It has been revealed! Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Nov. 15, 2022 2023 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime Simon Humphries, Senior GM of Global Toyota Design: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, my name is. Thank you very much for joining us today. So let's talk Prius... You know, with the current focus on BEVs it seems not a day goes by without hearing. "#how long are you going to keep making hybrids for...?" So today, I'd like to talk about Toyota's new hybrid car! But maybe I can give you an insight into the passion behind the next generation Prius,... including an "interesting struggle" between Akio Toyoda, the president, and the development team, about the direction we should take. The Prius debuted in 1997, and as you well know, its name comes from the Latin word for "pioneer". Since the launch of the first-generation Prius, Toyota has sold a total of 20.3 million hybrids globally. Reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 162 million tons. Japan has reduced its CO2 emissions by 23% compared to 20 years ago, a high level by international standards. In North America, Toyota alone has sold more than 5.2 million hybrid vehicles and reduced emissions there by approximately 82 million tons. However, the Prius' greatest achievement is not only in those numbers. Rather, that it opened up to a viable alternative to gasoline and diesel. Since then, hybrid technology has been adopted and developed, not only by Toyota, but by the entire automotive industry. The Prius opened the door to a different way of thinking. And here in 2022, times have changed. Not a day goes by without talk of the road to carbon neutrality. But, in addition to hybrids, BEVs are also achieving major technological breakthroughs and solidifying their position as the standard for the future. As Akio san stated at the BEV event a year ago, "an EV for everyone", Toyota has embraced BEV as a critical part of our product portfolio. We have started to introduce a full lineup of exciting electric vehicles, that meet the diverse needs of our global customers together with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell technologies. But as Akio says, "BEVs are an important solution, but they are not always the best option for everyone. In a diversified world, we need a variety of options". However, despite these explanations, we're still faced with people asking "how long are you going to keep making hybrids for...?" In the face of this, Akio was adamant that, "The Prius is a model that must be kept". Why? Simply because the Prius is an eco-car within everyone's reach. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, everyone in the world must participate. We need ecological solutions within reach of the many. And it needs to start today, not tomorrow. Toyota believes that eco-cars can only contribute to the environment if they are popularized. and from that point of view the Prius is a car for the majority. It is a car to be driven by all people, not just a few. That is its greatest strength, and the reason for its existence. And the reason the Prius brand should not be lost. Although everyone in the development phase agreed to these goals, the methods to achieving them were hotly debated. Should the next Prius be focused on becoming a "Commodity" or something to "Love" Akio san proposed that the Prius should evolve toward becoming a true "commodity". Why don't we make the next Prius a taxi? By increasing the number of Prius' in heavy use, long mileage situations, then the contribution to the environment increases together with volume. He also proposed to sell the Prius as an OEM vehicle through other manufacturers, taking the environmental technology of the Prius, which has been cultivated over many years, and not limiting it to just the Toyota group, but rather to take it beyond the boundary of a single manufacturer. But on our side, we also believed there was another way. We wanted to make a car that people would choose not only for its rational benefits, but also its emotional experience. Without a doubt, pursuing rationality, fuel efficiency, and other numerical values, imposes many restrictions, and makes designing the car no easy task. However, we really believed that that the next step for Prius was to become a "car without compromises" in order to increase its appeal to the customer. A car that is loved, not only for its numbers. I honestly don't think Akio thought we would be able to achieve this, given the difficulties we had faced in the past. But he did not oppose us, On the contrary, he gave us a chance to fight. saying our team's choice of love instead of commodification was "interesting". When he saw the final design, he said, "That's cool!" Together, we chose love. Ladies and gentlemen, the new Prius. We hope there will be many reasons to love this car, but here are my top 5! Number 1, its beautiful... Or at least I'd like to think so! So what has changed this time? I think it was a mutual understanding that good design cannot be created by designers alone. The engineering team's efforts to lower the ride height, lengthen the wheelbase, and increase the tire size to 19 inches are not exactly logical. but because of that we were able to take the iconic silhouette of the Prius to the next level. It’s not only sleek, its strong and stable, it’s not only bold and simple, its full of surface movement, it's got attitude! But it’s not just design that triggers an emotional response. Number 2, EV with an engine... Dual Synergy Power. The plug in will deliver unparalleled performance thanks to the dual synergy of motor and engine. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6 seconds... Its range in EV mode has been extended by more than 50% compared to the current vehicle. In many average usage situations, it is, to all intents and purposes, an EV. Number 3, amazing driving dynamics. The TNGA platform has matured, and the driving dynamics will not let you down. We have achieved a lower center of gravity, even with large diameter tires. By increasing the rigidity of the body, we have achieved firm and stable response in straight lines and easy line tracing in corners according to the driver's intention. Combined with the latest powertrain, the result is an even more captivating driving experience. Number 4, digitization and quality. And in this day and age, the importance of the digital experience should not be ignored. Not only has a 12.3-inch center screen been adopted, but the layout is such that the digital environment enhances, rather than detracts, from the driving experience. Combined with high material quality and innovative illumination, we have also made the interior user experience a captivating one. Number 5, and "yes" it is still the most efficient hybrid vehicle in its class, in the world. You can be safe in the knowledge that all the exciting stuff has not come at the expense of actively contributing to carbon neutrality. The road to zero emissions is certainly a steep one. But we must not forget that we are doing it for the sake of the earth. Beyond zero, a brighter and happier future awaits all of us. But that journey has to start, not only today, but also with the maximum number of active participants. Whether it is battery electric, plug-in, fuel cells, hybrids, hydrogen or some yet-to-be-discovered technology, we will make every effort to offer better solutions for the majority of people around the world. Will commodities or love prevail? That's something only the customer can answer. How do you guys think this match will go? Personally, I look forward to seeing people around the world enjoying, and growing to love, the new Prius. Thank you very much.
