The
Toyota Prius is a full
hybrid electricA hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
mid-sizeA mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
hatchbackA Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
, formerly a
compactA compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
sedan developed and manufactured by the
Toyota Motor Corporation, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
. The EPA and
California Air Resources BoardThe California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
(CARB) rate the Prius as among the cleanest vehicles sold in the United States based on
smogSmog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
-forming emissions.
The Prius first went on sale in
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. The Prius is sold in more than 70 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America. In May 2008, global cumulative Prius sales reached the milestone 1 million vehicle mark, and in September 2010, the Prius reached worldwide cumulative sales of 2.0 million units.
The U.S. is the largest market, with 1 million Prii sold by early April 2011, and Japan reached the 1 million mark in August 2011. Since its launch in 2009, the third-generation model has sold more than 1 million units worldwide by September 2011.
Etymology and terminology
Prius is a
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word meaning "before". According to Toyota, the name was chosen because the Prius was launched before environmental awareness became a mainstream social issue.
In February 2011, Toyota asked the public to decide on what the most proper
pluralIn the English language, nouns are inflected for grammatical number —that is, singular or plural. This article discusses the variety of ways in which English plurals are formed for nouns...
form of Prius should be, with choices including Prien, Prii, Prium, Prius, or Priuses. The company says "it will use the most popular choice in its advertising" and on February 20 announced that "Prii" was the most popular choice, and the new official plural designation. In Latin
prius is the neuter singular of the comparative form (
prior, prior, prius) of an adjective with only comparative and superlative (the superlative being
primus, prima, primum), consequently, like all 3rd declension words, the plural in Latin was
priora (cf. Latin declension).
Beginning in September 2011, Toyota USA began using the following names to differentiate the original Prius from some newer members of the Prius family: the standard Prius became the Prius Liftback, the
Prius vThe Toyota Prius v, also named Prius α in Japan, and Prius + in Europe, is a full hybrid gasoline-electric compact MPV/station wagon produced by Toyota Motor Corporation introduced in Japan in May 2011 and in the U.S. in October 2011. It is scheduled to be released in the European market by mid 2012...
(known as the Prius α in Japan, and Prius + in Europe), the
Prius Plug-in HybridThe Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is a mid-size plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by Toyota Motor Corporation and scheduled to be released to the market beginning in January 2012...
, and the
Prius cThe Toyota Prius c, named Prius Aqua in Japan, is a full hybrid gasoline-electric subcompact hatchback to be produced by Toyota Motor Corporation. The Prius Aqua will be launched in Japan in December 2011, and is scheduled to be released as the Prius c in Australia during the first quarter of 2012,...
. The last two are scheduled to be available in the market in 2012.
First generation (XW10; 1997–2003)
In 1995, Toyota debuted a hybrid concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show, with testing following a year later. The first Prius, model NHW10, went on sale on December 10, 1997. It was available only in Japan, though it has been imported privately to at least the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The first generation Prius, at its launch, became the world's first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car. The NHW10 Prius styling originated from California designers, who were selected over competing designs from other Toyota design studios.
In the United States, the NHW11 was the first Prius to be sold. The Prius was marketed between the smaller
CorollaThe Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
and the larger
CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
. The published retail price of the car was . The NHW11 Prius became more powerful partly to satisfy the higher speeds and longer distances that Americans drive. Air conditioning and electric power steering were standard equipment.
The vehicle was the second mass-produced hybrid on the American market, after the two-seat
Honda InsightThe Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback...
. While the larger Prius could seat five, its battery pack restricted cargo space.
The
California Air Resources BoardThe California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
(CARB) classified the car as an
Ultra Low Emission VehicleAn ultra-low-emission vehicle is a motor vehicle that emits extremely low levels of motor vehicle emissions compared to other vehicles...
(ULEV). Prius owners were eligible for up to a federal tax deduction from their gross income. In contrast with the NW10, Toyota executives stated that the company broke even financially on sales of the NHW11 Prius.
