17 March 2010

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Toyota Prius – hybrid cars

toyota-prius-image-1

It’s been described as the ‘car of the stars’ having won public support from numerous A-list celebrities for its environmental credentials. It is also the fastest-selling hybrid car in the world. If you hadn’t guessed already, we’re talking about the Toyota Prius – a car that proves you needn’t compromise fashionable looks to do your bit for the environment. Our guide to the Toyota Prius will bring you up to date on this world-renowned vehicle.

Quick links:

History of the Toyota Prius
Environmental credentials of the Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius statistics
Future of the Toyota Prius

History of the Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius was built with efficiency in mind. Toyota executive Takeshi Uchiyamada was given the task of creating a car that put fuel efficiency and environmental credentials first; and after reviewing numerous hybrid designs he settled on a version based on the 1974 TRW patent.

The first Toyota Prius hit the Japanese market in 1997 but success was limited as designers worked on finding a winning solution – a look that would make the Toyota Prius marketable worldwide. It went on sale in Europe in 2001 and was eventually released in the US too though its sales did not magnify until it underwent a complete redesign in 2004.

The third design of the Toyota Prius made it a huge hit – its body was six inches longer than the previous version, making it more aerodynamic, and with a smaller and lighter battery it was more powerful and yet more efficient than its predecessor. It relies on a system called hybrid synergy drive which uses an all-electric compressor for cooling and its air conditioning was operated separately from its engine – an industry first. During testing in 2004, Euro NCAP gave the Prius a five-star rating for adult occupancy and a four-star rating for child occupants.

In 2006 and 2007 the vehicle was slightly modified, with mainly cosmetic changes though the 2007 models did include advanced and side-curtain airbags. A Touring Edition was also introduced with a European style tuned suspension and integrated fog lights.

In 2009, the third generation of the Prius was introduced, with significantly lower emissions. Toyota’s new generation Hybrid Synergy Drive system was substantially re-engineered to be more compact and much lighter than before, contributing an improvement in fuel economy of up to 10 per cent in combined cycle driving compared to the previous Prius model. That meant a driving range of around 714 miles from a full 45-litre tank. Emissions were slashed by 14 per cent down to 89g/km, making the Prius road tax free and qualifying for the lowest, 10 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate, with a first year 100 per cent write-down allowance against Corporation Tax.

Meanwhile, just a month after the launch of the latest Prius, Toyota unveiled a plug-in Prius concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show which promises to cut emissions to around 60g/km of C02.

Environmental credentials of the Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius has some of the most impressive environmental statistics on the market – and as it was the first hybrid car to gain worldwide acclaim it has become highly sought after. Already it has received plaudits from celebrities including Cameron Diaz and Leonardo di Caprio – the latter stating that the Prius is just like a conventional car except he has to fill it up a lot, lot less.

Indeed the fuel economy of the Prius is quoted at an impressive 72.4.7mpg. This gives it the edge over most diesels in its size category. Its carbon dioxide emissions are also low at just 89g/km.

The Toyota Prius can continue to save its drivers money as it is road-tax free and is exempt from the London congestion charge.

There have been a number of Government incentives elsewhere too, to encourage motorists to drive hybrid cars and the Toyota Prius has been the focal point. For example, the Toyota Prius as a hybrid car is exempt from high-occupancy vehicle lane restrictions in some US states. It was even offered for free alongside the sale of green houses in one Californian suburb.

Nevertheless, there have been some criticisms regarding the Toyota Prius’ image. Writers in the Sunday Times compared it to the BMW 520d SE and found it wasn’t as fuel efficient as its rival. A writer in Auto Express also placed it tenth in the list of the ten most efficient hatchbacks published in August, 2007. So clearly the Toyota Prius isn’t the greenest car around – but it’s up there. The Department of Transport ranked it third alongside the Mini Cooper D and behind only the Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI and the SEAT Ibiza 1.4 TDI as the third least emitting CO2 vehicle in the UK in June 2008.

Since its revision in 2009, the only other conventionally-fuelled car which like the Prius came in at below 90g/km was the smart fortwo CDi at 88g/km, significantly smaller than the hybrid and with much more limited market appeal. Once again, the Prius took the green car crown. The introduction of the Honda Insight to the UK market in April 2009 looked like it could have threatened the Prius’ stranglehold in the green market, especially since the Insight was around £3,000 cheaper but it missed out on the vital road-tax free band by 1g, coming in at 101g/km of CO2. Add this to some lukewarm reviews from the critics and the Insight seemed a poor prince in the shadow of the Prius.

Toyota Prius statistics

Here are some crucial statistics about the Toyota Prius hybrid:

0-62 MPH: 10.4secs
BHP: 98
CO2 emissions: 89g/km
Engine: 1.8 VVTiPetrol / Electric Motor
Grades: T3, T4, T Spirit
Kerb Weight: 1420kg
Insurance Group: 6/7
MPG Combined: 72.4mpg
NCAP: 5-Star
Price: £19.504-£22,610
Top Speed: 110mph
Transmission: Four-speed Auto
VED band: A

Future of the Toyota Prius

Toyota is also known to be testing a prototype plug-in hybrid with the aim of reducing both the size and the cost of the hybrid system. We’ll have more details on forthcoming editions of the Toyota Prius here at TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk.

Author: Lee Sibbald, June 17, 2008

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