2010 Toyota Prius PHV Prototype Road Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published June 23, 2010

2:54 min

I'm Chris Walton, Chief Road Test Editor at Inside Line. � We recently had an opportunity to test a 2010 Toyota Prius PHV, or Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle. While this test car is one of about 500 world-wide demonstration vehicles Toyota has scattered across the U.S., Japan, and Europe, it's fully operational. � What makes this Prius different from all the others currently in use are the larger batteries and the ability to charge the them from a typical, modern household outlet. � �The Prius plug in hybrid has a much larger battery than a regular Prius, and this allow it to operate in pure electric mode much more than a regular Prius.� It also means you can charge it when you get home, you just plug it in using this little receptacle port.� � What's more, the Prius PHV improves on its already outstanding fuel economy with a truly useable range in pure-electric mode--using no gasoline at all. � �The Prius plug in hybrid has a range of about 14 miles before it has to start using gasoline.� �� Now, just because this says Prius plug-in hybrid doesn�t mean you have to plug it in, you could just drive this as a normal Prius if you wanted to, and never plug it in.� � And when we did let the batteries run down, we still found the Prius PHV more fuel efficient than a normal Prius. At over 53 miles-per-gallon, the Prius PHV is probably still the highest-mpg car on the road. � But plug-it in periodically, for about 3 hours as we did --which costs about a dollar--and those 14 electric-only miles contributed to our best trip of 72 miles per gallon. Let me say that again, 72 miles per gallon, and over 100 miles per gallon is within reach. � You might think hauling around all that extra battery capacity would degrade the car's other performance capabilities. Yes and no. �� The plug in hybrid accelerates about the same as a regular Prius but its braking distance is a bit longer, and the handling isn�t quite as good� � You see, there's only a slight penalty for the PHV's incredible fuel economy potential. And don't forget, if you use the Prius PHV only for short trips and plug it in each time you return, you might visit a gas station once a month, or once a year. � Toyota has yet to announce official prices and availability, but it's our understanding Toyota is understandably anxious to get the Prius PHV in the hand of consumers by the end of this year at a price increase of about 3 to 4 thousand dollars. � We did the math and found you'd have to charge the batteries at the plug far more often than filling its tank at the gas pump for the PHV to be a smart fiscal choice. Then again, you could say that about a regular Prius over the cost of a fuel efficient non-hybrid too. Until we can put the highly anticipated Chevy Volt through a similar test, we think the Prius PHV is the best example of an extended-range electric vehicle rather than a gasoline-electric hybrid.