European sales began in September 2000. The official launch of the Prius in Australia occurred at the October 2001 Sydney Motor Show, although sales were slow until the NHW20 model arrived.
Second generation (XW20; 2003–2009)
In 2004 the Prius was completely redesigned as a mid-size liftback, sized between the
CorollaThe Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
and the
CamryThe Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
, with redistributed mechanical and interior space significantly increasing rear-seat legroom and luggage room. The 2004 Prius is even more environmentally friendly than the 2001 model (according to the EPA), and is 6 inches (152.4 mm) longer than the previous version. Its more aerodynamic
KammbackA Kammback is a car body style that derives from the research of the German aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm in the 1930s. The design calls for a body with smooth contours that continues to a tail that is abruptly cut off. This shape reduces the drag of the vehicle."Kammback" is an American term...
body balances length and wind resistance, resulting in . The development effort, led by chief engineer
Shigeyuki HoriShigeyuki Hori is the principal designer of Toyota's acclaimed Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid motor system which is in use by several vehicles including the Prius and Lexus RX Hybrid. An executive chief engineer in Toyota Motor Corporation, Dr...
, led to 530 patents for the vehicle.
The Prius uses an all-electric A/C compressor for cooling, an industry first. Combined with a smaller and lighter
NiMHNIMH or NiMH may refer to:*Nickel-metal hydride battery, a type of rechargeable battery*National Institute of Mental Health, a part of the United States National Institutes of Health...
battery, the XW20 is more powerful and more efficient than the XW10. In the U.S., the battery pack of 2004 and later models is warranted for 150000 miles (241,401 km) or 10 years in states that have adopted the stricter
California emissions control standardsThe California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
, and 100000 miles (160,934 km) or 8 years elsewhere. The warranty for hybrid components is 100000 miles (160,934 km) or 8 years.
It is classified as a SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) and is certified by
California Air Resources BoardThe California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
as an "Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle" (AT-PZEV).
From 2005 to 2009, the second generation Prius had been built by FAW-Toyota in the city of Changchun for the Chinese market. It was reported that a total of 2,152 Prii were sold in 2006 and 414 in 2007. The relatively low sales was blamed on high price, about higher than the equivalent in Japan or the U.S., caused by high duties on imported parts.
In early March 2008, Toyota cut the price of Prius by up to eight percent or to . It was thought that the sales dropped as a result of both a lack of acceptance and increased competition. The Honda Civic Hybrid was exported to China from 2007.
Safety
Euro NCAP test results for a RHD, 5-door hatchback variant on a 2004 registration:
| Test |
Score |
Points |
| Overall: |
N/A |
N/A |
| Adult occupant: |
|
34 |
| Child occupant: |
|
43 |
| Pedestrian: |
|
13 |
| Safety assist: |
N/A |
N/A |
Third generation (XW30; 2009–present)
Toyota debuted the new Prius (2010 US model year) at the January 2009
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, and sales began in Japan on May 18, 2009. Toyota cut the price of the Prius from to to better compete with the Honda Insight, leading some to wonder whether increased sales of the Prius might come at the expense of sales of other vehicles with higher margins. Competition from lower priced hybrids, such as the Honda Insight, also made it difficult for Toyota to capitalize on the Prius's success.
Its new body design is more aerodynamic, with the coefficient of drag reduced to . This figure is disputed by
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
which found the value for the model with 17" wheels to be around 0.30 based on tests in GM, Ford, and Chrysler wind tunnels. An underbody rear fin helps stabilize the vehicle at higher speeds
The estimated fuel-efficiency rating, using the U.S. EPA combined cycle, is 50 miles per US gallon. The Prius was the most efficient car powered by liquid fuel available in the U.S. in 2009, based on the official rating. Only the first-generation
Honda InsightThe Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback...