Toyota just announced it is commencing sales of all-new Prius PHEV models, offered as the Z trim, on March 15 Developed under the "Hybrid Reborn" concept, the new Prius has evolved with an all-new and inspiring exterior design with exceptional performance and world class efficiency. Prius HEV models were launched in January of this year. The new Prius PHEV, offered as a Z trim in Japan, has been reborn as a high-performance version equipped with the latest plug-in hybrid system, which combines a compact, high-capacity drive battery, high-output drive motor, and high-efficiency gasoline engine. The main features of the Plug-in Hybrid System are as follows: The PHEV can cover the majority of daily driving, including commuting and going shopping, using just the electric power from the charged battery. It offers the outstanding quietness and brisk motor-based driving performance of a battery electric vehicle (BEV). On longer drives, such as going on a trip, the engine supplements battery power to serve as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that ensures the cruising range needed for traveling long distances with peace of mind. At the same time, the combination of motor and engine delivers the powerful yet comfortable driving performance unique to PHEV vehicles from the moment the gas pedal is pressed. A unique PHEV external power supply system _ for Japan only so far, enables the car to supply power in a range of scenarios from daily living to emergency situations. This includes an external power supply mode that enables the car battery to provide power during outdoor, leisure, and other activities. There is also an external emergency power supply mode that provides a larger supply of power during blackouts, disasters, and other emergencies by using the engine to generate electricity. The new Prius PHEV with a maximum system output of 164 kW/220 HP. The driving distance on the Japan MITI system is is 54-miles with the energy robbing 19" tires and 65-miles on the 17's. The 65-mile all-electric range (AER) represents an improvement of 75% compared to the current 4th gen Prime. 2023 Toyota Prius PHEV (Japan) Details Based on the all-new fifth-generation hybrid system, the new Prius PHEV combines a compact, high-capacity Li-Ion traction battery and high-output drive motor in Toyota's first use of its newly developed 2.0L PHEV System. This version of the Prius PHEV can reach 60 in just 6.5 seconds with the 17" tires and wheels. The new Prius PHEV is equipped with Regeneration Boost, which is useful on mountain roads and in other situations that require regular switching between acceleration and braking. When set, this function provides stronger regenerative braking force than normal to deliver responsive driving performance while reducing the frequency of switching between the accelerator and brake pedals. As a feature unique to PHEV models in Japan - possibly for the rest of us going forward???, the new Prius PHEV comes with both a BEV external power supply mode, which uses electricity stored in the battery to provide an external power supply for outdoor, leisure, and other activities, and an HEV external power supply mode, which can use the car as a power supply during blackouts, disasters, and other emergencies. In the HEV external power supply mode, electricity is supplied from the battery only until the remaining power falls to a set level, after which the engine starts to supply electricity. With a full battery charge and full tank of gas, this system can provide enough electricity for about five days of use. It also comes with an external electric power supply attachment as standard so that external power supply is possible with the door windows closed to prevent rain and insects from getting in the car when in use. It is also equipped with a vehicle power connector that can be plugged into the charging inlet of the vehicle for use as an external power socket providing 1,500 W on Japan's std. 100 VAC system. The new Prius PHEV is equipped with a second-generation solar charging system that provides enough power to drive up to 3 to 4-miles extra per day. Electric power generated from the solar panel is used to charge the drive battery while parked, with the system not only supplying electricity for driving but for A/C and other functions while driving. The system also supplies the auxiliary battery system when driving to reduce drive battery consumption. The new Prius PHEV comes with a "My Room Mode" that lets users enjoy air conditioning and audio systems from the external power source by turning the power switch on during normal charging. Creating a comfortable interior space without running the engine, this feature turns the car interior into an additional room that can be used for teleworking, rest, or any other activities. <-- This is a must have for here as your ability to use the heat pump is limited to minutes while plugged into an L2 before it shuts down on our 4th gens. A massively huge mistake for those of us that live on the road and transition through climates as hot as the Mojave desert in the summer to as cold as a North Dakota blizzard in winter while parked and charging overnight. The all-new Prius uses the same body design for both the HEV and PHEV models, but with their individuality expressed through small differences in shapes and color schemes. The exclusive PHEV design comes with 19" alloys with dynamic shape and a metallic silver lower grille and smoky gray tail lamps that emphasize technical advancement. Base sales volume for Japan - PHEV: 450 units per month (Reference: HEV: 4,300 units per month) Production Plant - Tsutsumi Plant, Toyota Motor Corporation Wayne
