Get Ready for the Next Generation Toyota Prius
Next generation Toyota Prius set for Q3 2009?
A third generation of the Toyota Prius Hybrid has been much anticipated by many car pundits. At the recent Geneva Motor Show Toyota displayed its Hybrid X concept car, which is surmised by many that this is the third generation Toyota Prius Hybrid.
Although Toyota has not officially announced when this redesigned Prius would appear, unofficially, automative journalists were told to expect it sometime in 2008, as a 2009 model. Latest Reports and Rumors, however, seem to indicate that this third generation hybrid will not not be offered until sometime in 2009 as a 2010 model.
Features
It was revealed that all future hybrids will carry the Prius name tag. There will be Prius A, Prius B and Prius C, denoting different vehicle sizes. Each model will have its own unique styling, bearing no resemblance to any of the other models of Toyota.
For starters, the next generation Toyota Prius will get a much needed increase in engine size, moving from the 1.5 liter engine we’ve seen from 2004-2008 to a 1.8 liter powerhouse. According to Motortrend, the next generation Prius will feature a sophisticated three-link independent rear suspension, exceptional rigidity due to extensive use of high-strength steel, and high crash-safety scores.
According to several reports, there will be the option for roof solar panels. Japan’s Nikkei business daily reported that the third generation Toyota Prius will be the first mass-produced vehicle to have solar panels. However it is reported that solar panels will only be available on high-end Prius models.
What are solar panels used for? The solar panles produced by Kyocera will actually be used to power the aor-conditioning system rather than to recharge its batteries. Prius will still be powered exclusively by its battery pack and electric motor. However, the addition of the solar panels should reduce the overall drain on the Prius hybrid drivetrain and hence translate into a few more miles per gallon.
News reports from Japan last week said that the car has been delayed by at least six months, to early 2009. The delay, as reported by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun (a Japanese industrial publication), was caused by the snags in developing new batteries.
Currently the batteries used are nickel metal hydride take up more space and are not as efficient. Toyota has set a goal of reducing the size of the battery pack by 50 percent whilst increasing its efficiency. Last year, CEO Katsuaki Watanabe told Business Week: ” We are making efforts to change to new lithium-ion batteries.”.
On the other hand, it is known that Lithium-ion gets unstable under extreme pressure, so it is definitely unsuitable for automotive use at this stage of the development. Latest rumors claimed that lithium-powered hybrids from Toyota had been delayed by at least 1 to 2 years due to safety precautions. However, so far there is no comments from Toyota.
The price of the all-new Prius will probably be the about same, perhaps even lower, than the current one. Toyota is expected to offer three trim levels: base, luxury and eco, with the base model starting around $21,000.
If gas prices stay high, Toyota’s third generation hybrid vehicles, especially the Prius, appear to have a bright future, regardless of whether lithium is being used to power the next generation hybrid vehicles.
If all goes according to plan of the launching of the next generation Toyota Prius, the next Prius will be as ground-breaking as the model before it, and Toyota will remain the global leader in fuel-efficient modes of transportation. Toyota will be able to wade off the criticisms and faults of hybrid cars and won the hearts and minds of more than half a million American buyers.