(2000–2006) equipped with a manual transmission attained a lower fuel consumption rate. The official UK fuel efficiency data for the Prius T3 is Urban 72.4 mpgimp, Extra Urban 76.4 mpgimp, Combined 72.4 mpgimp.
The 1.8-liter gasoline engine (previously 1.5 liters) generates 98 hp, and with the added power of the electric motor generates a total of 134 hp (previously 110 hp). The larger engine displacement allows for increased torque, reducing engine speeds (RPM), which improves fuel economy at highway speeds. Thanks to its electric water pump, the Prius engine is the first consumer automotive production engine that requires no accessory belts, which also further improves its fuel economy. The electric motors and other components of the hybrid powertrain are also smaller and more efficient than the industry average. Toyota estimates the new inverter, motor and transaxle are 20 percent lighter.
Disc brakeThe disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s replace the previous rear drum brakes.
In constructing the Prius, Toyota used a new range of plant-derived ecological bioplastics, made out of cellulose derived from wood or grass instead of petroleum. The two principal crops used are
kenafKenaf [Etymology: Persian], Hibiscus cannabinus, is a plant in the Malvaceae family. Hibiscus cannabinus is in the genus Hibiscus and is probably native to southern Asia, though its exact natural origin is unknown. The name also applies to the fibre obtained from this plant...
and ramie. Kenaf is a member of the
hibiscus familyMalvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
, a relative to cotton and okra; ramie, commonly known as China grass, is a member of the
nettle familyUrticaceae, or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus Urtica . Urticaceae includes a number of well-known and useful plants, including the aforementioned nettles, Ramie , māmaki , and ajlai .The family includes approximately 2600 species, grouped...
and one of the strongest natural fibres, with a density and absorbency comparable to flax. Toyota says this is a particularly timely breakthrough for plant-based eco-plastics because 2009 is the United Nations’ International Year of Natural Fibres, which spotlights kenaf and ramie among others.
Safety
Euro NCAP test results for a RHD, 5-door hatchback variant on a 2009 registration:
| Test |
Score |
Points |
| Overall: |
|
102 |
| Adult occupant: |
88% |
32 |
| Child occupant: |
82% |
40 |
| Pedestrian: |
68% |
24 |
| Safety assist: |
86% |
6 |
Plug-in Hybrid
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid (ZVW35) is based on a
third generation Toyota Prius (model ZVW30)The Toyota Prius is a mid-size hatchback that has been produced by Toyota. Toyota debuted the third generation Prius at the January 2009 North American International Auto Show, and sales began in Japan on May 18, 2009. Replacing the XW20 series, the XW30 represents the third generation of the...
with a a 4.4-kWh lithium-ion battery that allows an
all-electric rangeAll-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
of 14.3 mi (23 km). A global demonstration program involving 600
pre-production test carsPre-production cars are vehicles that allow the automaker to find problems before a new model goes on sale to the public. Pre-production cars come after prototypes, or development mules which themselves are preceded by concept cars...
began in late 2009 and is taking place in
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
,
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The production version was unveiled at the September 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, and sales are scheduled to begin in Japan, the United States and Europe by early 2012. Deliveries scheduled for retail sales in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2012 and will be initially offered in 14 states. Toyota announced that initially it expects to sell 15,000 units a year in the U.S., and retail sales price in that country will start at plus a delivery fee and before any applicable government incentives.
2011 facelift
In mid 2011 (for the 2012
model yearThe model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
), the third-generation Prius Liftback receives modest style and equipment changes. The exterior changes include updated headlamps, revised tail lamps, plus a distinctive front fascia and bumper. The Prius can be equipped with an updated
infotainmentInfotainment is "information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers." It is a neologistic portmanteau of information and entertainment, referring to a type of media which provides a combination of...
system featuring the optional
Toyota EntuneToyota Entune is a fully integrated multimedia navigation system using a connected mobile phone to gather information such as traffic updates and information updates. The system utilises mobile apps to provide the driver with information from Bing , OpenTable and movietickets.com, along with...
