Originally published April 14, 2012
My last full day with the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, the new one that gets you going with 12 to 15 miles of fully electric charge, was Easter Sunday.
The 2012 Prius plug-in version differs from the standard Prius hybrid in that its nickel-metal hydride battery pack has been replaced with a stronger lithium-ion pack, providing a few miles of electric-mode driving before the gas/electric hybrid system kicks in. The plug-in is also much pricier.
It takes only three hours overnight to restore the charge in the Prius’ battery pack. After breakfast, I removed the charging cord connector from the receptacle installed in the right rear corner of the Prius. The charging port for the Nissan Leaf electric is in the middle of its grille area, while the port for the Chevrolet Volt electric hybrid is in its left front fender.
With a full charge of electric power and operating very quietly, the Prius carried Jan and me from our location in southwest Greeley to midtown, where we picked up Ruth Davis, then headed for downtown and the First United Methodist Church.
One open spot remained in the church parking lot, right next to the street, and I guided the Prius in. Its nice exterior finish, in clearwater blue metallic, shone brightly in the April sunshine. Other color choices are pearl, silver and gray.
Inside the church, a near-capacity crowd was seated; fortunately, though, our seats were still open. We sit just right of center aisle, three-fourths of the way back in the chapel, where we enjoy Leighton Mekeal’s weekly messages.
Most of the Prius’ electric charge was used by the time we returned home, and the instrument panel was estimating we were averaging above 100 miles per gallon of fuel. Of course it would be high, for the gas engine fired up and ran only briefly when I accelerated more heavily to accommodate an F-150 behind me at a stoplight. Otherwise, energy for the 11-mile round-trip was delivered from the battery pack. The electric mode operates only to 62 miles per hour; at that point, gas/electric hybrid control takes effect.
More telling in fuel usage would be the drive to Johnstown for Easter Sunday dinner at the home of Dale and Sandy Wells. In power mode, which relies on gas-engine response (vs. hybrid-dependent Eco mode), we accessed U.S. 34, though the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder and continuously variable transmission performed in rather mild fashion.
By the time we had returned home in late afternoon, we had traveled 51 miles from our early-morning start, and the mix of electric/hybrid/gas power delivered an overall average of 68 miles per gallon.
On two other days, with the electric charge expended, we averaged 40 mpg for town driving, and on a 32-mile highway drive at 65 mph, averaged 54 mpg.
With the Prius plug-in, ultimate fuel mileage will be attained by those using it for short, in-town trips, with nightly recharging.
The charging cord stores under the floor at the rear of the cargo area. The Prius’ lithium-ion battery pack has been reduced in size, thus the cargo area has been expanded to 21 cubic feet.
Toyota’s multi-information display for monitoring the energy performance sits far up on the dash, positioned in the middle, and is difficult to see at a glance. The review model was equipped with a head-up display out front of the driver.
Pushing the Prius’ price to $40,510 were other amenities, such as touch-screen navigation/audio, automatic climate control, push-button start, LED headlamps and washers, cruise control and tilt/telescope steering wheel.
Sidebar: Emergency kit
When driving in Colorado’s high country during the winter, you should always carry a survival kit containing:
Flashlight and extra batteries; Reflective triangles; First aid kit; Exterior windshield cleaner; Ice scraper and snow brush; Wooden stick matches in a waterproof container and coffee can for heat; Water, and nonperishable, high-energy foods; and Extra clothes and blankets.– Creative Services Staff
