to sell the new third generation
Toyota Prius in May of 2009 as a 2010 model.
Early reports once indicated that the new hybrid drive
would offer lithium-ion batteries. "We
will change the battery from nickel hydride to the lithium
battery," CEO Katsuaki Watanabe told
Business Week last year.
However, the
2010 Prius will continue to use NiMH, but at least a NiMH
battery pack that has been improved (eventually, however,
the 3rd gen Prius could utilize a lithium battery pack).
Likewise,
the standard
2010 Toyota Prius also will not be a plug-in hybrid.
Third
Generation Prius will be a bigger,
faster, more efficient Prius, nonetheless, what will it
cost?
The 2010
Toyota Prius, aka, third gen Prius, will use a hybrid
drive that was almost completely redeveloped.
Likewise,
while the second generation Prius used 1.5 liter Atkinson
cycle engine, the new Prius will use a 1.8L DOHC 16-Valve
VVT-i 1.8L Atkinson cycle engine that will provide quicker
performance and greater fuel economy, especially on the
highway.
The battery
pack in the two Prius hybrids is relatively the same in
terms of voltage, but the new battery back was reduced in
size and repositioned. This provides increased cabin room
and cargo space, as well as better battery efficiency,
which is warranted at 10 years/150,000 miles.
The new
Prius will also add new driving modes compared to the
current Prius, rather than just normal and eco.
EV Mode will
help the 2010 Prius stay in electric mode only for about a
mile at speeds less than 25 mph. ECO and Power modes are
pretty obvious, but it is worth noting that ECO mode is
great for those whom drive in snow and ice.
In terms of
Packaging, the new Prius will offer a number of new
features and options, such as an Advanced Technology
Package that includes a Pre-collision system, Lane Keep
Assist, and Intelligent Parking Assist, as well as and a
Solar Roof Package.
The Solar
Roof Package is not about charging the battery to extend
the fuel efficiency of the Prius, rather the solar roof is
used for ventilation and air conditioning.
So, the new
Prius will offer a bit more room, especially in the cabin
and cargo areas, while also offering better performance
and fuel economy. Additionally, the Prius will offer a
host of new features for technology fans.
2010
Prius waiting lists?
Toyota is
already planning a 60 percent increase in Prius production
for 2009. This increase seems to coincide with the launch of the
third generation Prius expected sometime in 2009, probably late
Spring of 2009 - a few months after the third generation
Prius debuts at the Detroit Auto Show.
Is a little
bigger, faster and more fuel efficient Prius worth a 60
percent increase in production? Could third generation costs
go down? Must they go down?
Consumers
have been embracing the Prius in greater numbers,
month-after-month. And if gas prices stay high, consumers
appear ready to convert to hybrids in even larger numbers.
Is this
enough to justify a 60 percent increase in Prius
production - scheduled for 2009 as Toyota heads into the
third generation launch?
It seems so,
even without lithium.
Prius
derivatives?
Still, what
does all this mean?
Will rumors of a non-plug-in, 100 mpg
Prius prove to be unfounded?
It seems
hard to imagine that the next generation Prius could
achieve 100 mpg, without some sort of plug-in
functionality - which is a possibility. Still, Toyota has
steadily maintained that plug-ins are not yet feasible,
especially without lithium batteries.
Then again,
perhaps the 100 mpg Prius is a derivative Prius, such
as a smaller, city Prius.
Toyota has claimed that the
future could hold multiple derivatives of the Prius, and a
larger Prius - in addition to the smaller Prius. Both a smaller Prius and a larger Prius
have made auto show appearances.
Might this
smaller Prius also be sold as a Prius in 2009 as a 2010
model? Is there room, today, for both a full-sized, larger
Prius and a smaller, city Prius?
At this
point there are simply more questions than answers
regarding the 2010 Toyota Prius. However, Toyota has
indicated that it would debut a new unique hybrid at NAIAS
in 2009, so the picture should clear greatly then.
If gas prices stay high, Toyota's third generation hybrid
vehicles, especially the Prius, appear to have a bright
future, regardless of when lithium finally starts powering
next generation hybrid vehicles.