suite of connectivity features. Other updates include a 6.1-inch touch-screen, AM/FM CD player unit, a USB port for
iPodiPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
connectivity, auxiliary input jack,
BluetoothBluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
hands-free phone capability and streaming audio. For the U.S. market only the Prius Two, Three, Four and Five will be offered. The premium Prius Five model's Advanced Technology Package includes the Premium HDD Navigation System, plus the Head-up Display, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System and Lane Keep Assist. The Pre-Collision System retracts the front seatbelts and applies the brakes in certain conditions when it determines that a crash is unavoidable. Lane Keep Assist can help the driver stay within the lane. The U.S. 2012 model year includes Toyota's Vehicle Proximity Notification System (VPNS), which is designed to alert pedestrians, the blind, and others of the vehicle's presence due to significant noise reduction typical of a hybrid vehicle traveling at low speeds in all-electric mode.
Prius family
At the January 2011
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, Toyota revealed the 2012 model year
Prius vThe Toyota Prius v, also named Prius α in Japan, and Prius + in Europe, is a full hybrid gasoline-electric compact MPV/station wagon produced by Toyota Motor Corporation introduced in Japan in May 2011 and in the U.S. in October 2011. It is scheduled to be released in the European market by mid 2012...
, an extended hatchback wagon, which is derived from the third-generation Prius and features over 50 percent more interior cargo space than the original Prius design. Toyota also unveiled the Prius c concept, which in production form is expected to be cheaper and smaller than the current Prius hatchback. The production version will be launched in Japan as the Prius Aqua in December 2011, and is scheduled to be released as the Prius c in Australia during the first quarter of 2012, and in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2012.
In May 2011 Toyota introduced the Prius Alpha in Japan, which is available in a five-seat, two-row model and a seven-seat, three-row model, the latter’s third row enabled by a space-saving lithium-ion drive battery in the center console. The five-seat model uses a NiMH battery pack. The Alpha is the basis for the five-seat Prius
v launched in North America in October 2011 with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack similar to the 2010
model yearThe model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
Prius, and with two rows of seats to accommodate five passengers. The European and Japanese versions will be offered with a lithium-ion battery, with three rows of seats with accommodations for seven passengers. The European version, named Prius +, is scheduled to be launched by mid 2012.
Sales
The Prius is sold in more than 70 countries and regions, and has its largest markets in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In May 2008, Toyota announced that its worldwide cumulative sales of the Prius had passed the 1 million mark; worldwide cumulative sales surpassed 2 million units in September 2010.
As of April 2011 the U.S. accounted for almost half of the Prius global sales, with one million Prii sold since 2000. However, the Prius experienced two consecutive years of sales decreases from its peak in 2007 to 139,682 units in 2009, and rebounded in 2010 to 140,928 units. Sales in Japan reached 1 million Prii in August 2011.
Cumulative Prius sales in Europe reach 100,000 in 2008 and 200,000 units by mid 2010, after 10 years on that market. The U.K. is one of the leading European markets for Prius, accounting more than 20 percent of all Prii sold in Europe. Toyota Prius became Japan's best selling vehicle in 2009 for the first time since its debut in 1997 as its sales almost tripled to 208,876 in 2009. In that year it overtook the
Honda FitThe Honda Jazz is a five-door hatchback subcompact manufactured by the Honda Motor Company of Japan, first introduced in June 2001 and is now in its second generation. The Jazz shares Honda's Global Small Car Platform with the City/Fit Aria, Airwave/Partner, Mobilio, Mobilio Spike, Freed and Freed...
, which was Japan's best-selling car in 2008 excluding
Kei carKei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
s.
Rising oil prices caused by unrest in
LibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
led to increased sales for the Prius for the first quarter of 2011, but the 2011 Japan earthquake led to a production stoppage. Production restarted several days later, but problems are expected to continue due to shortages from parts suppliers.
