With the launch of the Prius in 1997, Toyota had pioneered hybrid powertrains. The Japanese manufacturer continues to evolve with this emblematic model sold more than 20 million copies. The fifth generation has just been presented this Wednesday in Tokyo. It will be available worldwide from 2023, but with a particularity in Europe. Only the plug-in hybrid version will be available there. A setback for professionals such as taxis or VTCs that have massively adopted the Prius for years.
Therefore, it will now be necessary to recharge the electric motor at a terminal. No more recharging while driving at reduced speed or using the brakes. The manufacturer does not indicate the precise autonomy and recharge time. He explains that the new 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery has cells with higher energy density. Thus, “autonomy in 100% electric mode has been improved by more than 50%”.
“The goal is to make it possible to do the majority of daily commutes in zero-emissions driving,” Toyota explains in a press release, noting that one version will have solar panels on the roof.
A sportier version
This new Prius will also be more powerful. Instead of the 98-horsepower 1.8 combustion engine coupled to the 72-horsepower electric, the Prius 5 has a 148-horsepower 2.0 gasoline engine. The electric block goes to 160 horsepower. Thus, between the previous version and the new one, the power gain is more than 100 horsepower, going from 122 to 223 horsepower in total power.
To reduce energy consumption and attract new customers, the design has also been revised. More refined and almost sporty to improve aerodynamics, it marks a break with previous models. The height has been lowered 5 centimeters. This new Prius is also 5 centimeters longer, its width is also 2.2 centimeters. Now it is also equipped with larger diameter tires, up to 19 inches.
These dimensions benefit the passenger compartment, which will therefore be more spacious. For the driver, ergonomics aims to prioritize attention on the road and more on the indicators scattered around him. The screen (7-inch TFT) is installed above the steering wheel to be consulted “with a minimum of eye movement”.
and all electric?
The question that remains about this hybrid, but also about all the others, is compliance with European legislation that will prohibit the sale of new thermal vehicles from 2035, including hybrids. Sales of plug-in hybrids have fallen significantly for three consecutive quarters, after the loss of interest from private customers, but also due to the drop in sales to companies, the main customers of this type of model. Shouldn’t Toyota have gone all-electric with this flagship model?
The question is delicate for the manufacturer. “Not a day goes by that we don’t get asked, ‘How much longer are you going to keep making hybrids?'” Simon Humphries, Toyota’s global director of design, responded during the presentation.
“Electric vehicles are an important solution, but they are not always the best option for everyone. In a pluralistic world, we need diversity of choice,” he added, recalling Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda’s mantra.
At the annual dealer meeting held last October in Las Vegas, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda announced plans to invest $70 billion in electric vehicles over the next decade, half of which will be for all-electric batteries.
However, Akio Toyoda reaffirmed its intention to remain the world’s leading manufacturer by continuing to offer “the widest possible range of powertrains for the widest range of customers.”
Source: BFM TV
