Hybrid Prius: 94mpg 3rd gen hinted
Posted By RichC on April 11, 2006
While on the theme of hybrid vehicles, one would be remiss if not to comment on the segment leading, and third-generation improving Toyota Prius. According to British reporters at Auto Express, Toyota is to build the first production car capable of returning more than 110mpg (imperial gallons = 94mpg US gallons). In Europe the competition for fuel sipping is even more intense then in the US as the miser vehicles have traditionally been diesel.
A Toyota engineer commented to the Auto Express reporter Peter Lyon: “The whole electrical system has been redesigned to improve economy. We are working on a prototype that runs solely on the electric motor in slow traffic, but switches to engine and motor drive when higher speeds are needed.”
The article goes on to state, “The secret lies with the batteries. The current Prius uses nickel-hydride items, which currently offer the best balance between cost and performance. But engineers are working on new lithium cells, which are lighter, smaller, generate more power and last longer. Subaru and Mitsubishi both plan to sell electric cars by 2010, but Toyota hopes to get its new model on the road as early as 2008.”
Something that most of us will say under our breath … “yes but the performance will suffer.” Not too loud … they also claim that the 0-60mph times will improve by one second putting it at just under 10 seconds. Toyota continues to lead the hybrid segment and from the sounds of things, a 3rd generation Prius should be as strong a seller as gen one and two.
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