Annual sales worldwide and by region
(in thousands) |
| Year |
World |
Japan |
North
America |
U.S. |
Europe |
Other |
| 1997 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
|
|
|
| 1998 |
17.7 |
17.7 |
|
|
|
|
| 1999 |
15.2 |
15.2 |
|
|
|
|
| 2000 |
19.0 |
12.5 |
5.8 |
5.6 |
0.7 |
0.01 |
| 2001 |
29.5 |
11.0 |
16.0 |
15.6 |
2.3 |
0.2 |
| 2002 |
28.1 |
6.7 |
20.3 |
20.1 |
0.8 |
0.2 |
| 2003 |
43.2 |
17.0 |
24.9 |
24.6 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
| 2004 |
125.7 |
59.8 |
55.9 |
54.0 |
8.1 |
1.9 |
| 2005 |
175.2 |
43.7 |
109.9 |
107.9 |
18.8 |
2.9 |
| 2006 |
185.6 |
48.6 |
109.0 |
107.0 |
22.8 |
5.3 |
| 2007 |
281.3 |
58.3 |
183.8 |
181.2 |
32.2 |
7.0 |
| 2008 |
285.7 |
73.1 |
163.3 |
158.6 |
41.5 |
7.7 |
| 2009 |
404.2 |
208.9 |
144.3 |
139.7 |
42.6 |
8.4 |
Jan-Sept
2010 |
401.3 |
254.2 |
105.9 |
103.3 |
35.5 |
5.8 |
Total through
Sept 2010 |
2,011.8 |
826.9 |
939.1 |
917.5 |
206.1 |
39.7 |
| 2010 |
|
315.7 |
|
140.9 |
|
|
2011
(through Sept) |
|
165.7 |
|
93.2 |
|
|
Cumulative
total through
Sept 2011 |
|
1,054.1 |
|
1,048.3 |
|
|
Design and technology
The Prius is a power-split or series-parallel (full) hybrid, sometimes referred to as a combined hybrid, a vehicle that can be propelled by
gasolineGasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
and/or electric power.
Wind resistance is reduced by a
drag coefficientThe drag coefficient is a common metric in automotive design pertaining to aerodynamic effects. As aerodynamic drag increases as the square of speed, a low value is preferable to a high one...
of 0.25 (0.29 for 2000 model) with a
KammbackA Kammback is a car body style that derives from the research of the German aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm in the 1930s. The design calls for a body with smooth contours that continues to a tail that is abruptly cut off. This shape reduces the drag of the vehicle."Kammback" is an American term...
design to reduce air resistance. Lower rolling-resistance tires are used to reduce road friction.
An electric water pump eliminates
serpentine beltA serpentine belt, also known as a multi-vee, poly-v, or multi-rib belt, is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple peripheral devices in an automotive engine, such as an alternator, power steering pump, water pump, A/C compressor, air pump, etc. The belt may also be guided by an idler...
s.
In the U.S. and Canada, a
vacuum flaskA vacuum flask is an insulating storage vessel which keeps its contents hotter or cooler than its surroundings. Invented by Sir James Dewar in 1892, the vacuum flask consists of two flasks, placed one within the other and joined at the neck...
is used to store hot
coolantA coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor...
when the vehicle is powered off for reuse so as to reduce warm-up time.
EV mode
When the vehicle is turned on with the "Power" button, it is ready to drive immediately with the electric motor, while electric pumps warm the engine with previously saved hot engine coolant before the internal combustion engine is started. The delay between starting the car and starting the internal combustion engine is approximately seven seconds. A button labelled "EV" maintains Electric Vehicle mode after being powered on and under most low-load driving conditions. This permits driving with low noise and no fuel consumption, and is advertised as a quiet option for short journeys, for example in residential areas at night, in the Asia manual. The car automatically reverts to normal mode if the battery becomes exhausted. Prior to the 2010 model, the North American model did not have the "EV" button, although the "EV" mode is still supported internally by the Prius Hybrid Vehicle management computer.