--> More
on the standard 2008
Toyota Prius
Post
a comment about the 2010 Third generation Prius
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Toyota is both surprised and confused with the
success of the Prius. It was supposed perhaps to be a
"look-goog" thingy, a moderatelly successful
toy, to set their place as an "eco-friendly"
auto company.
The unexpected success now creaated a new
responsibility to follow-up, and this does not seem to
ever have been in their plans - that's why a lot of
hesitations and false starts.
They'll problably come around - but it will take some
time and a few hiccups.
Anyway, Honda does not seem to take their own hybrid
too seriously either...
These developments are funny.
I bet this hybrid thing is only meant for the USA,
where diesels are almost not heard of..
For example, BMW pulled out a Diesel engine that is
177 HP and 5 liter gasoil/100 Km ( about 46 mpg!...).
Now, I'm positive that Americans simply have not yet
taken notice of these things, or else there would have
been more noise about it - and, of course, American
car companies ARE NOT able to produce this technology.
Regardless of the poopie pride that causes them to
stay behind in technology (Americans' indulgenge and
forgiveness to their gas-guzzling producers is really
amazing - that's why they lag behind, nobody in the
USA is really pushing them to be competitive,
quality-oriented, or environment-aware :-( ). This
"American-made" attitude is simply
paralyzing - a new attitude like: "American-made
is better because it's better, not because it's
"American" is what is really needed.
The fact is that both the Prius and the Civic Hybrid
are lacklustre compromises and will be soon obsolete.
So far, you've seen nothing yet - Mercedes-Benz "DieSotto"
technolgy is about to appear and amaze us all with
extremelly low consumption - coupled with really
useful and hig power.
So far, practical and working (not "blueprints
& promises") economy is limited to:
- WEAK gasoline hybrids.
- Great Diesels that Americans don't know how to make.
Soon, Mercedes Bens will free the Diesotto and then
matbe this open the American automotive companies'
eyes.
Or not, as usual in the past decades.
We'll see.
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"weak gasoline hybrids"
Please. Perhaps clean diesel can compete with hybrid
technology, but it certainly doesn't provide some
great advantage. More important, 1) Diesel hybrids,
such as the ones your beloved Mercedes is making, are
far more efficient than any diesel vehicle will ever
be. 2.) If hybrid battery technology develops, even
gasoline hybrids will make the very best diesel
vehicles look like gross gas hogs.
The idea that diesel is the solution is simply not
grounded in reality. The electrification of the
automobile is inevitable and clean diesel is as much
of a dinosaur as is gasoline.
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Hello all I sell toyotas in Everett Washington if
your in need of one contact me titmuscurt@yahoo.com
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The A123 Lithium Metal batteries are rugged and
will not burst into flame. I believe GM is looking
into them for the volt. Currently Milwaukee tools uses
them in the 2800 mah size and Black and Decker in the
1100 mah size. They use some sort of nano tech on the
cathode invented by a professor at MIT. Hopefully we
will continue to see innovations like this.
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The 2009 Camry Hybrid is in the showrooms since
March 2008 - and it does not look that it has anything
new in the drive - does it?
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I'm looking forward to seeing what Toyota does with
the Prius. I also want to see what other car
manufacturers will do. BTW, I like the size of the
present Prius, and I live in a small city, but like to
enjoy the outdoors on the weekends and on my
vacations, so what about a hybrid that I can fit my
bike into without having to remove the front tire?
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Toyota really MUST make the next generation Prius
E85 ready.
I don't understand why that hasn't happened already!
I want freedom from oil.
E85 only has 15% gasoline in it and the rest is
bio-fuel from renewable and eco-friendly sources.
Hey Toyota, what are you waiting for?
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Why so many questions? Why so many of the SAME
questions? I want answers! Not questions!
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Why so many questions?
Well, for one, when Toyota's President tells Business
Week that the Third Generation Hybrid Synergy Drive is
ready to move to lithium, and then Toyota corporate
states the lithium is not ready just a few weeks
later, it's hard to know what to believe.
Ultimately, Toyota is very secretive about its
products. I know people that have been to Japan, to
the factory where the Third Generation Prius is being
tested, but they are not allowed to publish anything
related to that visit.
This is very different, for example, than what GM is
doing with the Chevy Volt, where EVERYTHING has been
made public.
