Not too long ago, I was invited to be a guest speaker at a private school for a Grade 6 class.
Their
unit was on sustainable transportation so they requested that I come in
and talk about just that. When I asked the kids what kinds of vehicles
on the roads were 'green,' the first answer was "Toyota Prius."
I'd like to say I was surprised, but I wasn't.
Arguably, the Toyota Prius is the poster child for sustainable transportation.
That's
not to steal the thunder from other manufacturers who are making
tremendous efforts to design and engineer vehicles that promote
sustainability. But to use colloquial jargon from the
urbandictionary.com, the Prius, in my opinion, was the 'original dog' in
this field!
It's the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle and it
essentially got the green revolution ball rolling back in 1997 when it
first went on sale in Japan.
In 2012, Toyota offers more hybrid
vehicles than any other brand and the Prius nameplate is synonymous with
fuel and emissions savings.
Their lineup continues to expand, and
now includes the wagon-like Prius V and the newest and cutest hybrid,
the Prius C. No, the C does not stand for 'cute'! It stands for City,
and is a compact and efficient urban and suburban commuter.
Building
on the foundation of the world's most proven hybrid power system, the
Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) takes on the shape of the third generation
Prius. It also employs Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, which features an
Atkinson Cycle 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder engine and a Continuously Variable
Transmission (CTV). It has a net horsepower of 134 horsepower, just like
the Prius hatchback.
But unlike the other Pri-i on the roads that use a nickel-metal
hydride battery, the PHV sports high-capacity, lightweight and compact
Lithium-ion batteries.
Additionally, it's Toyota's first belt-less engine.
Charging the PHV takes three hours on a standard 110-volt outlet and one and a half hours on 220 volts.
Back in December of 2011, I had my
first
taste of the plug-in while in Japan. It felt like driving a 'normal'
Prius, but with the added benefit of an all-electric range of around 20
kilometres.
Furthermore, it has various drive modes, including
Normal Mode, Eco Mode and Power Mode. Feeling like you need a little
more punch from the power plant? Push the Power Mode button. But on days
when you want to conserve even more, Eco Mode will help you do that.
While
our time together back then was fairly limited, my second time around
with it back home in Vancouver proved to be more fruitful.
The mid-size vehicle has always had a warm and welcoming interior.
Switching through the various screens is very intuitive. Whether wanting
to listen to the radio, hone in on what the engine or electric motor is
doing, or just enjoy the drive, it's as simple as the push of a button.
The
cabin is spacious and has room for five. Not to mention exceptionally
quiet while cruising in all-electric mode. And once the battery charge
is depleted, the vehicle will automatically shift into hybrid mode, thus
eliminating the 'range anxiety' typically associated with EVs on the
road.
While attending to my daily errands, there was no mistaking
the PHV for any other Prius out there. It was decked out in decals from
roof to wheels.
There are only five production model PHVs
undergoing test trials in Canada. They're not currently for sale, but
the estimated launch time is later in 2012.
By Alexandra Straub, The Province
May 18, 2012
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