Battery
A
sealedA mechanical seal is a device which helps join systems or mechanisms together by preventing leakage , containing pressure, or excluding contamination...
38-module nickel metal hydride (NiMH)
batteryA rechargeable battery or storage battery is a group of one or more electrochemical cells. They are known as secondary cells because their electrochemical reactions are electrically reversible. Rechargeable batteries come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging anything from a button cell to...
pack providing 273.6 volts, 6.5 A·h capacity and weighing 53.3 kg (117.5 lb) is supplied by Japan's
Panasonic EV Energy CoPrimearth EV Energy is the supplier of the nickel metal-hydride battery packs for Toyota’s hybrids, as well as for Honda hybrids. The company also provides the NiMH prismatic battery modules for the General Motors 2-mode hybrids...
. They are normally charged to 40–60% of maximum capacity to prolong battery life as well as provide a reserve for regenerative braking. Each battery pack uses 10 kilogram of
lanthanumLanthanum is a chemical element with the symbol La and atomic number 57.Lanthanum is a silvery white metallic element that belongs to group 3 of the periodic table and is the first element of the lanthanide series. It is found in some rare-earth minerals, usually in combination with cerium and...
.
As each electric motor in Prius also contains 1 kg (2 lb) of
neodymiumNeodymium is a chemical element with the symbol Nd and atomic number 60. It is a soft silvery metal that tarnishes in air. Neodymium was discovered in 1885 by the Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach. It is present in significant quantities in the ore minerals monazite and bastnäsite...
, the car is described as "the biggest user of
rare earthsAs defined by IUPAC, rare earth elements or rare earth metals are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium...
of any object in the world,".
Battery life cycle
As the Prius reached ten years of being available in the U.S. market, in February 2011
Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
decided to look at the lifetime of the Prius battery and the cost to replace it. The magazine tested a 2002 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles on it, and compared the results to the nearly identical 2001 Prius with 2,000 miles tested by Consumer Reports 10 years before. The comparison showed little difference in performance when tested for fuel economy and acceleration. Overall
fuel economyFuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
of the 2001 model was 40.6 miles per US gallon (17.3 km/L) while the 2002 Prius with high mileage delivered 40.4 miles per US gallon (17.2 km/L). The magazine concluded that the effectiveness of the battery has not degraded over the long run. The cost of replacing the battery varies between and from a Toyota dealer, but low-use units from salvage yards are available for around . One piece of research indicates it may be worthwhile to rebuild batteries using good blades from defective used batteries.
Lifetime energy usage
In 2008 the British government and British media have requested that Toyota release detailed figures for the energy use and emissions resulting from the building and disposal of the Prius. Toyota has not supplied the requested data details to support statements that the lifetime energy usage of the Prius (including the increased environmental cost of manufacture and disposal of the nickel-metal hydride battery) is outweighed by lower lifetime fuel consumption.
Toyota states that lifetime saving is 43 percent. As of 2010, the UK Government Car Service runs over 100 Prii, the largest part of its fleet and lists the Prius as having the lowest emissions among its fleet.
CNW Marketing ResearchCNW Marketing Research, Inc. , known primarily as an automotive marketing research company, is a private company founded in 1984. It operates separate research offices covering the automotive, computer, electronics, housing, and personal investment industries, as well as a research office covering...
initially published a study in which they estimated that the total lifetime energy cost of a 2005 Prius was greater than that of a
HummerHummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
. The study is widely cited, and its contents have also been widely challenged: see for example "Hummer versus Prius: 'Dust to Dust' Report Misleads the Media and Public with Bad Science". The following year an update by CNW changed the total lifetime cost value, now showing the Prius as costing less than the Hummer and other large SUVs over its lifetime.