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Yep, I agree with the commend above. Consumers are
not willing to spend money beyond the purchase price
of a vehicle. And if it is not a Toyota, it will be an
Aptera ...(http://www.aptera.com/).
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why dont you guys pay attention on the air pressure
car? they are planning to build this car with 4500
miles range without fueling! Who wants to buy prius if
this car hits the road in the USA? ;)
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If the third generation Prius is going to make a
real leap forward in efficiency then it needs to be a
diesel hybrid. There are 4 seat conventional diesels
that already are more efficient than the prius with
all its gizmos.
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not in america. the jetta diesel has been compared
to the prius in both chicago and la traffic and the
prius was easily the winner. the next generation prius
is to be faster and somewhere between 10 and 30
percent more fuel efficient.
that doesn't mean i wouldn't like to see a diesel
prius, i would.
plus, since it takes more oil to produce a gallon of
diesel versus a gallon of gasoline, isn't a large
amount of diesel vehicle efficiency counterbalanced if
your goal is to reduce foreign oil dependency?
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So Toyota is going to increase the Horse power to
increase gas mileage?
1. we need a larger battery for more efficient city
driving and coasting on hwy
2. we need larger cargo space or ability to put a fuel
efficient topper on the car
3. we need improved gas mileage..ideally ZERO
the long term objective should not be forgotten - that
is : ELIMINATE OIL! That's going to keep getting put
off if we make the vehicles and especially the engines
LARGER.
If I had a choice of
A) 100 miles per gallon at a horse power of 120
vs
B) 60 miles per gallon at a horse power of 160
I would choose the one that has the highest gas
mileage!
Toyota is disappointing me with their recent habit of
LOWERING the bar.
The lithium plug in was suppose to be out last year
and that got delayed.
Now more delays.
Toyota really has not done much with the Prius in the
last several years to make any significant impact on
improving it. It appears they are maintaining that
trend..letting GM have time to catch up with them. I
think they are underestimating how fast GM can come up
with a 100mpg car.
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GM is lobbying the government to reduce fuel
economy standards because by 2015 it will only be able
to produce less than 200,000 Volts? Is that the speed
of GM to which you refer?
Toyota added horsepower, size and better fuel economy.
As it did from the first gen prius to the second and
now the second to the third. Moreover, there is some
indication that the third generation Prius will
eventually offer lithium, which could have a dramatic
impact on its fuel economy - without the need to
plug-in and for a cost under $30,000.
Nonetheless, I'll take a million prii on the roads per
year versus tens of thousands of volts per year any
day.
Finally, if Toyota were only going to roll out 10,000
third generation prii the first year, they'd probably
have no problem using lithium. Unfortunately, consumer
demand is expecting several hundred thousand third gen
prius hybrids. So, I think it makes sense that Toyota
take its time on lithium - they have until 2015 before
they really have to worry about GM and lithium.
Oh yeah, and Toyota is rolling out lithium-powered
plug-in hybrids in 2010, and I'll bet they produce as
many plug-in hybrids as GM produces Volts in the first
few years of Volt production.
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We have been waiting several years for progress and
improvements to occur in the hybrid market. It baffles
my mind with all of the circumstances around oil this
has not yet occurred as the technology exists. Again
we will wait for the third generation model to
increase the mpg.
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Ok - here's some news from the 2008 London Motor
Show, and the nice people at the Toyota stand.
3rd Gen Prius has been seen by the UK dealers - it
exists now in some form. It will be released in the UK
in Q3 2009, and will have 1.8 litre engine, wider
body, and will run on the existing NiMH battery
technology.
Nothing we haven't heard before - except the when.
It's sooner than expected, and the reason for no
official comment yet? They have too many of the
existing units in production, and don't want to hurt
sales of the existing model.
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I'm excited about the 3rd generation and plan on
exchanging my 2006 lexus GS 300 for it. I just wish
Toyota would make their luxury line more responsibly
green.
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toyota's luxury hybrids include 3 hybrids already
and will include at least one more next year. toyota
still has a long way to go, but its doing more about
its luxury vehicles, in the terms of the environment,
than most other makers.
the newest lexus hybrid, which will probably be based
off the third generation prius, sounds very exciting.
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