The Prius III uses a 201.6v high-voltage battery for vehicle propulsion and to power the air-conditioning system.
Jason Emery -
FIREENGINEERING - November 5, 2009
The 2010 Prius does offer new challenges -- it is great to see such throrough training on this vehicle for emergency responders! --Ed.
The most popular-selling hybrid model on the market today, the Toyota Prius is now entering its third-generation release with the 2010 model (Photo 1). Although it shares many of the same characteristics of the second-generation Prius, there are a few differences, most notably the option of purchasing the solar panel feature that powers a ventilation system to keep a closed vehicle cooler on a warm sunny day. Response concerns surrounding this new feature are addressed in this article as well.
Vehicle Identification
The Prius chassis, throughout all three generations, was only released as a hybrid. This makes it slightly easier to identify as a hybrid since both the hybrid logos and the model name indicate that you are dealing with a hybrid. The Honda Insight is the only other vehicle that was released solely as a hybrid.
When approaching vehicles involved in an accident, be sure to look for formal indicators that the vehicle is a hybrid or other type of alternative-fueled vehicle. On the Prius III, you will find hybrid badging on the front fenders (Photo 2). On the liftgate, you will find both the Prius logo (left side) and the hybrid logo (right side) (Photo 3). In a rear-end collision, however, these rear-facing badges may become obscured, so always do a complete walk-around of the vehicle.
On the inside of the vehicle, there are also indicators of a hybrid on the dash area. On the display, you will see the “ready” mode indicator if the vehicle ignition is started and ready to move, even if the gasoline engine itself is shut off (Photo 4). The display also contains information on the current status of the hybrid system with regard to battery charging or discharging. To the right and above the gear selector on...
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