Electromagnetic field levels
The Prius uses electric motors in the hybrid propulsion systems, powered by a high voltage battery in the rear of the car. There has been some public concern over whether the levels of
electromagnetic fieldAn electromagnetic field is a physical field produced by moving electrically charged objects. It affects the behavior of charged objects in the vicinity of the field. The electromagnetic field extends indefinitely throughout space and describes the electromagnetic interaction...
exposure within the cabin are higher than comparable cars, and what health effects those fields may present, popularized by a 2008
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
article. However, Toyota and several independent studies
have indicated that aside from a brief spike when accelerating, the electromagnetic fields within the Prius are no different than that of a conventional car and do not exceed the ICNIRP exposure guidelines.
Quietness
The
Wall Street Journal reported in February 2007 on concerns that quiet cars like the Prius may pose a safety risk to those who rely on engine noise to sense the presence or location of moving vehicles. Blind pedestrians are a primary concern, and the
National Federation of the BlindThe National Federation of the Blind is an organization of blind people in the United States. It is the oldest and largest organization led by blind people in the United States...
advocates audio emitters on hybrid vehicles, but increased risks may also affect sighted pedestrians or bicyclists who are accustomed to aural cues from vehicles. However there is also a lack of aural cues from vehicles that have a conventional internal combustion engine, where engine noise has been reduced by noise-absorbing materials in the engine bay and noise-canceling muffler systems. In July 2007, a spokesman for Toyota said the company is aware of the issue and is studying options. In the USA both state and federal legislation have been proposed, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration held a public hearing. Different groups and companies are looking at solutions. In 2010, Toyota released a device for the third-generation Prius meant to alert pedestrians of its proximity.
CO2 advertising
In the UK, the
Advertising Standards AuthorityThe Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
, an independent body charged with policing the rules of the advertising industry, ruled that a television advert for the Toyota Prius should not be broadcast again in the same form, having breached rules concerning misleading advertising. The advertisement stated that the Prius "emits up to one tonne less per year", while on-screen text included "1 tonne of CO
2 less than an equivalent family vehicle with a diesel engine. Average calculated on 20,000 km a year." Points of contention were the vehicles chosen for comparison, whether "'up to' one tonne less" adequately communicated that reductions could be lower, and whether the distance used was appropriate: 20,000 km per year is around a U.S. car's average annual driving distance, while a UK car's is 13,440 km.
Political symbolism
The large number of Prius-owning progressive celebrities in 2002 prompted the
Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
to dub hybrids "Hollywood's latest politically correct status symbol". While conservative "Prius Patriots" were also cited in 2005,
the vehicle carries an image as being a car for politically
left-wingIn politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
environmentalists. A 2007 San Francisco Chronicle article said "Prius Progressives" were becoming an archetype, quoting conservative U.S. pundit Rush Limbaugh opining that "these liberals think they're ahead of the game on these things, and they're just suckers".
In July 2007
The New York Times published an article using data from CNW Marketing Research finding that 57% of Prius buyers said their main reason for buying was that "it makes a statement about me", while just 37% cited fuel economy as a prime motivator. Shortly afterwards
Washington Post columnist Robert Samuelson coined the term "Prius politics" to describe a situation where the driver's desire to "show off" is a stronger motivator than the desire to curb
greenhouse gasA greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions.
Some conservatives promote use of the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars. For example, Jim Road from
What Would Jesus Drive? encouraged people to drive hybrid cars because of the damage that large SUVs and faster cars can do to others.
Former
Central Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
chief
R. James Woolsey, Jr.Robert James Woolsey Jr. is a foreign policy specialist and former Director of Central Intelligence and head of the Central Intelligence Agency .-Early life:...
drives a Prius because of its low fuel consumption. Woolsey noted the volatility of the Middle East, coupled with anti-U.S. sentiment in much of the region. Noting that the high percentage of oil drilled in the Middle East gives vast profits to Middle Eastern regimes, Woolsey believes that it is a patriotic obligation to drive more efficient vehicles. In a
Motor Trend magazine article, Woolsey stated that those oil profits find their way to terrorist groups like
al-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, meaning that Americans who buy inefficient vehicles would, in effect, be indirectly funding terrorism. "We're paying for both sides in this war, and that's not a good long-term strategy", said Woolsey. "I have a bumper sticker on the back of my Prius that reads, 'Bin Laden hates this car.'"
Government and corporate incentives
There have been a number of governments with incentives intended to encourage hybrid car sales. In some countries, including the U.S. and
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, some rebate incentives have been exhausted, while other countries such as the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
,
BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
have various or alternative incentives to purchasing a hybrid vehicle.
Several U.S. companies offer employees incentives.
Bank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
will reimburse on the purchase of new hybrid vehicles to full- and part-time associates working more than 20 hours per week.
GoogleGoogle Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, software company
Hyperion SolutionsHyperion Solutions Corporation was a business performance management software company, located in Santa Clara, California, USA, which was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2007...
, and
organic food and drink producer
Clif Bar & CoClif Bar & Company is an American company that produces organic foods and drinks marketed towards active people. Their flagship product, CLIF BAR, was created in 1992 by owner Gary Erickson. The company's headquarters are in Emeryville, California....
[broken footnote]
offer employees a credit toward their purchase of certain hybrid vehicles including the Prius. Integrated Archive Systems, a Palo Alto IT company, offers a subsidy toward the purchase of hybrid vehicles to full-time employees employed more than one year.
[broken footnote]
Travelers Companies, a large insurance company, offers hybrid owners a 10% discount on auto insurance in most U.S. states. The Farmers Insurance Group offers a similar discount of up to 10% in most U.S. states.
[broken footnote]
See also
- Comparison of Toyota hybrids
By the end of 2006 there were about 15 hybrid vehicles from various car makers available in the U.S. By May 2007 Toyota sold its first million hybrids and had sold a total of two million hybrids at the end of August 2009....
- Fuel economy-maximizing behaviors
Fuel economy-maximizing behaviors describe techniques that drivers can use to optimize their automobile fuel economy. The energy in fuel consumed in driving is lost in many ways, including engine inefficiency, aerodynamic drag, rolling friction, and kinetic energy lost to braking...
- Honda Insight
The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback...
- Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
- Hybrid Synergy Drive
Hybrid Synergy Drive is a set of hybrid car technologies developed by Toyota and used in the company's Auris, Prius, Highlander Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Estima, Alphard, Lexus CT, Lexus RX 400h/RX 450h, Lexus GS 450h, Lexus LS 600h/LS 600hL, and Lexus HS 250h automobiles. Toyota also licenses its HSD...
- Hypermiler Driving (drivers who exceed EPA estimated MPG)
- List of hybrid vehicles
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle , plug-in hybrid vehicle , or plug-in hybrid is a hybrid vehicle which utilizes rechargeable batteries, or another energy storage device, that can be restored to full charge by connecting a plug to an external electric power source...
- Toyota Camry Hybrid
- Toyota eCom
The Toyota eCom was an electric vehicle that Toyota first demonstrated at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show.The premise of the eCom was not to be just a small car, but a car available to everybody that had a special electronic card instead of a key, promoting carpooling...
- Toyota FT-CH Concept
- Toyota Prius c
The Toyota Prius c, named Prius Aqua in Japan, is a full hybrid gasoline-electric subcompact hatchback to be produced by Toyota Motor Corporation. The Prius Aqua will be launched in Japan in December 2011, and is scheduled to be released as the Prius c in Australia during the first quarter of 2012,...
- Toyota Prius Custom Plus Concept
- Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is a mid-size plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by Toyota Motor Corporation and scheduled to be released to the market beginning in January 2012...
- Toyota Prius v
The Toyota Prius v, also named Prius α in Japan, and Prius + in Europe, is a full hybrid gasoline-electric compact MPV/station wagon produced by Toyota Motor Corporation introduced in Japan in May 2011 and in the U.S. in October 2011. It is scheduled to be released in the European market by mid 2012...
External links